System Of A Down frontman Serj Tankian has always sought to use his privileged platform as a globally-famous rock star to speak out against and call attention to international human rights abuses, oppression, dictatorial regimes and state-endorsed genocide. But rarely does this commendable commitment to shining a light on injustice and the erosion of civil liberties in society lead him to call out and challenge fellow musicians who may be less concerned with, or indeed entirely ignorant of, issues about which he feels passionate.
That has now changed with the 55-year-old vocalist/activist publicly criticising Las Vegas-based pop-rock band Imagine Dragons over what he sees as their failure to engage with him over their forthcoming scheduled show in Baku, Azerbaijan, which Tankian argues will lend credibility to the country's ruling elite and serve to help "whitewash" their repressive regime.
