“I always thought when I was 22 something bomb was gonna happen, then when I was 22, System started blowing up in like '96. Not blowing up really, but I started putting it into fruition. '96 is when people started noticing us, then '97 was when we got signed.”

Armenian-American musician

Shavarsh “Shavo” Odadjian is an Armenian-American musician best known as the bassist for the alternative metal band System of a Down. He was born into the Armenian diaspora and built a career around bass playing and collaboration in heavy music. He is also the bassist in North Kingsley, a trap group, and in Seven Hours After Violet, a metal band. His work is associated with alternative metal and related forms of heavy music, especially as a performer rather than a frontman.