Melbourne and System of a Down: Difference between pages

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{{Otheruses4|the band|the self-titled album|System of a Down (album)}}
{{dablink|This article is about the Australian city; the name may also refer to [[City of Melbourne]] or [[Melbourne city centre]] (also known as the [[Central business district|CBD]]). For other uses, see [[Melbourne (disambiguation)]].}}
{{Infobox Australian Place | type = city
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| Name = System of a Down
| name = Melbourne |
| Img = System of a Down, Download Festival 2005 (1).JPG
| state = vic |
| Img_capt = System of a Down at 2005's [[Download Festival]].
| image = Melbourne Infobox Montage.jpg
| Img_size = 250
| caption = '''Top:''' [[City of Melbourne]] skyline and [[Southbank, Victoria|Southbank]], '''Middle left''': [[Federation Square]], '''Middle right:''' [[Flinders Street Station]], '''Bottom:''' [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]].
| pop = 3,806,092
| Landscape = yes
| Background = group_or_band
| pop_footnotes = <ref name=2007pop>{{Cite web |url=http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/3218.0Main%20Features32006-07?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=3218.0&issue=2006-07&num=&view=#133428242927994956991334282429279950 |title=Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2006-07 |publisher=[[Australian Bureau of Statistics]] |accessdate=2008-03-31}}</ref>
| Alias = System<br/>SOAD
| poprank = 2nd |
| Origin = [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], [[California]], [[U.S.]]
| density = 1566
| Years_active = 1994—2006 <small>(hiatus)</small>
| density_footnotes = (2006)<ref>{{Census 2006 AUS|id=UCL232200|name=Melbourne (Urban Centre/Locality)|accessdate=2008-05-19}}</ref>
| Label = [[American Recordings|American]]/[[Columbia Records|Columbia]]
| coordinates = {{coord|37|48|49|S|144|57|47|E|type:city_region:AU-VIC|display=inline,title}}
| Associated_acts = [[Scars on Broadway]]<br />[[Serj Tankian]]<br />[[Achozen]]<br />[[Axis of Justice]]<br />[[Serart]]<br />[[Buckethead|Buckethead & Friends]]<br />[[Mt. Helium]]
| demonym = Melburnian |
| URL = [http://www.systemofadown.com/ www.systemofadown.com]
| area = 8806 |
| Current_members = [[Daron Malakian]]<br/>[[Serj Tankian]]<br/>[[Shavo Odadjian]]<br/>[[John Dolmayan]]
| est = 30 August [[1835]] |
| Past_members = [[Ontronik Khachaturian|Ontronik "Andy" Khachaturian]]
| county = [[County of Bourke|Bourke]]
| lga = [[Local Government Areas of Victoria#Municipalities of Greater Melbourne|31 Municipalities across Greater Melbourne]]
| stategov = [[:Image:Vic inner regions.jpg|54 electoral districts and regions]]
| fedgov = [[:Image:Map4.gif|23 Divisions]]
| timezone = [[Australian Eastern Standard Time|AEST]]
| utc = +10
| timezone-dst= [[Australian Eastern Daylight Time|AEDT]]
| utc-dst = +11
| location1= [[Adelaide]]
| dist1= 723
| location2= [[Sydney]]
| dist2= 876
| location3= [[Brisbane]]
| dist3= 1658
| location4= [[Perth, Western Australia|Perth]]
| dist4= 3412
| maxtemp = 19.8
| mintemp = 10.2
| rainfall = 646.9
}}
}}
'''System of a Down''' (commonly referred to as '''System''' or abbreviated as '''SOAD''') is an [[Armenia]]n-[[United States|American]] [[rock music|rock]] band, formed in 1994<ref>[http://www.soadfans.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=10715&highlight=interview+andy+andrew Exclusive Interview With Andy Khachaturian (ex-SOAD) :: The Official Unofficial System of a Down Site]</ref> in [[Glendale, California]]. Consisting of [[Serj Tankian]] (lead vocals, keyboards, and rhythm guitar), [[Daron Malakian]] (vocals and lead guitar), [[Shavo Odadjian]] (bass), and [[John Dolmayan]] (drums), the band has released five albums since 1998. A staple on mainstream rock radio, their works have earned them three [[Grammy Award]] nominations, of which they won one.
'''Melbourne''' ({{Pron-en-au|ˈmelbən}}<!--<ref>Due to the so-called '[[English-language vowel changes before historic l#Salary-celery merger|salary-celery]]' merger, locals may pronounce Melbourne as {{IPA|[ˈmæl.bən]}}. This so-called merger occurs in varieties of English where the phoneme {{IPA|/e/}} is realised phonetically as {{IPA|[æ]}} before {{IPA|/l/}} and is a feature of English spoken in [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], as compared with the other [[States and territories of Australia|places in Australia]].</ref>-->) is the second [[List of cities in Australia by population|most populous city]] in [[Australia]], with a [[metropolitan area]] population of approximately 3.8 million (2007 estimate).<ref name=2007pop /> Located at the mouth of the [[Yarra River]] and on the northern and eastern shorelines of [[Port Phillip]], Melbourne is the [[List of Australian capital cities|state capital]] of [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]]. Melbourne's [[demonym]] is ''Melburnian''.<ref>The variant spelling 'Melbournian' is sometimes found but is considered grammatically incorrect. The term 'Melbournite' is also sometimes used. ''Right Words: A Guide to English Usage in Australia.'' Stephen Murray-Smith. 2nd ed. Ringwood, Vic. Viking, 1989</ref>


System of a Down is very politically active and are noted for the liberal political views expressed in their songs, tackling several subjects including the [[Armenian Genocide]], [[War on Drugs]], [[religion]], and [[censorship]]. The band is a part of the [[Axis of Justice]], a non-profit organization co-founded by Tankian and fellow musician [[Tom Morello]], dedicated to bringing together musicians, music fans, and [[grassroots]] political organizations to fight for social justice.
Melbourne is a major centre of [[commerce]], [[industry]] and cultural activity.
The city is referred to as Australia's 'sporting and cultural capital'<ref name="melbourneorg">{{cite web|url=http://www.melbourne.org.au/325.0.html|title=Committee for Melbourne- The Sporting Capital|publisher=The Committee for Melbourne |accessdate=2008-09-28}}</ref> and it is home to many of the nation's most significant cultural and sporting events and institutions.
It has been recognised as a [[Global City|gamma world city]] by the [[Loughborough University]] group's 1999 inventory.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/rb/rb5.html |title=Research Bulletin 5: A Roster of World Cities |publisher=Globalization and World Cities |first=J.V. |last=Beaverstock |coauthors=Smith, R.G.; Taylor, P.J}}</ref>
Melbourne is notable for its mix of [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]] and [[contemporary architecture]], its extensive [[Trams in Melbourne|tram network]] and Victorian [[Melbourne parks and gardens|parks and gardens]], as well as its diverse, [[multicultural]] society.<ref name="Fairfax ">{{cite web|url=http://150.theage.com.au/view_bestofarticle.asp?straction=update&inttype=1&intid=1797|title=The Age 150th|publisher=Fairfax Media|accessdate=2008-09-28}}</ref>
Melbourne has hosted multiple international conferences and events, including the [[1956 Summer Olympics]] and the [[2006 Commonwealth Games]].
Politically, it was the location of the 1981 [[Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting]] and the [[2006 G20 summit]].


In 2006, the group went on an "indefinite hiatus", and all four members are currently working on various side projects.
Melbourne was founded by free settlers in 1835, 47 years after the first [[European settlement of Australia]], as a [[pastoral]] settlement situated around the [[Yarra River]].<ref name="settlement"/>
Transformed rapidly into a major [[metropolis]] by the [[Victorian gold rush]] in the 1850s, 'Marvellous Melbourne' became Australia's largest and most important city by 1865 the second largest in the British Empire,<ref name="largeby1865"/> and the tenth largest in the world for a brief moment at the turn of the 20th century. Such rapid growth from nothing was unprecedented at the time. However, Melbourne's growth slowed after 1900 and it was overtaken by [[Sydney]] as the largest city in Australia during the early 20th century.<ref name="overtake">{{cite web
|url=http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/ahc/publications/commission/books/linking-a-nation/chapter-6.html
|title=Chapter 6: Transport and the Making of Cities, 1850-1970
|work=Linking a Nation: Australia's transport and communications 1788-1970
|year=2003
|author=Dr Robert Lee
|publisher=www.environment.gov.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref>

Melbourne served as the federal seat of government <!-- Do not change this to say Melbourne was the capital. It wasn't the capital. That was reserved for what ultimately became Canberra. Between 1901–1927 Australia had no federal capital-->from the time of the new nation's [[Federation of Australia|federation]] in 1901, until Federal [[Parliament of Australia|Parliament]] moved to the purpose-built capital, [[Canberra]], in 1927.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://uninews.unimelb.edu.au/articleid_4332.html
|title=When Melbourne was Australia’s capital city
|author=University of Melbourne
|publisher=uninews.unimelb.edu.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref>


==History==
==History==
{{Inappropriate tone|section|date=November 2007}}
{{main|History of Melbourne}}
===Soil (1993–1994)===
{{seealso|Timeline of Melbourne history}}
[[Daron Malakian]] met [[Serj Tankian]] in 1993, while they both shared the same rehearsal studio in different bands. Serj was playing [[Musical keyboard|keyboard]] for the Lords of Acid, and Daron was singing lead vocals for another band. They formed a jam band called Soil (Serj on vocals/keyboards and Daron on guitar <ref>[http://soadfans.com/PNphpBB2-viewtopic-t-11402-start-0.htm Soil 1993-1997 :: The Official Unofficial System of a Down Site]</ref>; not to be confused with [[SOiL]]) with Domingo Laranio (drums) and Dave Hakopyan (bass). Around this time, they also met [[Shavo Odadjian]]. After about a year, with one supposed jam session recording and one live show, Dave and Domingo left, thinking the band wasn't going anywhere. <ref>[http://soadfans.com/PNphpBB2-viewtopic-t-11402-start-0.htm Soil 1993-1997 :: The Official Unofficial System of a Down Site]</ref>
{{seealso|History of Victoria}}


===In the beginning (1994–1997)===
[[Image:Landing at melbourne 1840.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Melbourne Landing, 1840; watercolour by W. Liardet (1840).]]
The band later broke up and Tankian and Malakian formed a new band "System of a Down," based on a poem that Daron wrote entitled "Victims of the Down". <ref name="interview_nalbandian" /> Shavo Odadjian thought that the word System appealed to a much broader audience than "Victims," and they wanted their albums to be stored near the band [[Slayer]]'s. Odadjian was the band's original manager and promoter, but joined as the [[bassist]], and managerial duties were taken over by the Velvet Hammer Music and Management Group and founder David "Beno" Benveniste. Daron then asked his friend [[Ontronik Khachaturian|Ontronik "Andy" Khachaturian]] (who had played in his first band with Daron at age 15 <ref>[http://www.soadfans.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=10715&highlight=interview+andy+andrew Exclusive Interview With Andy Khachaturian (ex-SOAD) :: The Official Unofficial System of a Down Site!]</ref>) to join the band as the drummer. <ref>[http://www.soadfans.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=10715&highlight=interview+andy+andrew Exclusive Interview With Andy Khachaturian (ex-SOAD) :: The Official Unofficial System of a Down Site]</ref>
[[Image:Parliament house plans.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Lithograph of the original plans for [[Parliament House, Melbourne]]. Construction began in 1855 but later stalled and the proposed reading room dome and wings were never completed.]]
[[Image:Melbourne international exhibition 1880.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Lithograph of the [[Royal Exhibition Building]] (now a [[World Heritage site]]) built to host the [[World's Fair]] of 1880. The main building has hosted several such fairs and later hosted the opening of the first [[Parliament of Australia]]. The area of the rear wings pictured is now parkland.]]
[[Image:Federal Coffee Palace.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The Federal Coffee Palace, a [[temperance hotel]] was the largest and tallest building in Melbourne, but one of many built in 1888. The [[Hotel Windsor (Melbourne)|Windsor Hotel]] is the largest survivor of this era.]]
[[Image:Swanston and Flinders St intersection 1927.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Flinders Street Station]], intersection of Swanston and Flinders Streets in 1927 when it was the world's busiest passenger station.]]
[[Image:Yarra River railway bridge 1928.jpg|thumb|200px|Melbourne and the Yarra in 1928. The Yarra was a major transport hub. The turning basin at Queensbridge was no longer the major a port, the river's course was modified and widened and South Melbourne (now Southbank) opposite the CBD was a major industrial area]]
[[Image:Orica House.jpg|thumb|200px|[[ICI House]], commenced in 1955, was a powerful symbol of the [[1956 Summer Olympics|Olympic city]]'s [[Modernism|modern]] aspirations.]]
===Foundation and early history===
The area of the [[Yarra River]] and [[Port Phillip]] that is now Melbourne was originally inhabited by the [[Wurundjeri]] people of the [[Kulin]] nation. It is believed that the area was occupied by [[indigenous Australians]] for at least 40,000 years.<ref name="settlement" /> The first British penal colony in the Port Phillip district was established in 1803 on [[Sullivan Bay, Victoria|Sullivan Bay]], but this settlement was abandoned after a few months.<ref>James Button [http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/10/03/1064988393029.html?from=storyrhs Secrets of a forgotten settlement] [[The Age]], 4 October 2003</ref>


System of a Down quickly made what is known as their early ''Untitled 1995 Demo Tape,'' which had very early recordings of "[[Mr. Jack (song)|Mr. Jack]]" (called "PIG"), along with a song called "Flake," and an early recording of "[[The Metro (song)#System of a Down version|The Metro]]," a [[cover version|cover]] of the [[Berlin (band)|Berlin]] song of the same name. It is rumored that there are other tapes made, which contain early recordings of "Friik," "36" (called ".36"), and "Roulette." Two other songs, "X" (called "Multiply") and "Honey" were live demos at the time and were played at very early shows.<ref name="ug_history">
In May and June 1835, the area that is now central and northern Melbourne was explored by [[John Batman]], a leading member of the [[Port Phillip Association]], who negotiated a transaction for 600,000 acres (2,400 km²) of land from eight Wurundjeri chiefs.<ref name="settlement" /> He selected a site on the northern bank of the Yarra River, declaring that "this will be the place for a village", and returned to [[Launceston, Tasmania|Launceston]] in [[Tasmania]] (then known as [[Van Diemen's Land]]). However, by the time a settlement party from the Association arrived to establish the new village, a separate group led by [[John Pascoe Fawkner]] had already arrived aboard the ''[[Enterprize (1829)|Enterprize]]'' and established a settlement at the same location, on 30 August 1835. The two groups ultimately agreed to share the settlement. [[Batman's Treaty]] with the Aborigines was [[annulled]] by the [[New South Wales]] government (then governing all of eastern mainland Australia), which compensated the Association.<ref name="settlement">{{cite web | url = http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/info.cfm?top=52&pg=703 | title = City of Melbourne&nbsp;— History and heritage&nbsp;— Settlement&nbsp;– foundation and surveying | work = City of Melbourne | accessdate = 7 October | accessyear = 2006}}</ref> Although this meant the settlers were now trespassing on Crown land, the government reluctantly accepted the settlers' ''fait accompli'' and allowed the town (known at first by various names, including 'Bearbrass'<ref name="settlement" />) to remain.
{{cite web
| title = The History Of: System of a Down
| work = ultimate-guitar.com
| date = [[2005-10-25]]
| url = http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/columns/the_history_of/the_history_of_system_of_a_down.html
| accessdate = 2007-07-25
}}
</ref> After this, the band recorded three public demos, which have been numbered as Demo Tape 1 to 3, as the early 1995 demo was not discovered until much later. Many of the songs featured on the demos would eventually make their way onto the band's debut album. In mid 1997, Khachaturian left the band (before the recording of the third demo tape <ref>[http://soadfans.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=11402&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30&sid=82dedbced041815a34aa7f8dd3c42947 Soil 1993-1997 :: The Official Unofficial System of a Down Site]</ref>) due to a hand injury. Soon after playing at the Whisky-A-Go-Go and Viper Room with new drummer [[John Dolmayan]], producer [[Rick Rubin]] caught the band's attention and told them to keep in touch with him. Showing great interest, they recorded yet another demo near the end of that year. This demo, however, was made only to be sent to record companies. The tape was not released to the public until years later when it was leaked onto the Internet. After Rick helped them get signed onto American/Columbia Records, System of a Down began to record in his studio. In 1997, the group won the Best Signed Band award from the Rock City Awards.<ref name="rc_awards_97">
{{cite web
| title = Rock City Awards 1997
| work = rockcitynews.com
| url = http://www.rockcitynews.com/awards/ballot97.html
| accessdate = 2007-07-25
}}
</ref>


===Debut album (1998–2000)===
In 1836, Governor Bourke declared the city the administrative capital of the [[Port Phillip District]] of New South Wales, and commissioned the first plan for the [[Hoddle Grid]] in 1837.<ref name="COM2">{{cite web|url=http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/info.cfm?top=53|title=City of Melbourne - Roads - Introduction|publisher=City of Melbourne|accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref> Later that year, the settlement was named Melbourne after the [[United Kingdom|British]] [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] [[William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne]], who resided in the village of [[Melbourne, Derbyshire|Melbourne]] in [[Derbyshire]]. Melbourne was declared a city by [[letters patent]] of [[Victoria of the United Kingdom|Queen Victoria]], issued on 25 June 1847.<ref name="Miles25">{{cite book|last=Lewis|first=Miles|title=Melbourne the city's history and development|editor=2nd|year=1995|pages=220|language=English}}p25</ref>
In the summer of 1998 (June 1998), System of a Down released their debut album, ''[[System of a Down (album)|System of a Down]].'' They enjoyed moderate success with their first single "[[Sugar (System of a Down song)|Sugar]]" becoming a radio favorite, followed by the single "[[Spiders (System of a Down song)|Spiders]]." After the release of the album, the band toured extensively, opening for [[Slayer]] before making their way to the second stage of [[Ozzfest]]. Following Ozzfest, they toured with [[Fear Factory]] and [[Incubus (band)|Incubus]] before headlining the Sno-Core tour with [[Puya (band)|Puya]], [[Mr. Bungle]], The Cat and Incubus providing support. System was scheduled to play the 1999 [[Family Values Tour]], but were kicked off by [[Fred Durst]] over his inability to sign the band [[Taproot (band)|Taproot]]. Durst has since admitted that he was a "complete wanker" in relation to this "oversight."{{Fact|date=February 2007}} The band has yet to comment on Durst's involvement or commentary. In 2000, the band contributed their cover of the [[Black Sabbath]] song "[[Snowblind (song)|Snowblind]]" to the Sabbath tribute album ''[[Nativity in Black 2]].''


===Breakthrough and success (2001–2003)===
===Victorian gold rush===
The group's big break arrived when their second album ''[[Toxicity (album)|Toxicity]]'' debuted at #1 on the American and Canadian charts, eventually achieving multi-platinum certification. The album has since sold 6 million copies worldwide. It was the top album in America on the week of the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]] and the political environment caused by the attacks added to the controversy surrounding their hit single "[[Chop Suey!]]" causing it to be [[List of songs deemed inappropriate by Clear Channel following the September 11, 2001 attacks|taken off the radio]] as it contained politically sensitive lyrics at the time such as "(I don't think you) trust in my self-righteous suicide." Regardless, the video gained constant play on [[MTV]] as did the second single, "[[Toxicity (song)|Toxicity]]." Even with the controversy surrounding "[[Chop Suey!]]" which earned a [[Grammy]] nomination, System of a Down still received constant airplay in the United States throughout late 2001 and 2002 with "[[Toxicity (song)|Toxicity]] " and "[[Aerials (song)|Aerials]]." In May 2006, [[VH1]] listed [[Toxicity (song)|Toxicity]] in the #14 slot in the 40 Greatest Metal Songs.
The state of Victoria was established as a separate colony in 1851 with Melbourne as its capital. The discovery of [[gold]] in Victoria in the 1850s led to the [[Victorian gold rush]], and the rapid growth of the city, which provided most of [[Service industry|service industries]] and served as the major port for the region. During the optimistic 1850s and 1860s, the construction of many of Melbourne's institutional buildings began, including [[Parliament House, Melbourne|Parliament House]], [[Old Treasury Building, Melbourne|Treasury Buildings]], [[State Library of Victoria|State Library]], [[Supreme Court of Victoria|Supreme Court]], [[University of Melbourne|University]], [[Melbourne GPO|General Post Office]], [[Government House, Melbourne|Government House]] as well as [[St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne|St Paul's]] and [[St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne|St Patrick's]] cathedrals. The city's inner suburbs were planned, linked by [[boulevard]]s and gardens. Melbourne had become a major finance centre, home to several banks and to Australia's first [[stock exchange]] in 1861.<ref name="caslon">{{cite web|url=http://www.caslon.com.au/timeline6.htm|title=Media Business Communication timeline since 1861|publisher=caslon.com.au|accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref>


In 2001, the band went on tour with [[Slipknot (band)|Slipknot]] in the [[United States]]. After seeing the success of the tour, System and Slipknot went on a Pledge of Allegiance Tour with [[Rammstein]] in 2002. In late 2001, a few unreleased tracks made their way onto the [[Internet]]. The group released a statement that the tracks were unfinished material. Soon after, the band released the final versions of the songs, which were recorded at the same time, but hadn't been used for ''[[Toxicity (album)|Toxicity]].'' The result was ''[[Steal This Album!]],'' released in November 2002. The cover of ''Steal This Album!'' resembled a burnable [[Compact disk|CD]] that was marked with a felt-tip marker. 50,000 special copies of the album with different CD designs were also released, each designed by a different member of the band. The name of the album is a reference to [[Abbie Hoffman]]'s counter-culture book, ''[[Steal This Book]]'' and as a message to those who stole the songs and released them on the Internet. The song "[[Innervision]]" was released as a promo single and received constant airplay on alternative radio. A video for "[[Boom! (song)|Boom!]]" was filmed with director [[Michael Moore]] as a protest against the [[War in Iraq]].
By the 1880s, Melbourne's boom escalated. The city had become one of the largest in the [[British Empire]], and reputedly the richest in the world.<ref>Robert B. Cervero, ''The Transit Metropolis: A Global Inquiry'', 1998, Island Press, ISBN 1559635916, p.320</ref> During this prosperous decade, Melbourne hosted five international exhibitions in the large purpose built [[Royal Exhibition Building|Exhibition Building]]. English journalist [[George Augustus Henry Sala]] coined the phrase "Marvellous Melbourne" during an 1885 visit, which stuck long into the [[20th century|twentieth century]]. Growing building activity culminated in the "Land Boom" which in 1888 reached a peak of speculative development fuelled by optimism and escalating property prices. As a result of the boom, high-rise offices, commercial buildings, [[coffee palace]]s, [[terrace house|terrace housing]] and palatial [[mansion]]s proliferated in the city.<ref name="University1">The Land Boomers. By Michael Cannon. Melbourne University Press; New York: Cambridge University Press, 1966</ref> Subsequent development has seen most of the taller CBD buildings (assisted by council fire regulations) and larger mansions from this era [[demolish]]ed, however [[Victorian architecture]] still abounds in Melbourne. This period also saw the expansion of a major radial [[rail transport|rail]] based transport network.<ref name="Miles47">Lewis, Miles ''(Melbourne the city's history and development)'' p47</ref>


===''Mezmerize'' / ''Hypnotize'' (2004–2005)===
The brash [[boosterism]] which typified Melbourne during this time came to a halt in 1891 when the start of a severe depression hit the city's economy, sending the local finance and property industries into chaos<ref name="University1"/><ref name="localhistories">{{cite web|url=http://www.localhistories.org/melbourne.html|title=A BRIEF HISTORY OF MELBOURNE|last=Lambert|first=Time|publisher=localhistories.org|accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref> during which 16 small banks and building societies collapsed and 133 limited companies went into liquidation. The Melbourne financial crisis helped trigger the [[Economic history of Australia|Australian economic depression of 1890s]] and the [[Australian banking crisis of 1893]]. The effects of the depression on the city were profound, although it did continue to grow slowly during the early twentieth century.<ref name="Britannica1">{{cite web|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/373808/Melbourne/12674/Growth-of-the-city|title=Melbourne (victoria) - growth of the city|publisher=Encyclopedia Britannica|accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref><ref name="welovemelbourne">{{cite web|url=http://www.we-love-melbourne.net/Melbourne-history.html|title=Fast Facts on Melbourne History|publisher=we-love-melbourne.net|accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref>
From 2004 to 2005, the group produced a [[double album]], ''[[Mezmerize]] / [[Hypnotize (album)|Hypnotize]]'' with the two parts released six months apart. The first album, ''[[Mezmerize]],'' was released on [[May 17]], [[2005]], to favorable reviews by critics. It debuted at #1 in the United States, Canada, Australia and all around the world, making it System of a Down's second #1 album. First week sales rocketed to over 800,000 copies worldwide{{Fact|date=February 2007}}. The Grammy Award-winning single "[[B.Y.O.B. (song)|B.Y.O.B.]]," which questions the integrity of military recruiting in America, worked its way up the Billboard Modern Rock and Mainstream Rock charts. The next single, "[[Question!]]" was released with Shavo Odadjian co-directing the [[music video]]. Following the release of ''Mezmerize,'' the band toured extensively throughout the [[United States]] and [[Canada]] with [[The Mars Volta]] and [[Bad Acid Trip]] supporting.


The second part of the [[double album]], ''[[Hypnotize (album)|Hypnotize]],'' was released on [[November 22]], [[2005]]. Like ''[[Mezmerize]],'' it debuted at #1 in the US, making System of a Down, along with [[the Beatles]], [[Guns 'N Roses]], and rappers [[2Pac]] and [[DMX (rapper)|DMX]], the only artists to ever have two studio albums debut at #1 in the same year.
===Federation of Australia===
At the time of Australia's [[Federation of Australia|Federation]] on 1 January 1901, Melbourne was specified as the temporary [[seat of government]]. The first Federal parliament was convened on 9 May 1901 in the Royal Exhibition Building. In 1927, Federal [[Australian Parliament|parliament]] was moved to the [[planned city]] of [[Canberra]], however the [[Governor-General of Australia]] remained at Government House until 1930 and many major national institutions remained in Melbourne well into the 20th Century.<ref name="Miles113">Lewis, Miles ''(Melbourne the city's history and development)'' p113-114</ref>


In February 2006, System of a Down won the Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance for "[[B.Y.O.B. (song)|B.Y.O.B.]]," beating out other established artists such as [[Nine Inch Nails]] and [[Robert Plant]]. Their second single off the Hypnotize album, "[[Lonely Day]]" was released in March in the United States. System of a Down released "[[Kill Rock 'N Roll]]" and "[[Vicinity of Obscenity]]" as their next [[Promotional recording|promo]] singles. The band headlined [[Ozzfest]] 2006 in cities where tour founder [[Ozzy Osbourne]] opted not to appear or wasn't playing on the main stage.
Melbourne was the Allied Pacific Headquarters from 1942 to 1944 as General [[Douglas MacArthur]] established Australia as a launch base for Pacific operations. During [[World War II]], Melbourne industries thrived on wartime production and the city became Australia's leading manufacturing centre.


===Hiatus and future of the band (2006–present)===
===Post-war period===
In May 2006, the band announced they were going on hiatus. Malakian has confirmed the break will probably last a few years, which Odadjian specified as a minimum of three years in an interview with ''Guitar'' magazine. He told MTV, "We're not breaking up. If that was the case, we wouldn't be doing this Ozzfest. We're going to take a very long break after Ozzfest and do our own things. We've done System for over ten years, and I think it's healthy to take a rest."
After the war, Melbourne expanded rapidly, with its growth boosted by an influx of [[Immigration to Australia|immigrants]] and the prestige of hosting the [[1956 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]] in 1956. During the subsequent decades, major freeway development and a significant increase in private car use helped the city to sprawl outwards and urban renewal projects in the inner city significantly modernised the city. Australia's finance and mining booms between 1969 and 1970 proved beneficial to Melbourne, with the headquarters of many of the major companies ([[BHP Billiton|BHP]] and [[Rio Tinto Group|Rio Tinto]], among others and the [[Reserve Bank of Australia]]) based in the city. [[Nauru]]'s booming mineral economy fuelled several ambitious investments in Melbourne such as [[Nauru House]]. Melbourne remained Australia's business and finance capital until the late 1970s, when it began to lose this primacy to [[Sydney]].<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/12/30/1072546531264.html?from=storyrhs
|title=Tell Melbourne it's over, we won
|work=Sydney Morning Herald
|date=31 December 2003
|publisher=smh.com.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref>


During their performance in [[Houston, Texas]], Malakian also took a moment to say, "There's been a lot of rumors about us breaking up. Well, don't listen to them. Us four right here, we will always be System of a Down!"{{Fact|date=February 2007}} However, Malakian announced he was forming a band called [[Scars on Broadway]], which was joined by Dolmayan, and would begin work on its debut album during autumn. Odadjian will be working on a project with [[RZA]] of [[Wu-Tang Clan]] named [[Achozen]] as well as his UrSession website/record label. Tankian plans to keep recording as a solo artist/producer with his first single being "Empty Walls" off his first album ''[[Elect the Dead]]'', was released on October 23, 2007. Dolmayan, as well working with Scars on Broadway, planned to open a comic book store online by November 2007.<ref name="soadfans_comic">
As the centre of Australia's "[[rust belt]]", Melbourne experienced the worst of Victoria's economic slump between 1989 to 1992, following the collapse of several of its financial institutions. In 1992 the newly elected [[Jeff Kennett|Kennett]] [[Coalition (Australia)|Coalition]] government began a campaign to revive the economy with an aggressive development campaign of [[public works]] centred on Melbourne and the promotion of the city as a [[tourist destination]] with a focus on major events and [[sports tourism]], attracting the [[Australian Grand Prix]] to the city. Major projects included the [[Melbourne Museum]], [[Federation Square]], the [[Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre]], [[Crown Casino]] and [[CityLink]] tollway. Other strategies included the privatisation of some of Melbourne's services including power and public transport, but also a reduction in funding to public services such as health and education.<ref name="Miles206">Lewis, Miles ''(Melbourne the city's history and development)'' p203,205-206</ref>
{{cite web
| title = SOAD talk about side projects
| work = soadfans.com
| date = [[2006-07-13]]
| url = http://www.soadfans.com/Article400.htm
| accessdate = 2007-07-25
}}
</ref>


System of a Down's final performance before their hiatus took place on [[August 13]], [[2006]] in [[West Palm Beach]], [[Florida]]. "Tonight will be the last show we play for a long time together," Malakian told the crowd during Sunday's last performance. "We'll be back. We just don't know when."<ref name="soadfans_last_show">
===Present day===
{{cite web
Since 1997 Melbourne has maintained significant population and employment growth. There has been substantial international investment in the city's industries and [[Real estate|property market]], and 2006 figures from the [[Australian Bureau of Statistics]] show that since 2000 Melbourne has sustained the highest population increase and [[Economic growth|economic growth rate]] of any Australian capital city.<ref>{{cite web
| title = West Palm Beach, FL - [[August 13]], [[2006]] Review
|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Melbournes-population-booms/2005/03/23/1111525222758.html
| work = soadfans.com
|title=Melbourne's population booms
| date = [[2006-07-13]]
|date=24 March 2005
| url = http://www.soadfans.com/Article427.htm
|work=The Age
| accessdate = 2007-07-25
|publisher=theage.com.au
}}
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref>
</ref>


System of a Down's songs were used in the 2006 film "[[Screamers (2006 film)|Screamers]]" by [[Carla Garapedian]]. They appeared in the movie, in an interview talking about the importance of helping create awareness and recognition of the [[Armenian Genocide]]. "Screamers" debuted in theaters in large city markets such as New York City, Detroit, Washington D.C., San Francisco, Fresno, Providence, and Boston. An earlier engagement started exclusively in Los Angeles on [[December 8]], 2006. Also, "Lonely Day" appeared on the soundtrack for the movie [[Disturbia]].
==Geography==
===Topography===
[[Image:Greater Melbourne Map 4 - May 2008.png|thumb|right|200px|Map of greater Melbourne]]
[[Image:Melbourne skyline.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The view of the [[Melbourne central business district|central business district]] across [[Hobsons Bay]] from [[Williamstown, Victoria|Williamstown]]]]
[[Image:Melbourne At Night from Southbank Bridge.JPG|200px|thumb|[[Melbourne CBD]] seen from [[Southbank, Victoria|Southbank]] with [[Flinders Street Station]] in the foreground.]]


System of a Down was honored at the USC v. Cal game at the [[Los Angeles Coliseum]] in Los Angeles, CA in 2006. The Trojan Marching Band, along with Dolmayan and Odadjian, performed three System of a Down songs: "[[Toxicity (song)|Toxicity]]," "[[Sugar (song)|Sugar]]," and "[[Hypnotize (song)|Hypnotize]]."
Melbourne is located in the south-eastern part of [[mainland]] Australia, within the state of [[Victoria]]<ref name="aboutoz">{{cite web|url=http://www.about-australia.com/victoria/melbourne/|title=Melbourne, Victoria, - About Australia|publisher=About Australia Online Pty. Ltd. ('about-australia.com'|accessdate=2008-09-28}}</ref><ref name="Tourism Victoria">{{cite web|url=http://www.visitmelbourne.com/|title=Melbourne, Victoria, Australia - visitmelbourne.com/|publisher=Tourism Victoria|language=English|accessdate=2008-09-28}}</ref>. Geologically, it is built on the confluence of [[Quaternary]] [[lava flow]]s to the west, [[Silurian]] [[mudstone]]s to the east,<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.monash.vic.gov.au/city/history/section-b.htm
|title=Detailed History: 1900-1945
|author=City of Monash
|publisher=www.monash.vic.gov.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref> and [[Holocene]] sand accumulation to the southeast along [[Port Phillip]].


Tankian recently said that he has wanted to work on his "solo record for years." As for the future of the band, he said that he does not know whether System of a Down is over or not. He also stated that "maybe in a few years" the band would "want to make another album. It's impossible to tell right now. It'll be later down the line; then we'll be able to tell what might happen."<ref name="blabbermouth_money">{{cite web
Melbourne extends along the [[Yarra River|Yarra]] through the [[Yarra Valley]]<ref name="yarra1">{{cite web|url=http://www.yarrariver.info/|title=Yarra River, Melbourne Australia|publisher=Yarra River Precinct Association, Yarra Tourism Association|accessdate=2008-09-28}}</ref> toward the [[Dandenong Ranges]] and [[Yarra Ranges]] to the east. It extends northward through the undulating bushland valleys of the Yarra's tributaries - [[Moonee Ponds Creek]] (toward Tullamarine Airport), [[Merri Creek]] and [[Plenty River]] to the outer suburban growth corridors of [[Craigieburn, Victoria|Craigieburn]] and [[Whittlesea, Victoria|Whittlesea]]. The city sprawls south-east through [[Dandenong, Victoria|Dandenong]] to the growth corridor of [[Pakenham, Victoria]] towards [[West Gippsland]]. The suburbs sprawl southward through the [[Patterson River]], [[Mornington Peninsula]] and the city of [[Frankston, Victoria|Frankston]] taking in the peaks of [[Olivers Hill, Victoria|Olivers Hill]], [[Mount Martha, Victoria|Mount Martha]] and [[Arthurs Seat, Victoria|Arthurs Seat]], extending along the shores of Port Phillip<ref name="ParksVic">{{cite web|url=http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/1park_display.cfm?park=58|title=Port Phillip|publisher=Parks Victoria 2008.|accessdate=2008-09-28}}</ref><ref name="Austtravel">{{cite web|url=http://www.austtravel.com.au/victoria_port_phillip_bay.htm|title=Port Phillip Bay - Victoria|publisher=austtravel.com.au/ - Austtravel|accessdate=2008-09-28}}</ref> as a single [[conurbation]] to reach the exclusive suburb of [[Portsea, Victoria|Portsea]] and [[Point Nepean]]. In the west, it extends along the [[Maribyrnong River]] and its [[tributary|tributaries]] north towards the foothills of the [[Shire of Macedon Ranges|Macedon Ranges]], and along the flat volcanic plain country towards [[Melton, Victoria|Melton]] in the west, [[Werribee]] at the foothills of the [[You Yangs]] [[volcanic]] peaks and [[Geelong]] as part of the greater metropolitan area to the south-west.
| title = System of a Down's Future Uncertain
| work = blabbermouth.net
| date = [[2006-12-28]]
| url = http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=64459
| accessdate = 2007-07-25
}}
</ref>


Bassist Shavo Odadjian was recently revealed to be directing the first video for the comeback of the [[hardcore punk]] band, [[Bad Brains]].<ref name="strange_glue_video">
Melbourne's major bayside [[beach]]es are mostly located along the shores of Port Phillip Bay along south eastern suburbs of the city, in areas like [[Port Melbourne]], [[Albert Park, Victoria|Albert Park]], [[St Kilda, Victoria|St Kilda]], [[Elwood, Victoria|Elwood]], [[Brighton, Victoria|Brighton]], [[Sandringham, Victoria|Sandringham]], [[Mentone, Victoria|Mentone]] and [[Frankston, Victoria|Frankston]] although there are beaches at [[Altona, Victoria|Altona]] and [[Williamstown, Victoria|Williamstown]] in the west. The nearest metropolitan [[ocean surface wave|surf]] beaches are located {{convert|85|km|mi|}} away from the CBD in the back-beaches of [[Rye, Victoria|Rye]], [[Sorrento, Victoria|Sorrento]] and [[Portsea, Victoria|Portsea]].<ref name="smhbeach">{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/victoria/lifes-a-beach-in-melbourne/2006/01/02/1136050380503.html|title=Life's a beach in Melbourne|last=Russell|first=Mark|date=January 2, 2006 - 2:45PM|publisher=Sydney Morning Herald |accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref><ref name="epabeach">{{cite web|url=http://epanote2.epa.vic.gov.au/EPA/Publications.nsf/2f1c2625731746aa4a256ce90001cbb5/d494227d97812f42ca2574330000f2c6/$FILE/1240.pdf|title=BEACH REPORT 2007–08|publisher=epa.vic.gov.au|accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref>
{{cite web
| title = System of a Down Bassist to Direct Bad Brains Video
| work = strangeglue.com
| date = [[2007-05-15]]
| url = http://strangeglue.com/system-of-a-down-bassist-to-direct-bad-brains-video/810/
| accessdate = 2007-07-25
}}
</ref>


For the 2007 Grammys, System of a Down was nominated for Best Hard Rock Performance for "[[Lonely Day]]," but lost to [[Wolfmother]] and their song "[[Woman (Wolfmother song)|Woman]]."
===Environment===
Like many urban environments, Melbourne faces some significant environmental issues.
Melbourne has one of the highest urban footprints in the world due to its low density housing, suburban sprawl, and car dependence due to minimal public transport outside of the inner city.<ref name="Urbanfootprint">{{cite book|last=R |first=Cardew|coauthors=P Fanning|others=J George,|title=Urban Footprints and Stormwater Management: A Council Survey|year=1998}}</ref> Much of the vegetation within the city are non-native species, most of European origin, and in many cases plays host to [[invasive species]] and noxious weeds.<ref name="weeds">{{cite web|url=http://www.weeds.org.au/target.htm|title=Target Species for Biological Control|publisher=weeds.org.au|accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref> Significant introduced urban pests include the [[Common Myna]],<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2002/s595922.htm
|title=Scientists declare war on Indian mynah
|work=7.30 Report
|date=2002-07-01:
|publisher=www.abc.net.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref> [[Rock Pigeon]],<ref>[http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/opm/bc/CTEE/meetings/CSCaCD_51_20040907.pdf UPDATE ON PIGEON MANAGEMENT ISSUE]</ref> [[Common Starling]], [[Brown Rat]], [[German wasp|European Wasp]],<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.csiro.au/resources/ps1sm.html
|title=The picnickers nightmare: European wasp
|publisher=www.csiro.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref> and [[Red Fox]]. Many outlying suburbs, particularly those in the [[Yarra Valley]] and the hills to the north-east and east, have gone for extended periods without regenerative fires leading to a lack of saplings and undergrowth in urbanised native bushland, the Department of Sustainability and Environment partially addresses this problem by regularly burning off.<ref name="environ">{{cite web|url=http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/publications/series/paper8/paper9.html|title=Fire and Biodiversity: The Effects and Effectiveness of Fire Management|date=Australian government - Department of environment|accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref><ref name="stateoffire">{{cite book|last=Murray|first=Robert|coauthors=Kate White, P de B Kock|title=State of Fire: A History of Volunteer Firefighting and the Country Fire Authority in Victoria|publisher=Hargreen Publishing|year=1995|pages=339 pages|isbn=0949905631}}</ref> [[National park]]s nearby to the urban area include the [[Mornington Peninsula National Park]], [[Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park]] and [[Point Nepean National Park]] in the south east, [[Organ Pipes National Park]] to the north and [[Dandenong Ranges National Park]] to the east. There are also a number of significant state parks just outside Melbourne.<ref name="parkweb">{{cite web|url=http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/1aboutus.cfm|title=About Parks Victoria|publisher=parkweb.vic.gov.au|accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref>


Shavo Odadjian recently told Launch Radio Networks that System of a Down is "alive and well."
Responsibility for regulating pollution falls under the jurisdiction of the [[Environmental Protection Agency|EPA]] Victoria and several local councils. [[Air pollution]], by world standards, is classified as being good, however summer and autumn are the worst times of year for atmospheric [[haze]] in the urban area.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.dar.csiro.au/information/urbanpollution.html
|title=Urban and regional air pollution
|author=CSIRO: Marine and atmospheric research
|publisher=www.dar.csiro.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref><ref name="Age3"/>


{{cquote|We're just not working together right now. We kind of like split up at first, but you know, we're brothers, man, we'll take bullets for each other. So it's like, you kind of miss each other after a while and you, one guy makes the first move, then another starts making phone calls....this is a juggernaut, man. System of a Down is my lifeline. It'll never go away. We could not make a record for 10 years&nbsp;— that's not gonna happen, but I'm just saying we could&nbsp;— and we'll come back strong.<ref name="ug_alive">
The biggest current environmental issue facing Melbourne is the Victorian government project to deepen the channel to Melbourne Ports by dredging Port Phillip Bay. It is subject to controversy and strict regulations among fears that beaches and marine wildlife could be affected by the disturbance of [[heavy metals]] and other industrial sediments.<ref>{{cite web
{{cite web
|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/05/2155149.htm
| title = System of a Down Is 'Alive and Well'
|title=Garrett approves Port Phillip Bay dredging
| work = ultimate-guitar.com
|work=ABC News
| date = [[2007-07-20]]
|date=5 February 2008
| url = http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/system_of_a_down_is_alive_and_well.html
|publisher=www.abc.net.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
| accessdate = 2007-07-25
}}
}}</ref><ref name="epabeach"/> Other major pollution problems in Melbourne include levels of bacteria including [[E-coli]] in the [[Yarra River]] and its tributaries caused by septic systems,<ref>{{cite web
</ref>}}
|url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23784623-2862,00.html
|title=E coli running riot in Yarra River
|date=31 May 2008
|work=Herald Sun
|publisher=www.news.com.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref> as well as up to 350,000 [[cigarette]] butts entering the storm water runoff every day.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.aius.org.au/indicators/sectiontype.cfm?ThemeID=11&SectionTypeID=2
|title=AIUS Indicators
|work=Environmental indicators for Metropolitan Melbourne
|author=Australian Institute of Urban Studies and City of Melbourne
|publisher=www.aius.org.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref> Several programs are being implemented to minimise beach and river pollution.<ref name="litter1">{{cite web|url=http://www.litter.vic.gov.au/resources/documents/Victoria%27s_Litter_Strategy_Sep95.pdf|title=Victoria's Litter reduction Strategy|publisher=litter.vic.gov.au|accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref><ref name="epabeach"/>


===Future and possible reunion===
===Climate===
When asked in February 2008 if a reunion was planned any time in the future, Daron Malakian had admitted that System of a Down may never get back together again. He had this to say:
{{climate chart|[[Melbourne]]
|14.2|25.8|48
|14.5|25.8|48
|13.2|23.8|50
|10.7|20.3|58
|8.6|16.7|56
|6.9|14|49
|6|13.4|48
|6.6|14.9|50
|7.9|17.2|59
|9.5|19.6|67
|11.1|21.9|60
|12.9|24.2|59
|float=left
|clear=none
|source=Bureau of Meteorology<ref name= >{{cite web
| url = http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_086071.shtml | title = Climate statistics for Australian locations | accessmonthday = Sept 5 | accessyear = 2007 | publisher=
| language = English }}</ref>
}}
Melbourne has a moderate [[oceanic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Cfb'').<ref>Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., 4, 439–473, 2007, [http://www.copernicus.org/EGU/hess/hessd/4/439/hessd-4-439_p.pdf 'Updated world map of the Koppen-Geiger climate classification system'] accessed 10 March 2007</ref> and is notorious for its changeable weather conditions. This is due in part to the city's flat topography, its situation on [[Port Phillip]] Bay, and the presence of the [[Dandenong Ranges]] to the east, a combination that creates weather systems that often circle the bay.<ref name="Bureau">{{cite web|url=http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_086071.shtml|title=Melbourne Climate statistics|publisher=Australian Government - Bureau of Meteorology |accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref> The phrase ''"four seasons in one day"'' is part of [[popular culture]] and observed by many visitors to the city.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/info.cfm?top=269&pg=2325
|title=Welcome to Melbourne&nbsp;— Welcome to Melbourne&nbsp;— Introduction
|author=City of Melbourne
|publisher=www.melbourne.vic.gov.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref>


{{cquote|There's no talk of System doing anything. We're not planning on doing anything. If anyone's holding their breath for a new System record, they're going to turn blue and pass out. It's a long ways away, if it ever even happens. We don't even talk about it&nbsp;— none of us. This (Scars on Broadway) is my band right now.<ref name="SOAD_no_more">
Melbourne is colder than other mainland Australian capital cities in the winter. The lowest maximum on record is {{convert|4.4|C|F}}, on 4 July 1901.<ref name=snow>{{cite web
{{cite web
|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/snow-misses-cbd-lunch-appointment/2005/08/10/1123353351466.html
|title=Snow misses CBD lunch appointment&nbsp;— National&nbsp;— theage.com.au
| title = System of a Down&nbsp;— Malakian: 'System of a Down Will Never Reform'
| work = contactmusic.com
|publisher=theage.com.au
| date = [[2008-02-19]]
|date=10 August 2005
| url = http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/malakian%20system%20of%20a%20down%20will%20never%20reform_1059956
|wokr=The Age
|accessdate=2008-07-18
| accessdate = 2008-02-21
}}
}}</ref> However, [[snow]]falls are extremely rare: the most recent occurrence of sleet in the CBD was on 25 July 1986 and the most recent snowfalls in the outer eastern suburbs and [[Mount Dandenong]] were on 10 August 2005,<ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2005/08/10/1123353352628.html Snow falls in Melbourne] Sydney Morning Herald, 10 August 2005 accessed online 7 November 2006</ref> 15 November 2006, 25 December 2006<ref>{{cite web
</ref>}}
|url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,20972481-661,00.html
|title=Santa brings snow to Melbourne
|work= Herald Sun
|date=25 December 2006
|publisher=www.news.com.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref> and 10 August 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bom.gov.au/announcements/media_releases/vic/20050810.shtml |title=Snow in Victoria - 10 August 2005 |publisher=Bom.gov.au |date= |accessdate=2008-10-10}}</ref> More commonly, Melbourne experiences [[frost]]s and [[fog]] in winter.


In an April 2008 interview with Kerrang magazine, guitarist [[Daron Malakian]] and drummer [[John Dolmayan]] gave their takes on the band's future. When told that many people are going to wonder what the future of the band is, Malakian responded by stating that:
During the spring, Melbourne commonly enjoys extended periods of mild weather and clear skies. Melbourne is also known to have extremely hot, and dry summers, with maximum temperatures above {{convert|40|°C|°F}}.<ref name="Bureau"/>
{{cquote|We'll all know when the time is right.}}
Dolmayan added:
{{cquote|It'll just happen.}}
Malakian went on to say:
{{cquote|Yeah. It'll feel good and happen. I can respect this situation [System's hiatus] more than I can respect the situation where two people are like, 'The lead singer fucked my girlfriend!' and that kind of bullshit. Nah, man. The lead singer is a special person to me and I am to him. And that's how we ended off. Same with Shavo, same with John. And it will always be. It was a big part of my life. We were onstage together for a long time, man. We went through shit as a band and friends -- we slept in RV's together!}}


There are rumors that Serj has expressed the desire to have SOAD represent Armenia at Eurovision 2009. However, in his interview for Asbarez newspaper August 22, 2008 edition Serj has confirmed that the rumors were false. It was a result of a journalist in Finland who misquoted Serj and took his statements out of context. Following the widespread rumors, Serj asked that the Finnish journalist retract his statements.<ref>{{cite web | title=Interview with Serj Tankian|url=
In recorded history, Melbourne has experienced a number of highly unusual weather events and extremes of climate as well as the rare [[natural disaster]].<ref>{{cite web
http://www.asbarez.com/index.html?showarticle=34385_08/22/2008_1|accessdate=September 26| accessyear=2008}}</ref>
|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/09/01/1062383507154.html
|title=Melbourne: City of woes
|work=The Age
|date=2 September 2003
|publisher=www.theage.com.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref> In 1891, the great flood caused the Yarra to swell to {{convert|305|m|ft|}} in width. In 1897, a great fire destroyed an entire city block between [[Flinders Street, Melbourne|Flinders Street]] and [[Flinders Lane, Melbourne|Flinders Lane]], [[Swanston Street, Melbourne|Swanston Street]] and [[Elizabeth Street, Melbourne|Elizabeth Street]] as well as gutting a {{convert|43|m|ft|sing=on}} office building which was the city's tallest building of the time. In 1908, a heatwave struck Melbourne. On 2 February 1918, the [[Brighton tornado]], an [[Fujita scale|F3]] class and the most intense [[tornado]] to hit a major Australian city struck the bayside suburb of Brighton. In 1934, storms caused widespread damage. On 13 January 1939 Melbourne had its hottest temperature on record, {{convert|45.6|°C|°F}}, during a four-day nationwide [[heat wave]]<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/01/24/1042911549401.html
|title=Record heat and stupidity as Melbourne swelters
|work=The Age
|date=25 January 2003
|publisher=www.theage.com.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref> in which the [[Black Friday (1939)|Black Friday bushfires]] destroyed townships that are now Melbourne suburbs. In 1951 it snowed in both the CBD and suburbs with moderate cover recorded.<ref name=snow /> In February 1972, the CBD was flooded as the natural watercourse of Elizabeth Street became a raging torrent.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/environ/design/flood.shtml
|title=Melbourne flood&nbsp;— Elizabeth Street, February 1972
|publisher=www.bom.gov.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref> On 8 February 1983, the city was enveloped by a massive [[Melbourne dust storm|dust storm]], which turned day to night. On 16 February in 1983, Melbourne was encircled by an arc of fire as the [[Ash Wednesday fires]] encroached on the city. In 1997, Melbourne was hit by a heatwave with a minimum temperature over a 24 hour period of 28.8. Freak storms struck in [[2003 Melbourne thunderstorm|December 2003]], January 2004 and February 2005. On 9 December 2006 some of the thickest bushfire smoke in recorded history blanketed the city sky.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/smoke-triggers-alarm-in-city/2006/12/09/1165081187390.html
|title=Smoke triggers alarm in city&nbsp;— National&nbsp;— theage.com.au
|publisher=theage.com.au
|date=9 December 2006
|work=The Age
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref> A heatwave struck in 2008 and bushfires threatened the suburbs.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/01/10/2135731.htm
|title=Melbourne sizzles in heatwave
|work=ABC News
|date= 10 January 2008
|publisher=www.abc.net.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref><ref name="Bureau"/>


In an interview with Hollyscoop at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2007, Serj explains:
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0 auto 0 auto; text-align:right;"
{{cquote|System of a Down we have been a band for 12 years, we have put out 5 records, we are all friends and we're still friends and we decided to take time to pursue our artistic and personal goals.}}
|+ '''Other daily elements'''
He goes on to say:
|-
{{cquote|We're artists, we're friends we don't have to do necessarily the same every year and we have left the door open.}}
! &nbsp; !! Jan !! Feb !! Mar !! Apr !! May !! Jun !! Jul !! Aug !! Sep !! Oct !! Nov !! Dec !! Yearly
Towards the end of the interview, Serj was asked if a reunion was possible, he replied:
|-
{{cquote|It is very possible, yeah.}}
! Mean number of rain days
| 8.3 || 7.4 || 9.3 || 11.5 || 14.0 || 14.2 || 15.1 || 15.6 || 14.8 || 14.3 || 11.8 || 10.5 || 146.7
|-
! Mean number of clear days
|6.3 || 6.3 || 5.7 || 4.4 || 3.0 || 2.5 || 2.7 || 2.9 || 3.4 || 3.6 || 3.5 || 4.4 || 48.5
|-
! Mean number of cloudy days
|11.2 || 9.7 || 13.4 || 14.9 || 18.0 || 16.8 || 17.2 || 16.8 || 15.7 || 16.4 || 15.1 || 14.2 || 179.5
|-
| colspan="15" style="text-align:center;" | <small>'''Source:''' [http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_086071.shtml Bureau of Meteorology]</small>
|}


Recently, in an interview with CNN, Serj said that he was talking with Shavo and Daron hoping to make a record to debut in late 2010
==Urban structure==
{{seealso|List of heritage listed buildings in Melbourne|Parks and gardens of Melbourne}}
[[Image:Victorian terrace on canterbury road, Middle Park.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Victorian terrace style housing is common in Melbourne's inner suburbs and has been the subject of [[gentrification]]]]
[[Image:Victoria Avenue - Canterbury.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Victoria Avenue, Canterbury is one of many [[London Plane|London Plane Tree]] lined streets in Melbourne.]]
The original city (known today as the [[central business district]] or CBD) is laid out in the 1 mile (1.6 km) by half mile (0.8 km) [[Hoddle Grid]], its southern edge fronting onto the Yarra. The city centre is well known for its historic and attractive lanes and arcades (the most notable of which are [[Block Arcade, Melbourne|Block Place]] and [[Royal Arcade, Melbourne|Royal Arcade]]) which contain a variety of shops and cafes.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/Opinion/Melbournes-love-affair-with-lanes/2004/12/31/1104344983928.html
|title=Melbourne's love affair with lanes&nbsp;— Opinion&nbsp;— www.theage.com.au
|publisher=theage.com.au
|date=10 August 2005
|author=Suzy Freeman-Greene
|work=The Age
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref> The CBD and surrounds contain many historic buildings such as the [[Royal Exhibition Building]], the [[Melbourne Town Hall]] and [[Parliament House, Melbourne|Parliament House]].<ref name="Walking Melbourne">{{cite web|url=http://www.walkingmelbourne.com/|title=Walking Melbourne, Heritage, Architecture, Skyscraper and Buildings Database|publisher=Walking Melbourne|accessdate=2008-09-28}}</ref><ref name="MTG">{{cite web|url=http://www.melbourneaustralia.org/arts-architecture.html|title=Melbourne Architecture|publisher=Melbourne Travel Guide|accessdate=2008-09-28}}</ref>
Although the area is described as the ''centre'', it is not actually the demographic centre of Melbourne at all, due to an [[urban sprawl]] to the south east, the demographic centre being located at Bourne St, [[Glen Iris, Victoria|Glen Iris]].<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/08/04/1028157880515.html
|title=Glen Iris still the heart of city's sprawl
|work=The Age
|date=5 August 2002
|publisher=www.theage.com.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref> Rather, the recognition dates back to the 1930s when many larger buildings were constructed in the outlying border area, several with a characteristically "[[art deco]]" crown—a short tower of cantilevered awnings which serve only a graphical purpose—forming the apex.<ref>{{cite news
| last = Lane
| first = Terry
| coauthors =
| title = Out of the past
| work = [[The Age]]
| publisher = [[Fairfax Media]]
| date = [[2008-08-04]]
| pages = Green Guide (p. 24)
| url =
| accessdate = }}</ref>


==Style and influences==
[[Image:Melbourne Australia Royal Botanical Garden.JPG|thumb|left|200px|Melbourne's [[Royal Botanic Gardens]].]]
The stylistic variety and level of [[Experimental rock|experimentation]]<ref name="purevolume">
{{cite web
| last = Nettleton
| first = Chris
| title = ''System of a Down'' review
| work = drownedinsound.com
| url = http://www.drownedinsound.com/release/view/4822
| accessdate = 2007-07-25
}}
</ref> in System of a Down's music has made it difficult to describe. Though they have evolved their sound with each album, System of a Down has, for the most part, maintained a single style throughout their body of work. This style mixes elements and influences from a wide variety of genres such as [[alternative rock]], [[punk rock]], [[folk music]], [[psychedelic rock]], [[traditional heavy metal|classic metal]], [[symphonic metal]], [[thrash metal]], [[funk rock#Funk metal|funk metal]] and [[progressive rock]].{{Fact|date=April 2008}} Even some electronic influences can be heard in songs such as "Old School Hollywood." This has made them difficult to categorize, prompting the press to describe them with several different [[Music genre|genre]] handles, among them [[alternative metal]],<ref name="amg">
{{cite web
| title = System of a Down at the All Music Guide
| work = allmusic.com
| url = http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:hifuxqqjldfe
| accessdate = 2007-07-24
}}
</ref> [[hard rock]],<ref name="amg" /><ref name="nytimes_war_videos">
{{cite web
| last = Strauss
| first = Neil
| title = The Pop Life: MTV is Wary of Videos on War
| work = nytimes.com
| date = [[2003-03-26]]
| url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B01E3DE1330F935A15750C0A9659C8B63&sec=technology&spon=&pagewanted=all
| accessdate = 2007-07-24
}}
</ref> [[nu metal]]<ref name="prnw_toxicity">
{{cite news
| url = http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/prnewswire/access/115475005.html?dids=115475005:115475005&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT
| title = American Recordings/Columbia Records press release for the release of ''Toxicity''
| publisher = [[PR Newswire]]
| date = [[2002-04-23]]
| accessdate = 2007-05-06
}}
</ref><ref name="salon">
{{cite web
| last = Armoudian
| first = Maria
| title = Rock's Axis of Activism
| work = salon.com
| date = [[2003-02-06]]
| url = http://dir.salon.com/story/ent/music/feature/2003/02/06/axis_justice/index.html
| accessdate = 2007-05-06
}}
</ref> and [[progressive metal]].<ref "rs_prog_metal_radicals">
{{cite web
| last = Serpick
| first = Evan
| title = System of a Down&nbsp;— Prog-metal Radicals
| work = rollingstone.com
| date = [[2005-12-15]]
| url = http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/8957307/system_of_a_down
| accessdate = 2007-07-24
}}
</ref>


The band has used a wide range of instruments, including [[electric mandolin]]s, [[baritone guitar|baritone electric guitar]]s, [[acoustic guitar]]s, [[oud]]s, [[sitar]]s
Melbourne is typical of Australian capital cities in that after the turn of the 20th century, it expanded with the underlying notion of a 'quarter acre home and [[garden]]' for every family, often referred to locally as the ''[[Australian Dream]]''. Much of [[Metropolitan area|metropolitan]] Melbourne is accordingly characterised by low density sprawl. The provision of an extensive [[railway]] and [[tram]] service in the earlier years of development encouraged this low density development, mostly in radial lines along the [[transport]] corridors.
and [[twelve string guitar]]s.<ref name= "8notes">
{{cite web
| title = System of a Down biography
| work = 8notes.com
| date =
| url = http://www.8notes.com/biographies/system_of_a_down.asp#History.2C_style_and_influences
| accessdate = 2006-06-26
}}
</ref>
Furthermore, a variety of [[keyboard instrument|keyboards]] and [[synthesizer]]s have been used on live shows. [[Drop C tuning]] was used exclusively on the first three albums, with later records mostly relying on drop C# tuning. Their vocal style has also remained fairly consistent over the years. The band frequently used alternating vocals, switching between near screaming followed by a softer type of singing. Also, the same harmony and chord structures are frequently used in vocals in their songs, giving them a distinct sound.


The band has cited [[Middle Eastern music]] as one of its influences<ref name="interview_nalbandian">
Melbourne is often referred to as Australia's garden city, and the state of Victoria was once known as ''the garden state''.<ref name="wilmap">{{cite web|url=http://www.wilmap.com.au/vic.html|title="Victoria"|publisher=wilmap.com.au|accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref><ref name="Age3">{{cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/03/10/1205125821732.html|title=Victoria: the garden state or greenhouse capital?|publisher=The Age - Fairfax Media|accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref><ref name="goway">{{cite web|url=http://www.goway.com/downunder/australia/victoria/|title=Victoria Australia, aka "The Garden State"|publisher=goway.com|accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref> There is an abundance of [[Melbourne parks and gardens|parks and gardens in Melbourne]],<ref name="COM">{{cite web|url=http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/info.cfm?top=25&pg=617|title=City of Melbourne - Parks and Gardens|publisher=City of Melbourne|accessdate=2008-09-28}}</ref> many close to the [[Melbourne Central Business District|CBD]] with a variety of common and rare plant species amid landscaped vistas, pedestrian pathways and tree-lined avenues. There are also many parks in the surrounding suburbs of Melbourne, such as in the municipalities of [[City of Stonnington|Stonnington]], [[City of Boroondara|Boroondara]] and [[City of Port Phillip|Port Phillip]], south east of the CBD.
{{cite web

| last = Nalbandian
The extensive area covered by urban Melbourne is formally divided into hundreds of [[suburb]]s (for addressing and postal purposes), and administered as local government areas.<ref name="vicnet">{{cite web|url=http://www.vicnet.net.au/government/localgovt/|title=Vicnet Directory - Local Government|publisher=Vicnet|accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref>
| first = Bob

| title = Interview with System of a Down
The Melbourne CBD contains five of the six [[List of tallest buildings in Australia|tallest buildings in Australia]], the tallest being the [[Eureka Tower]].<ref name="Eureka1">{{cite web|url=http://www.eurekatower.com.au/main.cfm|title=Eureka Tower|publisher=Eureka Tower Official|accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref>
| work = jam.canoe.ca

| url = http://www.hardradio.com/shockwaves/system1.html
==Culture==
| accessdate = 2007-07-21
{{main|Culture of Melbourne}}
}}
[[Image:Fed Square August 2007.jpg|thumb|The [[Federation Square]] cultural precinct]]
</ref> and mentioned on several accounts that they appreciate [[The Beatles]]<ref name="interview_nalbandian" /><ref name="voxonline">
[[Image:MCG August 2007.jpg|left|thumb|The [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]] is the home of cricket and Australian rules football]]
{{cite web
[[Image:Shrine of Remembrance 1.jpg|thumb|The [[Shrine of Remembrance]] is an important cultural landmark]]
| title = Interview with System of a Down
Melbourne is widely known as the Australian cultural and sport capital.<ref name="visitvictoria">{{cite web|url=http://www.visitvictoria.com/displayobject.cfm/objectid.EC23FF99-5AE4-4C56-86BBCE92B6D361CF/|title=About Melbourne|publisher=Tourism Victoria - visitvictoria.com|accessdate=2008-09-28}}</ref><ref name="ioltravel">{{cite web|url=http://www.ioltravel.co.za/article/view/4471038|title=Melbourne is the 'world sports capital'|date=June 26 2008|publisher=ioltravel.co.za|accessdate=2008-09-28}}</ref> It has thrice shared top position<ref>{{cite web
| work = voxonline.com
|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/02/06/1075854028808.html
| url = http://www.voxonline.com/alternative/system_of_a_down/vox_interviews_system_of_a_down.htm
|title=Melbourne 'world's top city'
| accessdate = 2007-07-21
|work=The Age
}}
|date=6 February 2004
</ref> and [[Kiss (band)|Kiss]].<ref name="interview_griwkowsky">
|publisher=theage.com.au
{{cite web
|accessdate=2008-07-18
| last = Griwkowsky
}}</ref> in a survey by ''[[The Economist]]'' of the ''[[World's Most Livable Cities]]'' on the basis of its cultural attributes, [[Melbourne#climate|climate]], [[cost of living]], and social conditions such as [[crime rate]]s and [[health care]], in 2002,<ref>{{cite web
| first = Fish
|url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/10/04/world.cities/
| title = System of a Down Fight the Fight
|title=Melbourne, Vancouver top city list
| work = jam.canoe.ca
|date=4 October 2002
| date = [[2006-06-23]]
|publisher=archives.cnn.com
| url = http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/S/System_Of_A_Down/2006/06/23/1648542.html
|accessdate=2008-07-18
| accessdate = 2007-07-21
}} ([[Economist Intelligence Unit]] 2002)</ref> 2004 and 2005.<ref>{{cite web
}}
|url=http://www.citymayors.com/environment/eiu_bestcities.html
</ref> On their own style, Odadjian said:
|title=City Mayors: Best cities in the world (EIU)
{{cquote|I don't think we sound like anybody else. I consider us System of a Down.}}
|publisher=www.citymayors.com
and Dolmayan stated:
|accessdate=2008-07-18
{{cquote|You can compare us to whoever you want. I don't care. Comparisons and labels have no effect on this band. Fact is fact: We are who we are and they are who they are.<ref name="soad_myspace">
}} (Economist Intelligence Unit 2005)</ref> In recent years rising property prices have led to Melbourne being named the 36th least affordable city in the world and the second least affordable in Australia.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.citymayors.com/features/cost_survey.html |title=Cost of living&nbsp;— The world's most expensive cities |publisher=City Mayors}}</ref>
{{cite web

| title = Official System of a Down MySpace
The city celebrates a wide variety of annual cultural events, performing arts and architecture. Melbourne is also considered to be Australia's live music capital with a large proportion of successful Australian artists emerging from the Melbourne live music scene. Melbourne has become popular for its street art (see [[Melbourne street art]]) with the ''[[Lonely Planet]]'' guides listing it as a major attraction. The city is also admired as one of the great cities of the Victorian Age (1837-1901) and a vigorous city life intersects with an impressive range of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century buildings.<ref>Peter Fischer and Susan Marsden, ''Vintage Melbourne: beautiful buildings from Melbourne city centre'', East Street Publications, Bowden South Australia 2007</ref>
| work = myspace.com/soad

| url = http://myspace.com/soad
===Sport===
| accessdate = 2007-07-21
Melbourne is a notable sporting location as the host city for the [[1956 Summer Olympics]] games,<ref name="IOC ">{{cite web|url=http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/past/index_uk.asp?OLGT=1&OLGY=1956|title=International Olympic Committee - 1956 Olympics|publisher=IOC - International Olympic Committee|accessdate=2008-09-28}}</ref> along with the [[2006 Commonwealth Games]].<ref name="M2006">{{cite web|url=http://www.melbourne2006.com.au/Channels/|title=M2006 - Home|publisher=Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games Corporation |accessdate=2008-09-28}}</ref><ref name="cgquote">{{cite web
}}
|url=http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/commonwealthgames/
</ref>}}
|title=Commonwealth Games Melbourne 2006
|publisher=www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref>

In recent years, the city has claimed the SportsBusiness title "World's Ultimate Sports City".<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23463520-2862,00.html
|title=Melbourne victorious again
|work=Herald Sun
|date=1 April 2008
|publisher=www.news.com.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref> The city is home to the [[National Sports Museum]], which until 2006 was located outside the members pavilion at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and reopened in 2008 in the Great Northern Stand.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/sport/australian-sports-museum-opens-at-mcg/2008/03/05/1204402550094.html
|title=Australian sports museum opens at MCG
|work=The Age
|date=5 March 2008
|author=Geoff Strong
|publisher=theage.com.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref>

[[Australian rules football]] and [[cricket]] are the most popular sports in Melbourne and also the spiritual home of these two sports in Australia and both are mostly played in the same stadia in the city and its suburbs. The first ever official [[cricket]] Test match in Australia was played at the [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]] in March 1877 and the [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]] is the largest cricket ground in the world. The first Australian rules football matches were played in Melbourne in 1858 and the [[Australian Football League]] is headquartered at the [[Telstra Dome]]. Nine of its teams are based in the Melbourne metropolitan area and the five Melbourne AFL matches per week attract an average 40,000 people per game.<ref>[http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24109399-12270,00.html AFL blueprint for third stadium] from the Australian</ref> Additionally, the city annually hosts the [[AFL Grand Final]].

The city is also home to several professional franchises in national competitions including the [[Melbourne Storm]] ([[rugby league]]),<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.melbournestorm.com.au/default.asp?sec=7&ssec=5
|title=Melbourne Storm&nbsp;— The Beginning
|publisher=www.melbournestorm.com.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref> who play in the [[NRL]] competition, [[Melbourne Victory]] ([[Association football]]) who play in the [[A-league]], [[netball]] team [[Melbourne Vixens]] who play in the trans-Tasman trophy [[ANZ Championship]] and [[basketball]] team [[Melbourne Tigers]] who play in the [[National Basketball League (Australia)|National Basketball League]].

Melbourne is home to the three major annual international annual sporting events in the [[Australian Open]] ([[tennis]]),<ref name="Tennisa">{{cite web|url=http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/index.html|title=Australian Open Tennis Championships|publisher=Tennis Australia|accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref> [[Melbourne Cup]] ([[horse racing]]),<ref name="MelbourneCup">{{cite web|url=http://www.melbournecup.com/melbourne-cup-carnival/|title=Melbourne Cup Carnival|publisher=The Victoria Racing Club Ltd (VRC) |accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref> and the [[Australian Grand Prix]] ([[formula 1]]).<ref name="AGPC">{{cite web|url=http://www.grandprix.com.au/|title=Formula 1 Australia Gran Prix|publisher=The Australian Grand Prix Corporation (AGPC) |accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref>

==Economy==
[[Image:Mel HHY.png|300px|right|thumb|Darker green indicate areas of higher household incomes. Suburbs immediately east of the centre tend to be more affluent]]
[[Image:Melbourne 2008 Panorama.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Hoddle Grid]], Melbourne's original [[Melbourne city centre|Central Business District]]]]
[[Image:Eureka Tower 01.jpg|thumb|right|[[Southbank, Victoria|Southbank]]. One of the adjacent [[urban renewal]] areas, along with [[St Kilda Road]] and [[Melbourne Docklands]] where the expansion of Melbourne's CBD has recently overflowed.]]

Melbourne is home to Australia's busiest [[Port of Melbourne|seaport]] and much of Australia's [[Automaker|automotive industry]], which include [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] and [[Toyota]] manufacturing facilities, and the [[engine]] manufacturing facility of [[Holden]]. It is home to many other [[manufacturing]] industries, along with being a major business and financial centre.<ref>[http://www.business.vic.gov.au/BUSVIC/INDUSTRY/1001/PC_51081.html Business Victoria]</ref> In [[1981]], the city hosted the [[Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thecommonwealth.org/Internal/33247/146799/list_of_meetings/|title=Commonwealth Secretariat - List of Meetings|publisher=thecommonwealth.org|accessdate=2008-10-13}}</ref> and in mid-November 2006, the city was host to the [[G20 industrial nations|G20]] summit,<ref name="ohmynews">{{cite web|url=http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?menu=c10400&no=328944&rel_no=1|title=Melbourne Prepares for G-20 Summit|publisher=ohmynews.com|accessdate=2008-09-28}}</ref> amid violent protests. International freight is an important industry. The [[Port of Melbourne|city's port]], Australia's largest, handles more than $75 billion in trade every year and 39% of the nation's container trade.<ref name=pom>{{cite web
|url=http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=267171
|title=Port Of Melbourne Sets Shipping Record
|date=13 June 2007
|work=Malaysian National News Agency
|publisher=www.bernama.com.my
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Growth-of-Australias-largest-port-essential/2004/12/17/1102787275601.html
|title=Growth of Australia's largest port essential
|work=The Age
|date=18 December 2004
|publisher=theage.com.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref><ref name="goway"/>

Melbourne is also a major technology hub, with an [[Information and Communication Technology|ICT]] industry that employs over 60,000 people (one third of Australia's ICT workforce), has a turnover of $19.8 billion and export revenues of $615 million.<ref>[http://www.mmv.vic.gov.au/uploads/downloads/Resource_Centre/ICTExcellence,Melbourne,Victoria,Australia.pdf Industry Snapshot] from Multimedia Victoria</ref>

Melbourne retains a significant presence of being a financial centre for Asia-Pacific. Two of the [[Big Four (banks)|big four]] banks, [[National Australia Bank|NAB]] and [[Australia and New Zealand Banking Group|ANZ]], are headquartered in Melbourne. The city has carved out a niche as Australia’s leading centre for [[Superannuation in Australia|superannuation]] (pension) funds, with 40 per cent of the total, and 65 per cent of [[Industry superannuation|industry super-funds]]. Melbourne is also home to the $40 billion-dollar Federal Government [[Future Fund]], and could potentially be home to the world's largest company should the proposed merger between [[BHP Billiton]] and [[Rio Tinto Group]] be carried out.<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/bhp-chief-spruiks-up-bid-to-take-over-rio-tinto/2007/11/12/1194766590048.html BHP chief spruiks up bid to take over Rio Tinto], ''The Age'', 13 November 2007</ref>

[[Melbourne tourism|Tourism]] plays an important role in Melbourne's economy, with approximately 7.6 million domestic visitors and 1.88 million international visitors in 2004.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.dpc.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/newmedia.nsf/bc348d5912436a9cca256cfc0082d800/55b1f13cef7b139cca256ed80081ebd6!OpenDocument
|title=MELBOURNE AIRPORT PASSENGER FIGURES STRONGEST ON RECORD
|work=Media Release: MINISTER FOR TOURISM
|date=21 July 2004
|publisher=www.dpc.vic.gov.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref> In 2008, Melbourne overtook [[Sydney]] as the nation's leading tourism destination.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/news/now-sydney-loses-its-tourism-ascendancy/2008/05/16/1211049134065.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
|title=Now Sydney loses its tourism ascendancy
|work=The Age
|date=19 May 2008
|publisher=theage.com.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref>

The city is headquarters for many of Australia's largest corporations, including five of the ten largest in the country (based on revenue)<ref>[http://www.brw.com.au/lists/detail/?listId=5 BRW 1000]</ref> ([[Australia and New Zealand Banking Group|ANZ]], [[BHP Billiton]], the [[National Australia Bank]], [[Rio Tinto Group|Rio Tinto]] and [[Telstra]]); as well as such representative bodies and thinktanks as the [[Business Council of Australia]] and the [[Australian Council of Trade Unions]].

Melbourne rated 34th within the top 50 financial cities as surveyed by the Mastercard Worldwide Centers of Commerce Index (2007),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mastercard.com/us/company/en/wcoc/pdf/index_2007_us.pdf |title=MW-IndexRpt-CoComm FA.indd<!-- Bot generated title --> |date= |format=PDF |accessdate=2008-10-10}}</ref> between Barcelona and Geneva, and second only to Sydney (14th) in Australia.

Most recent major infrastructure projects, such as the redevelopment of [[Southern Cross Station]] (formerly Spencer Street Station),<ref name="doi123232">{{cite web|url=http://www.doi.vic.gov.au/Doi/Internet/transport.nsf/AllDocs/51A6FE0B0EA5C80BCA2571F800066647?OpenDocument|title=Southern Cross Station project|publisher=doi.vic.gov.au/|accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref> have been centred around the [[2006 Commonwealth Games]], which were held in the city from 15 March to 26 March 2006. The centrepiece of the Commonwealth Games projects was the redevelopment of the [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]], the stadium used for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games. The project involved rebuilding the northern half of the stadium and laying a temporary athletics track at a cost of [[AUD|$]]434 million.<ref name="ozstad">{{cite web|url=http://www.austadiums.com/stadiums/redevelopment/mcg/|title=»Melbourne Cricket Ground »Redevelopment|publisher=AustralianStadiums.com|accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref>


==Band members==
Melbourne has also been attracting an increasing share of domestic and international conference markets. Construction began in February 2006 of a [[AUD|$]]1 billion 5000-seat international convention centre, Hilton Hotel and commercial precinct adjacent to the [[Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre]] to link development along the [[Yarra River]] with the [[Southbank, Victoria|Southbank precinct]] and multi-billion dollar [[Melbourne Docklands|Docklands]] redevelopment.<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/councillors-furious-about-convention-centre-deal/2006/04/30/1146335610761.html Councillors furious about convention centre deal], ''The Age'', 1 May 2006</ref>
===Current members===
* [[Daron Malakian]]&nbsp;– [[Singing|vocals]], [[Lead guitar|lead guitar]] <small>(1994 - 2006; hiatus)</small>
* [[Serj Tankian]] - [[Lead vocalist|lead vocals]], [[Musical keyboard|keyboard]], [[Rhythm guitar|rhythm guitar]] <small>(1994 - 2006; hiatus)</small>
* [[Shavo Odadjian]]&nbsp;– [[Bass guitar|bass]], [[Backing vocalist|backing vocals]] <small>(1994 - 2006; hiatus)</small>
* [[John Dolmayan]]&nbsp;– [[Drum kit|drums]], [[Percussion instrument|percussion]] <small>(1997 - 2006; hiatus)</small>


===Former members===
==Demographics==
* [[Ontronik Khachaturian|Ontronik "Andy" Khachaturian]]&nbsp;– drums, percussion <small>(1994 – 1997)</small>, vocals <small>(filled in for Serj (while he was sick) for one show <ref>[http://www.soadfans.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=10715&highlight=interview+andy+andrew Exclusive Interview With Andy Khachaturian (ex-SOAD) :: The Official Unofficial System of a Down Site]</ref>; this was after he had left the band)</small>
[[Image:Melbourne CoB dots.png|thumb|300px|left|Demographic map of Melbourne. Each dot indicates 100 persons born in Britain (dark blue), Greece (light blue), Mainland China (red), India (brown), Vietnam (yellow), Turkey (purple), Italy (light green) and (former states of) Yugoslavia (dark green). Based on 2006 Census data]]


===Stage and Studio Extras===
{| class="infobox" align=right
{| class="wikitable"
|colspan="2"|'''Significant overseas born populations'''<ref>{{cite web
! Name !! Job !! Notes
|url=http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ABSNavigation/prenav/ViewData?action=404&documentproductno=205&documenttype=Details&order=1&tabname=Details&areacode=205&issue=2006&producttype=Census%20Tables&javascript=true&textversion=false&navmapdisplayed=true&breadcrumb=LPTD&&collection=Census&period=2006&productlabel=Country%20of%20Birth%20of%20Person%20by%20Year%20of%20Arrival%20in%20Australia&producttype=Census%20Tables&method=Place%20of%20Usual%20Residence&topic=Migrants&
|title=2006 Census Tables : Country of Birth of Person by Year of Arrival in Australia&nbsp;— Melbourne
|publisher=[[Australian Bureau of Statistics]]
|accessdate=2008-04-16}}</ref>
|-
|-
| [[Harry Perry]] || rhythm guitar || Played rhythm guitar live on the [[Ozzfest]] 2006 Tour
! Place of Birth || Population (2006)
|-
|-
| [[Abe Cunningham]] || drums || Played drums during a live performance of "Science" in Sacramento, CA - [[October 1]], [[2005]]
|United Kingdom ||156,457
|-
|-
| [[Charlie Benante]] || drums || Played drums during a live performance of "Bounce" at the [[Allstate Arena]] - [[September 30]], [[2005]]
|Italy ||73,801
|-
|-
| [[Ben Weinman]] || guitar || Played guitar during a live performance of "[[Aerials (song)|Aerials]]" at [[Festimad]] in [[Madrid]], [[Spain]] - [[May 28]], [[2005]]
|[[Vietnam]] ||57,926
|-
|-
| [[Kirk Hammett]] || guitar || Played guitar during a live performance of "[[Aerials (song)|Aerials]]" at the [[Hollywood Palladium]] - [[November 15]], [[2003]]
|[[People's Republic of China]] ||54,726
|-
|-
| [[Arto Tunçboyacıyan]] || vocals, additional instruments || ''[[Toxicity (album)|Toxicity]]'' <small>("Science" and "Arto")</small> and ''[[Steal This Album!]]'' <small>("Bubbles")</small>
|New Zealand ||52,453
|-
|-
| [[Joey Jordison]] || drums || Replaced Dolmayan playing drums live on [[October 31]], [[2001]]
|[[Greece]] ||52,279
|-
|-
| [[Rick Rubin]] || piano || ''[[Sugar E.P.]]'', ''[[System of a Down (album)|System of a Down]]'', and ''[[Toxicity (album)|Toxicity]]''
|India ||50,686
|-
|-
| [[RZA (rapper)|RZA]] <small>(credited as [[Wu-Tang Clan]]) || vocals || Featured on "Shame" on the ''[[Loud Rocks]]'' compilation and the ''[[Lonely Day (EP)|Lonely Day EP]]''
|[[Sri Lanka]] ||30,594
|-
|-
| [[Lynn Strait]] || vocals || Featured during a live performance of "[[War? (song)|War?]]" at The Roxy Los Angeles, CA - [[August 22]], [[1998]]
|[[Malaysia]] ||29,174
|-
|-
| Vanik Vartanian || drums || played drums during a live performance of "Arto" at The Roxy Los Angeles, CA - [[August 22]], [[1998]]
|[[Philippines]] ||24,568
|-
|Germany ||21,182
|-
|[[Malta]] ||18,951
|-
|South Africa ||17,317
|-
|[[Republic of Macedonia|Rep. Macedonia]] ||17,287
|-
|[[Hong Kong]] ||16,917
|-
|[[Poland]] ||16,439
|-
|[[Croatia]] ||15,367
|-
|[[Lebanon]] ||14,645
|-
|[[Netherlands]] ||14,581
|-
|[[Turkey]] ||14,124
|}
|}
Melbourne is a diverse and [[multicultural]] city.<ref name="bahai2">{{cite web|url=http://news.bahai.org/story/654|title=Melburnians turn to ‘Soul Food’ for nourishment|date=28 September 2008|publisher=Baha'i World News Service, Israel|accessdate=2008-10-02}}</ref> Almost a quarter of Victoria's population was born overseas, and the city is home to residents from 233 countries, who speak over 180 languages and dialects and follow 116 religious faiths. Melbourne has the second largest Asian population in Australia, which includes the largest [[Vietnamese people|Vietnamese]], Indian and [[Sri Lanka]]n communities in the country.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vicnet.net.au/community/ethnic/indian/|title=Vicnet Directory Indian Community|publisher=Vicnet |accessdate=2008-10-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vicnet.net.au/community/ethnic/srilankan/|title=Vicnet Directory Sri Lankan Community|publisher=Vicnet|accessdate=2008-10-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yarranet.net.au/~acacia/vietcom.htm|title=Vietnamese Community Directory|publisher=yarranet.net.au|accessdate=2008-10-02}}</ref>


==Discography==
The earliest inhabitants of the broad area that later became known as Melbourne were [[Indigenous Australians]]&nbsp;— specifically, the Bunurong, Wurundjeri and Wathaurong peoples. Melbourne is still a centre of Aboriginal life&nbsp;— consisting of local groups and indigenes from other parts of Australia&nbsp;— with the Aboriginal community in the city numbering over 20,000 persons (0.6% of the population).<ref>[http://home.vicnet.net.au/~samliv/docs/SAMLIV%20Draft%20Part%201%20Sectn%202.pdf VicNet&nbsp;— Strategy for Aboriginal Managed Land in Victoria: Draft Report [Part 1-Section 2]</ref>
{{main|System of a Down discography}}

===Studio albums===
The first European settlers in Melbourne were [[British people|British]] and [[Irish people|Irish]]. These two groups accounted for nearly all arrivals before the gold rush, and supplied the predominant number of [[Immigration to Australia|immigrants]] to the city until the [[Second World War]]. Melbourne was transformed by the 1850s [[Australian gold rush|gold rush]]; within months of the discovery of [[gold]] in August 1852, the city's population had increased by nearly three-quarters, from 25,000 to 40,000 inhabitants.<ref name="gold1850">{{cite web
{| border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"
|url=http://sbs.com.au/sbsmain/gold/story.html?storyid=49
| '''Date of Release'''
|title=Gold!
| '''Title'''
|author=Victorian Cultural Collaboration
| '''Label'''
|publisher=sbs.com.au
| '''U.S. Billboard peak
|accessdate=2008-07-18
| '''RIAA Certification'''
}}</ref> Thereafter, growth was exponential and by 1865, Melbourne had overtaken Sydney as Australia's most populous city.<ref name="largeby1865">[http://www.atse.org.au/index.php?sectionid=289 The Snowy Mountains Scheme and Multicultural Australia]</ref> Large numbers of [[Chinese Australian|Chinese]], [[German Australian|German]] and [[American Australian|United States]] nationals were to be found on the goldfields and subsequently in Melbourne. The various nationalities involved in the [[Eureka Stockade]] revolt nearby give some indication of the migration flows in the second half of the nineteenth century.<ref name="annear">{{cite book|last=Annear|first=Robyn|title=Nothing But Gold|publisher=The Text Publishing Company|year=1999}}</ref>

===Post war immigration===
[[Image:Melbourne China Town.jpg|thumb|left|[[Chinatown, Melbourne|Melbourne's Chinatown]], established in 1854, is the oldest in Australia and one of the oldest worldwide]]
In the aftermath of the [[Second World War]], Melbourne experienced unprecedented inflows from [[Mediterranean Europe]], primarily [[Greece]] and Italy, but also [[Cyprus]] and [[Turkey]]. According to the 2001 Census, there were 151,785 ethnic Greeks in the metropolitan area.<ref>[http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/subscriber.nsf/log?openagent&20302_2001.pdf&2030.2&Publication&FDC769F10D49F074CA256CC900833D7D&0&2001&11.02.2003&Latest 2001 Social Atlas for Melbourne abs.gov.au]</ref> 47% of all [[Greek Australian]]s live in Melbourne.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/info.cfm?top=100&pg=917
|title=Multicultural communities&nbsp;— Greeks
|author=City of Melbourne
|publisher=www.melbourne.vic.gov.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref> Ethnic Chinese and Vietnamese also maintain significant presences.

Melbourne enjoys comparatively high levels of migrant integration to the other capital cities, however some [[List of ethnic groups|ethnic groups]] are associated with the suburb in which they first settled&nbsp;– [[Italian People|Italians]] ([[Carlton, Victoria|Carlton]] and [[Brunswick, Victoria|Brunswick]]); [[Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia|Macedonians]] ([[Thomastown, Victoria|Thomastown]]); Indians and [[Sri Lanka]]ns (south eastern [[suburbs]] such as [[Hampton Park]] and [[Narre Warren]]); [[Greeks]] ([[Oakleigh, Victoria|Oakleigh]], [[Northcote, Victoria|Northcote]] and [[Hughesdale, Victoria|Hughesdale]]); [[Vietnamese people|Vietnamese]] ([[Richmond, Victoria|Richmond]], [[Springvale, Victoria|Springvale]] and [[Footscray, Victoria|Footscray]]); [[Maltese people|Maltese]] ([[Sunshine, Victoria|Sunshine]]); [[Bosnians]], [[Serbs]] and [[Croats]] ([[St Albans, Victoria|St Albans]]); [[Turkish people|Turks]] ([[Coburg, Victoria|Coburg]]); [[Lebanese people|Lebanese]] ([[Broadmeadows, Victoria|Broadmeadows]]); [[Russian people|Russians]] ([[Carnegie, Victoria|Carnegie]]); [[Spanish people|Spaniards]] ([[Fitzroy, Victoria|Fitzroy]]); [[North Africa]]ns ([[Flemington, Victoria|Flemington]]); [[Sub-Saharan Africa]]ns ([[Noble Park]]). The cities of [[City of Greater Dandenong|Dandenong]], [[City of Monash|Monash]], [[City of Casey|Casey]] and [[City of Whittlesea|Whittlesea]] on Melbourne's fringe are particular current migrant hotspots.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/07/21/1026898944754.html
|title=The streets of our town
|work=The Age
|date=22 July 2002
|publisher=www.theage.com.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref>

Melbourne exceeds the national average in terms of proportion of residents born overseas: 34.8 per cent compared to a national average of 23.1 per cent. In concordance with national data, [[UK|Britain]] is the most commonly reported country of birth, with 4.7 per cent, followed by Italy (2.4 per cent), [[Greece]] (1.9 per cent) and then China (1.3 per cent). Melbourne also features substantial [[Vietnam]]ese, Indian and [[Sri Lanka]]n-born communities, in addition to recent South African and [[Sudanese]] influxes.

Over two-thirds of people in Melbourne speak only English at home (68.8 per cent). Italian is the second most common home language (4.0 per cent), with [[Greek language|Greek]] third and [[Chinese languages|Chinese]] fourth, each with over 100,000 speakers.<ref name="egov123211">{{cite web|url=http://www.egov.vic.gov.au/index.php?env=-innews/detail:m1497-1-1-8-s-0:n-1582-1-0--|title=Demographic Profiling of Victorian Government Website Visitors 2007|publisher=egov.vic.gov.au|accessdate=2008-10-02}}</ref>

===Religion===
{{main|Religion in Australia}}
{{seealso|History of the Jews in Australia|Christianity in Australia|Islam in Australia|Hinduism in Australia|Buddhism in Australia|Irreligion in Australia}}
[[Image:St Patrick's Cathedral-Gothic Revival Style (Central Tower).jpg|thumb|[[St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne]] (the foundation stone was laid in 1858)]]
The 2006 Census records show some 28.3% (1,018,113) of Melbourne residents list their religious affiliation as [[Catholic]].<ref name=qs>{{cite web
|url=http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ABSNavigation/prenav/ViewData?&action=401&tabname=Summary&areacode=205&issue=2006&producttype=QuickStats&textversion=true&navmapdisplayed=true&&breadcrumb=PLD&
|title=QuickStats : Melbourne (Statistical Division)
|work=2006 Census
|publisher=www.censusdata.abs.gov.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref> The next highest response was [[Irreligion|No Religion]] (20.0%, 717,717), [[Anglican]] (12.1%, 433,546), [[Eastern Orthodox]] (5.9%, 212,887) and the [[Uniting Church]] (4.0%, 143,552).<ref name=qs />
[[Buddhism|Buddhists]], [[Islam|Muslims]], [[Judaism|Jews]] and [[Hinduism|Hindus]] collectively account for 7.5% of the population.
====[[Judaism]]====
Four out of ten [[History of the Jews in Australia|Australian Jews]] call Melbourne home. The city is also residence to the largest number of [[Holocaust]] survivors of any Australian city,<ref>[http://www.lib.latrobe.edu.au/AHR/archive/Issue-December-2001/freiberg.html Holocaust Remembrance in Australian Jewish Communities] Judith Berman</ref> indeed the highest per capita concentration outside [[Israel]] itself.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://home.iprimus.com.au/kadimah/k90.htm | title = The Kadimah & Yiddish Melbourne in the 20th Century | work = Jewish Cultural Centre and National Library: "Kadima" | accessdate 9 January | accessyear = 2007}}</ref> To service the needs of the vibrant Jewish community, Melbourne's [[Judaism|Jewry]] have established multiple [[synagogue]]s, which today number over 30,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bh.org.il/Communities/Archive/Melbourne.asp|title=Jewish Community of Melbourne, Australia|publisher=Beth Hatefutsoth - The Nahum Goldmann Museum of the Jewish Diaspora.|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref> along with a [[Australian Jewish News|local Jewish newspaper]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ajn.com.au/news/news.asp?catID=2|title=Welcome to the AJN!|publisher=The Australian Jewish News|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref> Melbourne's largest [[university]] - [[Monash University]] is named after prominent Jewish general and statesman, [[John Monash]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Perry|first=Roland|title=Monash: The Outsider who Won A War|publisher=Random House|year=2004}}</ref>

====[[Christianity]]====
64% of Melburnians consider themselves Christians. The city has two large [[cathedral]]s - [[St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne|St Patrick's]] (Roman Catholic),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stpatrickscathedral.org.au/|title=St Patrick's Cathedral |publisher=Catholic Communication, Melbourne|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref> and [[St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne|St Paul's]] (Anglican).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stpaulscathedral.org.au/|title=St. Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne|publisher=anglican.com.au|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref>
Both were built in the [[Victorian era]] and are of considerable heritage significance as major landmarks of the city.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.walkingmelbourne.com/period_info2.html?period=Victorian|title=Victorian Architectural Period - Melbourne|publisher=walkingmelbourne.com|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref>

====[[Islam]]====
The 300,000 [[Islam|Muslims]] that call Melbourne home, are noted for their diversity - from more than 60 countries with wildly disparate cultures.<ref name="MuslimMElbourne">{{cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/inside-muslim-melbourne/2005/08/26/1124563027173.html|title=Inside Muslim Melbourne|date=August 27, 2005|publisher=theage.com.au|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref>
However, Melbourne's relationship with the Muslim community is somewhat apprehensive, due to the perceived [[extremism]] of the wider Islamic community, foiled Melburnian [[terrorism|terrorist]] rings<ref name="Terrorist">{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2008/s2187859.htm|title=Terrorist rumours went through Muslim community, Melbourne court told|publisher=abc.net.au|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref> and controversy surrounding a number of high ranking [[Mufti]]s.<ref name="Nasdaq">{{cite web|url=http://www.nasdaq.com/aspxcontent/NewsStory.aspx?cpath=20080915%5CACQDJON200809150046DOWJONESDJONLINE000012.htm&&mypage=newsheadlines&title=UPDATE:%20Australia%20Muslim%20Cleric%20Convicted%20For%20Terrorist%20Plots|title=UPDATE: Australia Muslim Cleric Convicted For Terrorist Plots|publisher=Nasdaq.com|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref><ref name="alarabiya">{{cite web|url=http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2008/09/15/56603.html|title=Aussie Muslim cleric convicted of terrorism|publisher=alarabiya.net|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref>
Since the [[September 11 attacks|World trade center attacks]] and the [[Bali bombings]], [[Islam]]s place in Melbourne and indeed, Australian society has been the subject of much public debate.<ref name="muslimAustralians">[http://www.aph.gov.au/library/INTGUIDE/sp/muslim_australians.htm Muslim Australians - E-Brief] aph.gov.au</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afp.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/64549/28_29_Building_a_relationship.pdf|title=Building a relationship with Melbourne's Islamic Community|publisher=afp.gov.au|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref>
The role of Islam and Muslims in terrorism and extremism are discussed in the media. A number of forums and meetings have been held about the problem of extremist groups or ideology within the Australian Islamic community.<ref>[http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,16256934-1243,00.html Muslims' youth summit plan]</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/2331947.stm Sydney's Muslims fear revenge attacks]</ref>

====[[Hinduism]]====
The majority of Australian Hindus live along the [[Geography of Australia|Eastern Coast]] of [[Australia]] and are mainly located in Melbourne and [[Sydney]]. As a community Hindus live relatively peacefully and in harmony with the local populations. They have established a number of [[temple]]s and other religious meeting places and celebrate most [[Hindu festivals]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newcomerstooz.info/hindu-temples-in-melbourne.htm|title=Hindu Temples in Melbourne, VIC|publisher=newcomerstooz.info|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref>

====[[Buddhism]]====
In [[1848]], the first large group of [[Buddhist]]s to come to [[Australia]], came as part of [[Australian gold rush|gold rush]] - most of whom stayed briefly for prospecting purposes rather than mass migration. In [[1856]], a temple was established in [[South Melbourne, Victoria|South Melbourne]] by the secular [[Sze Yap]] group. The first specific Australian Buddhist group, the Buddhist Study Group Melbourne, was formed in Melbourne in [[1938]], however it collapsed during the [[Second World War]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.melbournebuddhistcentre.org/|title=Melbourne Buddhist Centre |publisher=melbournebuddhistcentre.org|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref>

====[[Irreligion]]====
Melbourne and indeed Australia are highly [[Secularity|secular]]ised, with the proportion of people identifying themselves as [[Christianity|Christian]] declining from 96% in 1901 to 64% in 2006 and those who did not state their religion or declared no religion rising from 2% to over 30% over the same period.<ref name = "ABS 2008 Yr Bk">{{cite web|url = http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/7d12b0f6763c78caca257061001cc588/636F496B2B943F12CA2573D200109DA9?opendocument |work = 1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2008 |title = Cultural diversity |date = 2008-02-07 | publisher = Australian Bureau of Statistics|accessdate = 2008-07-15}}</ref>

===Population density and growth===
{| class="wikitable" style="float:left; clear:right; margin:10px; text-size:60%; text-align:right;"
|-
|-
|[[June 30]], [[1998]]
!align=center colspan=3| '''Melbourne <br />population by year'''
|''[[System of a Down (album)|System of a Down]]''
|[[American Recordings|American]]
|#124
|Platinum
|-
|-
|[[September 4]], [[2001]]
|1836 || 177 ||
|''[[Toxicity (album)|Toxicity]]''
|[[American Recordings|American]]
|#1
|3× Platinum
|-
|-
|[[November 26]], [[2002]]
|1854 || 123,000|| (gold rush)
|''[[Steal This Album!]]''
|[[American Recordings|American]]/[[Columbia Records|Columbia]]
|#15
|Platinum
|-
|-
|[[May 16]], [[2005]]
|1880 || 280,000|| (property boom)
|''[[Mezmerize]]''
|[[American Recordings|American]]/[[Columbia Records|Columbia]]
|#1
|Platinum
|-
|-
|[[November 22]], [[2005]]
|1956 || 1,500,000 ||
|''[[Hypnotize (album)|Hypnotize]]''
|[[American Recordings|American]]/[[Columbia Records|Columbia]]
|#1
|Platinum
|-
|-
|1981 || 2,806,000 ||
|-
|1991 || 3,156,700 || (economic slump)
|-
|2001 || 3,366,542 ||
|-
|2006 || 3,744,373 ||
|-
|2011 || 4,062,290<ref name=popprojections>{{Cite web |url=http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/3222.02006%20to%202101?OpenDocument |title=Population Projections, Australia, 2006 to 2101 |publisher=[[Australian Bureau of Statistics]] |accessdate=2008-09-04}}</ref> || (projected)
|-
|2021 || 4,712,456<ref name=popprojections /> || (projected)
|-
|2031 || 5,355,242<ref name=popprojections /> || (projected)
|}
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; clear:right; margin:10px; text-size:60%; text-align:right;"
|-
!align=center colspan=3| '''Melbourne <br />urban area density<br />(people/[[hectare|ha]])'''
|-
|1951 || 23.4<ref>Melbourne Metropolitan Planning Scheme 1954, p. 23</ref>
|-
|1961 || 21.4<ref>Australian Bureau of Statistics 1961</ref>
|-
|1971 || 18.1<ref>Australian Bureau of Statistics 1971</ref>
|-
|1981 || 15.9<ref>Social Atlas, 1981</ref>
|-
|1986 || 16.05<ref>Soc. Atlas/"Supermap" Census Data, 1986</ref>
|-
|1991 || 16.8<ref>Social Atlas/Supermap, 1991</ref>
|-
|1996 || 17.9<ref>Department of Infrastructure, 1998</ref>
|-
|1999 || 17.05<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.demographia.com/db-melbourne-dense.htm
|title=Melbourne Urbanized Area: Statistical Local Areas by Population Density: 1999
|publisher=www.demographia.com
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref>
|-
|2001 || 15.9<ref>[http://www.vcec.vic.gov.au/CA256EAF001C7B21/WebObj/MelbourneSD/$File/Melbourne%20SD.pdf Regional Economic Development in Victoria: Melbourne Statistical Division]</ref>
|}

Although Victoria's net interstate migration has fluctuated, the Melbourne statistical division has grown by approximately 50,000 people a year since 2003. Melbourne has now attracted the largest proportion of international overseas immigrants (48,000) finding it outpacing Sydney's international migrant intake, along with having strong interstate migration from Sydney and other capitals due to more affordable housing and cost of living, which have been two recent key factors driving Melbourne's growth.<ref>[http://elecpress.monash.edu.au/pnp/free/pnpv7n1/v7n1_6oleary.pdf The Resurgence of Marvellous Melbourne Trends in Population Distribution in Victoria, 1991-1996]</ref><ref>Article by John O'Leary. Monash University Press</ref> In recent years, [[Shire of Melton|Melton]], [[City of Wyndham|Wyndham]] and [[City of Casey|Casey]], part of the Melbourne statistical division, have recorded the highest growth rate of all [[Local Government Areas in Australia|local government area]]s in Australia. Despite a demographic study stating that Melbourne could overtake Sydney in population by 2028,<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22741975-601,00.html
|title=Population pushing Melbourne to top
|work= The Australian
|date=12 November 2007
|publisher=www.theaustralian.news.com.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref> the [[Australian Bureau of Statistics|ABS]] has projected in two scenarios that Sydney will remain larger than Melbourne beyond 2056, albeit by a margin of less than three percent compared to a margin of twelve percent today. However, the first scenario projects that Melbourne's population overtakes Sydney in 2039, primarily due to larger levels of internal migration losses assumed for Sydney.<ref name=popprojections />

Melbourne's population density declined following the [[World War II|Second World War]], with the private [[Automobile|motor car]] and the lures of space and property ownership causing a suburban sprawl, mainly eastward. After much discussion both at general public and planning levels in the 1980s, the decline has reversed since the recession of the early 1990s. The city has seen increased density in the inner and western suburbs. Since the 1970s, Victorian Government planning blueprints, such as [[Postcode 3000]] and [[Melbourne 2030]], have aimed to curtail the [[urban sprawl]].<ref name="Melbourne2030">{{cite web|url=http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/melbourne2030online/content/introduction/02_summary.html|title=Melbourne 2030 - in summary|publisher=Victorian Government, Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) |accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref>
<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/info.cfm?top=288&pg=1362|title=City of Melbourne - Strategic Planning - Postcode 3000|publisher=City of Melbourne |accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref>

==Media==
Melbourne is served by two daily newspapers, the [[Herald Sun]] (a tabloid),<ref name="heraldsun1">{{cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/|title=Herald Sun Homepage|Victorian, National and International news|publisher=Herals Sun - News.com.au|accessdate=2008-10-02}}</ref> [[The Age]] (broadsheet)<ref name="theage">{{cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/|title=The Age - Homepage|publisher=Fairfax Digital|accessdate=2008-10-02}}</ref> and [[The Australian]] (national).<ref name="TheAustralian123">{{cite web|url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/|title=The Australian, News from Australia's national newspaper|publisher=The Australian - news.com.au|accessdate=2008-10-02}}</ref> The free [[mX (newspaper)|mX]] is also distributed every weekday afternoon at railway stations and on the streets of central Melbourne.<ref name="MX1">{{cite web|url=http://www.mxnet.com.au/|title=MX|publisher=Herald and Weekly Times (HWT)|accessdate=2008-10-02}}</ref>

Melbourne has a 6 television stations: [[HSV-7]], which broadcasts from the [[Melbourne Docklands]] precinct; [[GTV-9]], which broadcasts from their [[Richmond, Victoria|Richmond]] studios; and [[ATV-10]], which broadcasts from the Como Complex in [[South Yarra, Victoria|South Yarra]]. National stations that broadcast into Melbourne include the [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] (ABC), which has two studios, one at [[Ripponlea, Victoria|Ripponlea]] and another at [[Southbank, Victoria|Southbank]]; and [[Special Broadcasting Service]] (SBS), which broadcasts from their studios at [[Federation Square]] in central Melbourne. [[C31 Melbourne]] is the only local community television station in Melbourne, and its broadcast range also branches out to [[Geelong]]

A number of radio stations service the areas of Melbourne and beyond on the AM and FM band. Popular stations on the FM band include [[Nova 100]] and [[Mix 101.1]], both in Richmond, and [[Austereo]] channels [[Fox FM]] and [[3MMM|Triple M]], which share studios on [[St Kilda Road]]. Stations that are popular on the AM band include [[3AW]], a prominently [[talkback]] radio station, and its affiliate, [[Magic 1278]], which plays a selection of music from the 1930s-60s.<ref name="yahoo">{{cite web|url=http://www.geocities.com/radio1600/|title=Melbourne Radio Stations Australia > Melbourne|publisher=Yahoo - geocities|accessdate=2008-10-02}}</ref>

==Governance==
[[Image:South melbourne town hall.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The [[South Melbourne, Victoria|South Melbourne]] [[South Melbourne Town Hall|Town Hall]], one among many surviving civic buildings from the Victorian era]]
The [[Melbourne City Council]] governs the [[City of Melbourne]], which takes in the CBD and a few adjoining inner suburbs. However the head of the Melbourne City Council, the [[Lord Mayor of Melbourne]], is frequently treated as a representative of greater Melbourne (the entire metropolitan area),<ref>Dunstan, David [http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/11/11/1100131127769.html?from=storylhs The evolution of 'Clown Hall'], [[The Age]], 12 November 2004, accessed online 7 November 2006</ref> particularly when interstate or overseas. The Lord Mayor is [[John So]], who was crowned the 2006 [[World Mayor]].<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.worldmayor.com/results06/wm_winners06.html#Anchor-The-35326
|title=World Mayor: The results of World Mayor 2006
|publisher=www.worldmayor.com
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref>

The rest of the metropolitan area is divided into [[Local Government Areas of Victoria|30 local government areas]]. All these are designated as Cities, except for five on the city's outer fringes which have the title of Shire. The local government authorities have elected councils and are responsible for a range of functions (delegated to them from the State Government of Victoria under the Local Government Act of 1989<ref>[http://www.dms.dpc.vic.gov.au/Domino/Web_Notes/LDMS/PubLawToday.nsf/0/B171E800B03D6A9ECA256E5B00037B12/$FILE/89-11a030.pdf Local Government Act 1989]</ref>), such as [[urban planning]] and [[waste management]].

Most city-wide government activities are controlled by the [[government of Victoria|Victorian state government]], which governs from [[Parliament House, Melbourne|Parliament House]] in [[Spring Street, Melbourne|Spring Street]]. These include public transport, main roads, traffic control, policing, education above preschool level, and planning of major infrastructure projects. Because three quarters of Victoria's population lives in Melbourne, state governments have traditionally been reluctant to allow the development of citywide governmental bodies, which would tend to rival the state government. The semi-autonomous [[Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works]] was abolished in 1992 for this reason.<ref>{{cite book|last=T|first=Dingle|coauthors=Rasmussen, C|title=Vital Connections: Melbourne and its Board of Works|publisher=McPhee Gribble (Penguin)|location=Ringwood, Australia|year=1991|language=english}}</ref>
This is not dissimilar to other Australian states where State Governments have similar powers in greater metropolitan areas.

==Education==
{{main|Education in Victoria}}

[[Image:State Library of Victoria La Trobe Reading room 5th floor view.jpg|thumb|[[State Library of Victoria]] [[Charles La Trobe|La Trobe]] Reading Room (5th floor view)]]

Education is overseen statewide by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD), whose role is to 'provide policy and planning advice for the delivery of education'.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/default.htm
|title=About the Department
|author=Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
|publisher=www.education.vic.gov.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref> It acts as advisor to two state ministers, that for Education and for Children and Early Childhood Development.

===Preschool, primary and secondary===
<!--can we have something more in here than an ad for the private sector? cheers-->
Primary and secondary assessment, curriculum development and educational research initiatives throughout Melbourne and Victoria is undertaken by the [[Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority]] (VCAA),<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/aboutus/functions.html
|title=Function of the VCAA
|work=VCAA
|publisher=www.vcaa.vic.edu.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref> which offers the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS) and Achievement Improvement Monitor (AIM) certificates from years Prep through Year 10, and the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) and Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) as part of senior secondary programs (Years 11 to 12).

Many [[high schools]] in Melbourne are called 'Secondary Colleges', a legacy of the [[Joan Kirner|Kirner]] [[Australian Labor Party|Labor]] government. There are two selective public schools in Melbourne (mentioned above), but all public schools may restrict entry to students living in their regional 'zone'.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/10/16/1065917547157.html?from=storyrhs
|title=Schools inequality calls for bold reform
|work=The Age
|date=17 October 2003
|publisher=www.theage.com.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref><ref>[http://econrsss.anu.edu.au/%7Ealeigh/pdf/SchoolQualityHousePrices.pdf How Much Do Public Schools Really Cost? Estimating the Relationship Between House Prices and School Quality], ANU, 6 August 2006</ref>

Although non-tertiary [[public education]] is free, 35 per cent of students attend a private primary or secondary school.<ref>Australian Bureau of Statistics - [http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/subscriber.nsf/0/2D8FFEDFC0C6F32ACA25711D000DFEB8/$File/42210_2005.pdf Schools, 2005]</ref> The most numerous [[private school]]s are [[Catholic school|Catholic]], and the rest are [[Independent schools|independent]] (see [[Public and Private Education in Australia]]).

===Tertiary and vocational===
[[Image:Parkville - University of Melbourne-Ormond College.jpg|thumb|[[Ormond College (University of Melbourne)|Ormond College]] (1879), [[University of Melbourne]]]]
<!--largest oldest biggest bestest greatest etc etc; if anyone could bung in some actual information that'd be tops-->
Melbourne's two largest universities are the [[University of Melbourne]] (also called ''Melbourne University'') and [[Monash University]], the largest university in Australia. Both are members of the [[Group of Eight (Australian universities)|Group of Eight]]. Melbourne University ranked second among Australian universities in the 2006 [[THES]] international rankings.<ref name="melbuni">{{cite news | url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/anu-up-there-with-the-best/2006/10/05/1159641468047.html | title = ANU up there with the best | work = Sydney Morning Herald |date=6 October 2005 | accessdate = 2006-10-12}}</ref> While ''[[The Times Higher Education Supplement]]'' ranked the University of Melbourne as the 22nd best university in the world, [[Monash University]] was ranked the 38th best university in the world. Melbourne was ranked the world's fourth top university city in 2008 after [[London]], [[Boston]] and [[Tokyo]].<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.rmit.net.au/browse;ID=q3l220b3wzs5
|title=World’s top university cities revealed
|author=RMIT
|publisher=www.rmit.net.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref>

Melbourne is home to some of the nation's oldest educational institutions, including the oldest [[Law school|Law]] (1857), [[Engineering]] (1860), [[Medical school|Medical]] (1862), [[Dentistry|Dental]] (1897) and [[Music school|Music]] (1891) schools, all at the University of Melbourne. The University of Melbourne is also the oldest university in Victoria and the second oldest university in Australia.

Other universities located in Melbourne include [[La Trobe University]], [[RMIT University]], [[Swinburne University of Technology]], [[Victoria University of Technology|Victoria University]] and the St Patrick's campus of the [[Australian Catholic University]]. [[Deakin University]] maintains two major campuses in Melbourne and Geelong, and is the third largest university in Victoria. In recent years, the number of [[international student]]s at Melbourne's universities has risen rapidly, a result of an increasing number of places being made available to full fee paying students.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://uninews.unimelb.edu.au/articleid_3967.html
|title=University of Melbourne's international student offers rise&nbsp;— as its demand leaps
|work= University of Melbourne Media Release
|date=12 January 2007
|publisher=uninews.unimelb.edu.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref>

{{further|[[List of schools in Victoria]]}}

==Infrastructure==
===Health===
The [[Government of Victoria]]'s Department of Human Services oversees approximately 30 public [[hospital]]s in the Melbourne metropolitan region, and 13 health services organisations.<ref>[http://www.health.vic.gov.au/maps/metro_hs.htm Melbourne public hospitals and Metropolitan Health Services] Victorian Department of Health</ref> The major public hospitals are the [[Royal Melbourne Hospital]], [[The Alfred Hospital]], [[Monash Medical Centre]], [[Austin Hospital, Melbourne|Austin Hospital]], [[St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne|St Vincent's]] and the [[Royal Children's Hospital]], while major private hospitals include [[Epworth Hospital]], St Francis Xavier Cabrini Private Hospital and St Vincent's Private. The city is also home to major medical and [[biotechnology]] research centres such as [[St. Vincent's Institute of Medical Research]], the [[Burnet Institute]], [[Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute]], the [[Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research]], the [[Murdoch Children's Research Institute]], [[Baker Heart Institute]] and the [[Australian Synchrotron]].<ref name="health">{{cite web|url=http://www.health.vic.gov.au/|title=Victorian Government Health Information Web site|publisher=health services, Victoria|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref>

===Transport===
{{main|Transport in Melbourne}}
[[Image:Melbourne Flinders St. Station.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The centre of public transport in the [[Melbourne city centre|Melbourne CBD]], [[Flinders Street Station]]]]
[[Image:BolteBridge.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The [[Bolte Bridge]] is part of the [[CityLink]] tollway system]]
[[Image:Melbourne airport control tower and united B747.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Melbourne Airport]] is the second busiest in Australia]]

Melbourne has an integrated [[public transport]] system promoted under the [[Metlink]] brand. Originally laid out late in the 19th century when trains and trams were the primary methods of travelling to the suburbs, the 1950s saw an increase in private vehicles and freeway construction.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/02/11/1076388428001.html
|title=The cars that ate Melbourne
|work=The Age
|date=14 February 2004
|publisher=theage.com.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref> This trend has continued with successive governments despite relentless traffic congestion,<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/09/07/1062901941527.html
|title=Bid to end traffic chaos
|date=8 September 2003
|work=The Age
|publisher=www.theage.com.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref> with a resulting drop in public transport modeshare from the 1940s level of around 25 per cent to the current level of around 9 per cent.<ref>[http://www.150.theage.com.au/view_bestofarticle.asp?straction=update&inttype=1&intid=1823 Trial by public transport: why the system is failing] article from The Age</ref> Melbourne's public transport system was [[privatization|privatised]] in 1999.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/12bn-sting-in-the-rail/2006/04/08/1143916767672.html
|title=$1.2bn sting in the rail
|work=The Age
|date=9 April 2006
|publisher=theage.com.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref> Between 1999 and 2008, funding for road expansion was five times greater than public transport extension.<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/new-road-cash-five-times-funding-of-rail/2008/05/04/1209839456871.html New road cash five times funding of rail]</ref>

[[Trams in Melbourne|Melbourne's tram network]] is the largest [[tram]] network in the world.<ref name="Metlink">{{cite web|url=http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/about_metlink|title=Metlink - Your guide to Public transport in Meloburne and Victoria|publisher=Metlink|accessdate=2008-09-28}}</ref><ref name="railpage">{{cite web|url=http://www.railpage.org.au/tram/melbhist.html|title=Melbourne's Tram History|publisher=railpage.org.au|accessdate=2008-09-28}}</ref> Melbourne's is Australia's only tram network to comprise more than a single line. Sections of the tram network are on road, others are separated or [[light rail]] routes. The iconic trams are also recognized as a cultural asset and tourist attraction. Visitors are served by a free [[City Circle Tram]], as well as fleet of [[Colonial Tramcar Restaurant|restaurant trams]].<ref name="Metlink1">{{cite web|url=http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/|title=Metlink - Your guide to public transport in Melbourne and Victoria|publisher=Metlink-Melbourne|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref>

[[Railways in Melbourne|Melbourne's train network]] is a mostly [[Railway electrification system|electrified railway]] system which serves the metropolitan area with 19 lines, all of them radiating from the partially underground [[City Loop, Melbourne|City Loop]] which circles the Central Business District. [[Flinders Street Station]] is Melbourne's busiest railway station, and was the world's busiest passenger station in 1926. It remains a prominent Melbourne landmark and meeting place.<ref>
[http://www.nla.gov.au/pict/list/vicgovrail.html Melbourne and scenes in Victoria 1925–1926 from Victorian Government Railways] From the National Library of Australia</ref>

The city has rail connections with regional Victorian cities, as well as interstate rail services to [[Sydney]] and [[Adelaide]], which depart from Melbourne's other major rail terminus, [[Southern Cross Station]] in Spencer Street.

[[Buses in Melbourne|Melbourne's bus network]] consists of almost [[List of Melbourne bus routes|300 routes]] which mainly service the outer suburbs fill the gaps in the network between rail and light rail services.<ref name="Buses">{{cite web|url=http://www.getting-around-melbourne.com.au/melbourne-buses.html|title=Melbourne Buses|publisher=getting-around-melbourne.com.au|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref><ref name="Metlink1"/>

Melbourne has a high dependency on private cars for transport, with 7.1 per cent of trips made by public transport.<ref name="newman">[http://www.mtf.org.au/binary.php/resouces_presentation/mtf_launch_presentation_071105_handout_.pdf Most Liveable and Best Connected?] The Economic Benefits of Investing in Public Transport in Melbourne, by Jan Scheurer, Jeff Kenworthy, and [[Peter Newman (Australian)|Peter Newman]]</ref>
However there has been a significant rise in patronage in the last two years mostly due to higher fuel prices,<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22561141-2862,00.html
|title=Still addicted to cars
|work= Herald Sun
|date=10 October 2007
|publisher=www.news.com.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref> since 2006, public transport patronage has grown by over 20%.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/public-transport-makes-inroads-but-not-beyond-the-fringe/2008/01/13/1200159277533.html
|title=Public transport makes inroads, but not beyond the fringe
|work=The Age
|date=14 January 2008
|publisher=theage.com.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref> The largest number of cars are bought in the outer suburban area, while the inner suburbs with greater access to train and tram services enjoy higher public transport patronage. Melbourne has a total of 3.6 million private vehicles using {{convert|22320|km|mi|abbr=on}} of road, and one of the highest lengths of road per capita.<ref name="newman">[http://www.mtf.org.au/binary.php/resouces_presentation/mtf_launch_presentation_071105_handout_.pdf Most Liveable and Best Connected?] The Economic Benefits of Investing in Public Transport in Melbourne, by Jan Scheurer, Jeff Kenworthy, and [[Peter Newman (Australian)|Peter Newman]]</ref>
Major highways feeding into the city include the [[Eastern Freeway]], [[Monash Freeway]] and [[West Gate Freeway]] (which spans the large [[Westgate Bridge]]), whilst other freeways circumnavigate the city or lead to other major cities, including [[CityLink]], [[EastLink, Melbourne|Eastlink]], the [[Western Ring Road, Melbourne|Western Ring Road]], [[Calder Freeway]], [[Tullamarine Freeway]] (main airport link) and the [[Hume Freeway]] which links Melbourne and [[Sydney]].<ref name="VicRoads">{{cite web|url=http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/RoadsAndProjects/RoadNetwork/|title=Victoria's Road Network|publisher=VicRoads|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref>

The [[Port of Melbourne]] is Australia's largest container and general cargo port and also its busiest. In 2007, the port handled two million shipping containers in a 12 month period, making it one of the top five ports in the Southern Hemisphere.<ref name=pom>{{cite web
|url=http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=267171
|title=Port Of Melbourne Sets Shipping Record
|date=13 June 2007
|work=Malaysian National News Agency
|publisher=www.bernama.com.my
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref> [[Station Pier]] in [[Port Phillip Bay]] handles [[cruise ships]] and the [[Spirit of Tasmania]] ferries which cross [[Bass Strait]] to [[Tasmania]].<ref name="Tasy">{{cite web|url=http://www.spiritoftasmania.com.au/|title=Spirit of Tasmania - One of Australia's great journeys|publisher=TT-Line Company Pty Ltd|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref>

Melbourne has [[List of airports in the Melbourne area|four airports]]. [[Melbourne Airport]] located at [[Tullamarine]] is the city's main international and domestic gateway. The airport is home base for passenger airlines [[Jetstar]] and [[Tiger Airways Australia]] and cargo airlines [[Australian air Express]] and [[Toll Holdings|Toll Priority]] and is a major hub for [[Qantas]] and [[Virgin Blue]]. [[Avalon Airport]], located between Melbourne and [[Geelong]], is a secondary hub of [[Jetstar]] and may soon offer international flights to [[Kuala Lumpur]] on [[AirAsia X]].<ref>{{cite news |title= Perth shows it has the X factor in the battle to attract low-cost Malaysian airline|author=The Australian |date=16 May 2008 |url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23705452-23349,00.html|publisher=News Limited |accessdate=2008-05-19}}</ref> It is also used as a freight and maintenance facility. This makes Melbourne the only city in Australia to have a second commercial airport. [[Moorabbin Airport]] is a significant [[general aviation]] airport in the city's south east as well as handling a limited number of passenger flights. [[Essendon Airport]], which was once the city's main airport before the construction of the airport at Tullamarine, handles passenger flights, general aviation and some cargo flights.<ref name="EssendonAir">{{cite web|url=http://www.essendonairport.com.au/|title=Essendon Airport|publisher=Essendon Airport Pty Ltd |accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref>

===Utilities===
{{see also|Energy in Victoria}}
[[Image:Newport-power-station.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Newport Power Station dominates the surrounding suburbs]]
Water storage and supply for Melbourne is managed by [[Melbourne Water]], which is owned by the Victorian Government. The organisation is also responsible for management of sewerage and the major [[water catchment]]s in the region.
Water is mainly stored in the largest dam, the [[Thomson River Dam]] which is capable of holding around 60% of Melbourne's water capacity,<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.melbournewater.com.au/content/water/water_storages/water_storages.asp?bhcp=1
|title=Dam Water Storage Levels
|author=Melbourne Water
|publisher=www.melbournewater.com.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref> while smaller dams such as the [[Upper Yarra Dam]] and the [[Cardinia Reservoir]] carry secondary supplies.

[[Water restrictions in Australia|Water restrictions]] are in place and the state government has considered [[water recycling]] schemes for the city. In June 2007, the Bracks Government announced a $4.9 billion water plan to secure the future of water supplies in Melbourne, including the construction of a $3.1 billion [[melbourne desalination plant|desalination plant]] on Victoria's south-east coast, capable of treating 150 billion litres of water per year.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/desal-plant-to-be-publicprivate-deal/2007/09/19/1189881595089.html
|title=Desal plant to be public-private deal
|work=The Age
|publisher=theage.com.au
|date=20 September 2007
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref> Other projects included in this package is a {{convert|70|km|mi|abbr=on}} pipeline from the Goulburn area in Victoria's north to Melbourne and a new water pipeline linking Melbourne and [[Geelong]]. These projects will be run and managed by [[Melbourne Water]].<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.melbournewater.com.au/content/current_projects/water_supply/seawater_desalination_plant/seawater_desalination_plant.asp
|title=Water Supply: Seawater Desalination Plant
|author=Melbourne Water
|publisher=www.melbournewater.com.au
|accessdate=2008-07-18
}}</ref>

Supply of [[town gas]] to Melbourne was initially provided by private companies such as the [[Melbourne Metropolitan Gas Company]] from the 1850s, with [[gasworks]] being scattered throughout the suburbs. The [[Gas and Fuel Corporation of Victoria]] was formed in 1951 to manage gas supply state wide, and to build a centralised gasworks at [[Morwell, Victoria|Morwell]]. The discovery of [[natural gas]] in [[Bass Strait]] in the 1960s saw gas supplies converted to the new fuel by the 1970s.<ref>[http://www.esv.vic.gov.au/ForConsumers/OverviewofgasindustryinAustralia/NaturalgasinVictoria/tabid/295/Default.aspx Energy Safe Victoria: Natural Gas in Victoria]</ref> The Gas and Fuel Corporation was [[privatised]] in the late 1990s.<ref name="RBAGOV">{{cite web|url=http://www.rba.gov.au/PublicationsAndResearch/Bulletin/bu_dec97/bu_1297_2.pdf|title=Privatisation in Australia|publisher=rba.gov.au/|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref>

The first [[Electrical power industry|electricity supplies]] to Melbourne were also provided by [[Defunct utility companies in Victoria, Australia|private companies]], with a number of small [[power stations]] such as those at [[Spencer Street Power Station, Victoria (Australia)|Spencer Street]] and [[Richmond Power Station, Victoria|Richmond]] operating. These small operations were merged into the [[State Electricity Commission of Victoria]] that was formed in 1921,<ref>[State Electricity Commission Act 1920 (No.3104)]</ref> the SECV also building the first of many [[brown coal]] fired power stations at [[Yallourn Power Station, Victoria|Yallourn]] in the [[Latrobe Valley]]. The responsibilities of the SECV were privatised between 1995 and 1999. In the urban area, the largest powerstation is the [[Newport Power Station, Victoria (Australia)|Newport Power Station]], located close to the mouth of the Yarra River the stack of which dominates the skyline of the inner western suburbs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/big-expansion-planned-for-newport/2006/11/12/1163266412333.html|title=Big expansion planned for Newport|publisher=theage.com.au|accessdate=2008-10-05}}</ref>

Numerous telecommunications companies operate in Melbourne providing terrestrial and mobile telecommunications services.

[[Image:Melbourne Docklands - Yarras Edge - marina panorama.jpg|thumb|800px|center|Melbourne [[:en:Melbourne Docklands|Docklands]] - Yarra’s Edge at twilight]]

==Sister cities==

{{Melb sister cities map|width=293|float=right}}
The [[City of Melbourne]] has six [[sister city|sister cities]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/info.cfm?top=161&pg=2979|title=City of Melbourne&nbsp;— International relations&nbsp;— Sister cities|publisher=City of Melbourne|accessdate=2008-04-04}}</ref> They are:
{{Col-begin|width=}}
{{Col-break}}
* {{flagicon|Japan}} [[Osaka, Osaka|Osaka]], Japan, 1978
* {{flagicon|China}} [[Tianjin]], China, 1980
* {{flagicon|Greece}} [[Thessaloniki]], [[Greece]], 1984
* {{flagicon|USA}} [[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]], United States, 1985
* {{flagicon|Russia}} [[Saint Petersburg]], Russia, 1989
* {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Milan]], Italy, 2004
{{Col-end}}

Some other local councils in the Melbourne metropolitan area have sister city relationships; see [[Local Government Areas of Victoria]].

==See also==
{{commonscat|Melbourne}}
{{sisterlinks|Melbourne}}
{{Col-begin|width=}}

{{Col-break}}
* [[Timeline of Melbourne history]]
* [[Melbourne tourism]]
* [[List of Melburnians]]
* [[List of Melbourne suburbs]]
* [[List of Mayors and Lord Mayors of Melbourne]]
* [[Local Government Areas of Victoria]]
* [[Crime in Melbourne]]

{{Col-break}}
* [[List of songs about Melbourne]]
* [[List of heritage listed buildings in Melbourne]]
* [[Australian architectural styles]]
* [[Melway]]&nbsp;— the native street directory and general information source in Melbourne.
* [[Hook turn]]&nbsp;— driving manoeuvre that is common in the inner city area.
* [[World's Most Livable Cities]]&nbsp;— Melbourne has twice been ranked equal first with [[Vancouver]].
* [[Large Cities Climate Leadership Group]]

{{Col-end}}
{{clear}}

==Gallery==
[[commons:Category:Melbourne|'''Photo Gallery of Melbourne''']]


==References==
==Notes and references==
{{Reflist|2}}
{{reflist|2}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{Commons|Category:System of a Down|System of a Down}}
* {{wikitravel}}
* [http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/ City of Melbourne official site]
*[http://www.systemofadown.com/ Official website]
*[http://music.wikia.com/wiki/System_of_a_Down System of a Down's article at the Music Wiki]
*[http://www.velvethammer.net/band_list2.php?band_id=23 System of a Down on Velvet Hammer site]
*[[lyricwiki:System Of A Down|System Of A Down]] at [[LyricWiki]]
*{{MySpace|soad|System of a Down}}
*{{dmoz|Arts/Music/Bands_and_Artists/S/Sy/System_of_a_Down/|System of a Down}}


{{System of a Down}}
{{AustralianCapitalCities}}
{{Olympic Summer Games Host Cities}}
{{Commonwealth Games Host Cities}}


[[Category:1990s music groups]]
<!-- [[wuu:墨尔本]] -->
[[Category:2000s music groups]]
[[Category:California heavy metal musical groups]]
[[Category:Alternative metal musical groups]]
[[Category:American alternative metal musical groups]]
[[Category:American nu metal musical groups]]
[[Category:Armenian musical groups]]
[[Category:Grammy Award winners]]
[[Category:Los Angeles musical groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1995]]
[[Category:Quartets]]
[[Category:System of a Down]]


{{Link FA|it}}
[[Category:Australian capital cities]]
[[Category:Coastal cities in Australia]]
[[Category:Host cities of the Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Host cities of the Summer Olympic Games]]
[[Category:Melbourne|*]]
[[Category:Metropolitan areas of Australia]]
[[Category:Port cities in Australia]]
[[Category:Settlements established in 1835]]
[[Category:Towns and cities with limited zero-fare transport]]


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Revision as of 04:24, 13 October 2008

This article is about the band. For the self-titled album, see System of a Down (album).
System of a Down

System of a Down (commonly referred to as System or abbreviated as SOAD) is an Armenian-American rock band, formed in 1994[1] in Glendale, California. Consisting of Serj Tankian (lead vocals, keyboards, and rhythm guitar), Daron Malakian (vocals and lead guitar), Shavo Odadjian (bass), and John Dolmayan (drums), the band has released five albums since 1998. A staple on mainstream rock radio, their works have earned them three Grammy Award nominations, of which they won one.

System of a Down is very politically active and are noted for the liberal political views expressed in their songs, tackling several subjects including the Armenian Genocide, War on Drugs, religion, and censorship. The band is a part of the Axis of Justice, a non-profit organization co-founded by Tankian and fellow musician Tom Morello, dedicated to bringing together musicians, music fans, and grassroots political organizations to fight for social justice.

In 2006, the group went on an "indefinite hiatus", and all four members are currently working on various side projects.

History

Soil (1993–1994)

Daron Malakian met Serj Tankian in 1993, while they both shared the same rehearsal studio in different bands. Serj was playing keyboard for the Lords of Acid, and Daron was singing lead vocals for another band. They formed a jam band called Soil (Serj on vocals/keyboards and Daron on guitar [2]; not to be confused with SOiL) with Domingo Laranio (drums) and Dave Hakopyan (bass). Around this time, they also met Shavo Odadjian. After about a year, with one supposed jam session recording and one live show, Dave and Domingo left, thinking the band wasn't going anywhere. [3]

In the beginning (1994–1997)

The band later broke up and Tankian and Malakian formed a new band "System of a Down," based on a poem that Daron wrote entitled "Victims of the Down". [4] Shavo Odadjian thought that the word System appealed to a much broader audience than "Victims," and they wanted their albums to be stored near the band Slayer's. Odadjian was the band's original manager and promoter, but joined as the bassist, and managerial duties were taken over by the Velvet Hammer Music and Management Group and founder David "Beno" Benveniste. Daron then asked his friend Ontronik "Andy" Khachaturian (who had played in his first band with Daron at age 15 [5]) to join the band as the drummer. [6]

System of a Down quickly made what is known as their early Untitled 1995 Demo Tape, which had very early recordings of "Mr. Jack" (called "PIG"), along with a song called "Flake," and an early recording of "The Metro," a cover of the Berlin song of the same name. It is rumored that there are other tapes made, which contain early recordings of "Friik," "36" (called ".36"), and "Roulette." Two other songs, "X" (called "Multiply") and "Honey" were live demos at the time and were played at very early shows.[7] After this, the band recorded three public demos, which have been numbered as Demo Tape 1 to 3, as the early 1995 demo was not discovered until much later. Many of the songs featured on the demos would eventually make their way onto the band's debut album. In mid 1997, Khachaturian left the band (before the recording of the third demo tape [8]) due to a hand injury. Soon after playing at the Whisky-A-Go-Go and Viper Room with new drummer John Dolmayan, producer Rick Rubin caught the band's attention and told them to keep in touch with him. Showing great interest, they recorded yet another demo near the end of that year. This demo, however, was made only to be sent to record companies. The tape was not released to the public until years later when it was leaked onto the Internet. After Rick helped them get signed onto American/Columbia Records, System of a Down began to record in his studio. In 1997, the group won the Best Signed Band award from the Rock City Awards.[9]

Debut album (1998–2000)

In the summer of 1998 (June 1998), System of a Down released their debut album, System of a Down. They enjoyed moderate success with their first single "Sugar" becoming a radio favorite, followed by the single "Spiders." After the release of the album, the band toured extensively, opening for Slayer before making their way to the second stage of Ozzfest. Following Ozzfest, they toured with Fear Factory and Incubus before headlining the Sno-Core tour with Puya, Mr. Bungle, The Cat and Incubus providing support. System was scheduled to play the 1999 Family Values Tour, but were kicked off by Fred Durst over his inability to sign the band Taproot. Durst has since admitted that he was a "complete wanker" in relation to this "oversight."[citation needed] The band has yet to comment on Durst's involvement or commentary. In 2000, the band contributed their cover of the Black Sabbath song "Snowblind" to the Sabbath tribute album Nativity in Black 2.

Breakthrough and success (2001–2003)

The group's big break arrived when their second album Toxicity debuted at #1 on the American and Canadian charts, eventually achieving multi-platinum certification. The album has since sold 6 million copies worldwide. It was the top album in America on the week of the September 11, 2001 attacks and the political environment caused by the attacks added to the controversy surrounding their hit single "Chop Suey!" causing it to be taken off the radio as it contained politically sensitive lyrics at the time such as "(I don't think you) trust in my self-righteous suicide." Regardless, the video gained constant play on MTV as did the second single, "Toxicity." Even with the controversy surrounding "Chop Suey!" which earned a Grammy nomination, System of a Down still received constant airplay in the United States throughout late 2001 and 2002 with "Toxicity " and "Aerials." In May 2006, VH1 listed Toxicity in the #14 slot in the 40 Greatest Metal Songs.

In 2001, the band went on tour with Slipknot in the United States. After seeing the success of the tour, System and Slipknot went on a Pledge of Allegiance Tour with Rammstein in 2002. In late 2001, a few unreleased tracks made their way onto the Internet. The group released a statement that the tracks were unfinished material. Soon after, the band released the final versions of the songs, which were recorded at the same time, but hadn't been used for Toxicity. The result was Steal This Album!, released in November 2002. The cover of Steal This Album! resembled a burnable CD that was marked with a felt-tip marker. 50,000 special copies of the album with different CD designs were also released, each designed by a different member of the band. The name of the album is a reference to Abbie Hoffman's counter-culture book, Steal This Book and as a message to those who stole the songs and released them on the Internet. The song "Innervision" was released as a promo single and received constant airplay on alternative radio. A video for "Boom!" was filmed with director Michael Moore as a protest against the War in Iraq.

Mezmerize / Hypnotize (2004–2005)

From 2004 to 2005, the group produced a double album, Mezmerize / Hypnotize with the two parts released six months apart. The first album, Mezmerize, was released on May 17, 2005, to favorable reviews by critics. It debuted at #1 in the United States, Canada, Australia and all around the world, making it System of a Down's second #1 album. First week sales rocketed to over 800,000 copies worldwide[citation needed]. The Grammy Award-winning single "B.Y.O.B.," which questions the integrity of military recruiting in America, worked its way up the Billboard Modern Rock and Mainstream Rock charts. The next single, "Question!" was released with Shavo Odadjian co-directing the music video. Following the release of Mezmerize, the band toured extensively throughout the United States and Canada with The Mars Volta and Bad Acid Trip supporting.

The second part of the double album, Hypnotize, was released on November 22, 2005. Like Mezmerize, it debuted at #1 in the US, making System of a Down, along with the Beatles, Guns 'N Roses, and rappers 2Pac and DMX, the only artists to ever have two studio albums debut at #1 in the same year.

In February 2006, System of a Down won the Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance for "B.Y.O.B.," beating out other established artists such as Nine Inch Nails and Robert Plant. Their second single off the Hypnotize album, "Lonely Day" was released in March in the United States. System of a Down released "Kill Rock 'N Roll" and "Vicinity of Obscenity" as their next promo singles. The band headlined Ozzfest 2006 in cities where tour founder Ozzy Osbourne opted not to appear or wasn't playing on the main stage.

Hiatus and future of the band (2006–present)

In May 2006, the band announced they were going on hiatus. Malakian has confirmed the break will probably last a few years, which Odadjian specified as a minimum of three years in an interview with Guitar magazine. He told MTV, "We're not breaking up. If that was the case, we wouldn't be doing this Ozzfest. We're going to take a very long break after Ozzfest and do our own things. We've done System for over ten years, and I think it's healthy to take a rest."

During their performance in Houston, Texas, Malakian also took a moment to say, "There's been a lot of rumors about us breaking up. Well, don't listen to them. Us four right here, we will always be System of a Down!"[citation needed] However, Malakian announced he was forming a band called Scars on Broadway, which was joined by Dolmayan, and would begin work on its debut album during autumn. Odadjian will be working on a project with RZA of Wu-Tang Clan named Achozen as well as his UrSession website/record label. Tankian plans to keep recording as a solo artist/producer with his first single being "Empty Walls" off his first album Elect the Dead, was released on October 23, 2007. Dolmayan, as well working with Scars on Broadway, planned to open a comic book store online by November 2007.[10]

System of a Down's final performance before their hiatus took place on August 13, 2006 in West Palm Beach, Florida. "Tonight will be the last show we play for a long time together," Malakian told the crowd during Sunday's last performance. "We'll be back. We just don't know when."[11]

System of a Down's songs were used in the 2006 film "Screamers" by Carla Garapedian. They appeared in the movie, in an interview talking about the importance of helping create awareness and recognition of the Armenian Genocide. "Screamers" debuted in theaters in large city markets such as New York City, Detroit, Washington D.C., San Francisco, Fresno, Providence, and Boston. An earlier engagement started exclusively in Los Angeles on December 8, 2006. Also, "Lonely Day" appeared on the soundtrack for the movie Disturbia.

System of a Down was honored at the USC v. Cal game at the Los Angeles Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA in 2006. The Trojan Marching Band, along with Dolmayan and Odadjian, performed three System of a Down songs: "Toxicity," "Sugar," and "Hypnotize."

Tankian recently said that he has wanted to work on his "solo record for years." As for the future of the band, he said that he does not know whether System of a Down is over or not. He also stated that "maybe in a few years" the band would "want to make another album. It's impossible to tell right now. It'll be later down the line; then we'll be able to tell what might happen."[12]

Bassist Shavo Odadjian was recently revealed to be directing the first video for the comeback of the hardcore punk band, Bad Brains.[13]

For the 2007 Grammys, System of a Down was nominated for Best Hard Rock Performance for "Lonely Day," but lost to Wolfmother and their song "Woman."

Shavo Odadjian recently told Launch Radio Networks that System of a Down is "alive and well."

We're just not working together right now. We kind of like split up at first, but you know, we're brothers, man, we'll take bullets for each other. So it's like, you kind of miss each other after a while and you, one guy makes the first move, then another starts making phone calls....this is a juggernaut, man. System of a Down is my lifeline. It'll never go away. We could not make a record for 10 years — that's not gonna happen, but I'm just saying we could — and we'll come back strong.[14]

Future and possible reunion

When asked in February 2008 if a reunion was planned any time in the future, Daron Malakian had admitted that System of a Down may never get back together again. He had this to say:

There's no talk of System doing anything. We're not planning on doing anything. If anyone's holding their breath for a new System record, they're going to turn blue and pass out. It's a long ways away, if it ever even happens. We don't even talk about it — none of us. This (Scars on Broadway) is my band right now.[15]

In an April 2008 interview with Kerrang magazine, guitarist Daron Malakian and drummer John Dolmayan gave their takes on the band's future. When told that many people are going to wonder what the future of the band is, Malakian responded by stating that:

We'll all know when the time is right.

Dolmayan added:

It'll just happen.

Malakian went on to say:

Yeah. It'll feel good and happen. I can respect this situation [System's hiatus] more than I can respect the situation where two people are like, 'The lead singer fucked my girlfriend!' and that kind of bullshit. Nah, man. The lead singer is a special person to me and I am to him. And that's how we ended off. Same with Shavo, same with John. And it will always be. It was a big part of my life. We were onstage together for a long time, man. We went through shit as a band and friends -- we slept in RV's together!

There are rumors that Serj has expressed the desire to have SOAD represent Armenia at Eurovision 2009. However, in his interview for Asbarez newspaper August 22, 2008 edition Serj has confirmed that the rumors were false. It was a result of a journalist in Finland who misquoted Serj and took his statements out of context. Following the widespread rumors, Serj asked that the Finnish journalist retract his statements.[16]

In an interview with Hollyscoop at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2007, Serj explains:

System of a Down we have been a band for 12 years, we have put out 5 records, we are all friends and we're still friends and we decided to take time to pursue our artistic and personal goals.

He goes on to say:

We're artists, we're friends we don't have to do necessarily the same every year and we have left the door open.

Towards the end of the interview, Serj was asked if a reunion was possible, he replied:

It is very possible, yeah.

Recently, in an interview with CNN, Serj said that he was talking with Shavo and Daron hoping to make a record to debut in late 2010

Style and influences

The stylistic variety and level of experimentation[17] in System of a Down's music has made it difficult to describe. Though they have evolved their sound with each album, System of a Down has, for the most part, maintained a single style throughout their body of work. This style mixes elements and influences from a wide variety of genres such as alternative rock, punk rock, folk music, psychedelic rock, classic metal, symphonic metal, thrash metal, funk metal and progressive rock.[citation needed] Even some electronic influences can be heard in songs such as "Old School Hollywood." This has made them difficult to categorize, prompting the press to describe them with several different genre handles, among them alternative metal,[18] hard rock,[18][19] nu metal[20][21] and progressive metal.[22]

The band has used a wide range of instruments, including electric mandolins, baritone electric guitars, acoustic guitars, ouds, sitars and twelve string guitars.[23] Furthermore, a variety of keyboards and synthesizers have been used on live shows. Drop C tuning was used exclusively on the first three albums, with later records mostly relying on drop C# tuning. Their vocal style has also remained fairly consistent over the years. The band frequently used alternating vocals, switching between near screaming followed by a softer type of singing. Also, the same harmony and chord structures are frequently used in vocals in their songs, giving them a distinct sound.

The band has cited Middle Eastern music as one of its influences[4] and mentioned on several accounts that they appreciate The Beatles[4][24] and Kiss.[25] On their own style, Odadjian said:

I don't think we sound like anybody else. I consider us System of a Down.

and Dolmayan stated:

You can compare us to whoever you want. I don't care. Comparisons and labels have no effect on this band. Fact is fact: We are who we are and they are who they are.[26]

Band members

Current members

Former members

  • Ontronik "Andy" Khachaturian – drums, percussion (1994 – 1997), vocals (filled in for Serj (while he was sick) for one show [27]; this was after he had left the band)

Stage and Studio Extras

Name Job Notes
Harry Perry rhythm guitar Played rhythm guitar live on the Ozzfest 2006 Tour
Abe Cunningham drums Played drums during a live performance of "Science" in Sacramento, CA - October 1, 2005
Charlie Benante drums Played drums during a live performance of "Bounce" at the Allstate Arena - September 30, 2005
Ben Weinman guitar Played guitar during a live performance of "Aerials" at Festimad in Madrid, Spain - May 28, 2005
Kirk Hammett guitar Played guitar during a live performance of "Aerials" at the Hollywood Palladium - November 15, 2003
Arto Tunçboyacıyan vocals, additional instruments Toxicity ("Science" and "Arto") and Steal This Album! ("Bubbles")
Joey Jordison drums Replaced Dolmayan playing drums live on October 31, 2001
Rick Rubin piano Sugar E.P., System of a Down, and Toxicity
RZA (credited as Wu-Tang Clan) vocals Featured on "Shame" on the Loud Rocks compilation and the Lonely Day EP
Lynn Strait vocals Featured during a live performance of "War?" at The Roxy Los Angeles, CA - August 22, 1998
Vanik Vartanian drums played drums during a live performance of "Arto" at The Roxy Los Angeles, CA - August 22, 1998

Discography

Main article: System of a Down discography

Studio albums

Date of Release Title Label U.S. Billboard peak RIAA Certification
June 30, 1998 System of a Down American #124 Platinum
September 4, 2001 Toxicity American #1 3× Platinum
November 26, 2002 Steal This Album! American/Columbia #15 Platinum
May 16, 2005 Mezmerize American/Columbia #1 Platinum
November 22, 2005 Hypnotize American/Columbia #1 Platinum

References

  1. ^ Exclusive Interview With Andy Khachaturian (ex-SOAD) :: The Official Unofficial System of a Down Site
  2. ^ Soil 1993-1997 :: The Official Unofficial System of a Down Site
  3. ^ Soil 1993-1997 :: The Official Unofficial System of a Down Site
  4. ^ a b c Nalbandian, Bob. "Interview with System of a Down". jam.canoe.ca. Retrieved 2007-07-21.
  5. ^ Exclusive Interview With Andy Khachaturian (ex-SOAD) :: The Official Unofficial System of a Down Site!
  6. ^ Exclusive Interview With Andy Khachaturian (ex-SOAD) :: The Official Unofficial System of a Down Site
  7. ^ "The History Of: System of a Down". ultimate-guitar.com. 2005-10-25. Retrieved 2007-07-25. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ Soil 1993-1997 :: The Official Unofficial System of a Down Site
  9. ^ "Rock City Awards 1997". rockcitynews.com. Retrieved 2007-07-25.
  10. ^ "SOAD talk about side projects". soadfans.com. 2006-07-13. Retrieved 2007-07-25. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  11. ^ "West Palm Beach, FL - [[August 13]], [[2006]] Review". soadfans.com. 2006-07-13. Retrieved 2007-07-25. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); URL–wikilink conflict (help)
  12. ^ "System of a Down's Future Uncertain". blabbermouth.net. 2006-12-28. Retrieved 2007-07-25. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ^ "System of a Down Bassist to Direct Bad Brains Video". strangeglue.com. 2007-05-15. Retrieved 2007-07-25. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. ^ "System of a Down Is 'Alive and Well'". ultimate-guitar.com. 2007-07-20. Retrieved 2007-07-25. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ^ "System of a Down — Malakian: 'System of a Down Will Never Reform'". contactmusic.com. 2008-02-19. Retrieved 2008-02-21. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  16. ^ "Interview with Serj Tankian". Retrieved September 26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ Nettleton, Chris. "System of a Down review". drownedinsound.com. Retrieved 2007-07-25.
  18. ^ a b "System of a Down at the All Music Guide". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2007-07-24.
  19. ^ Strauss, Neil (2003-03-26). "The Pop Life: MTV is Wary of Videos on War". nytimes.com. Retrieved 2007-07-24. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  20. ^ "American Recordings/Columbia Records press release for the release of Toxicity". PR Newswire. 2002-04-23. Retrieved 2007-05-06. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  21. ^ Armoudian, Maria (2003-02-06). "Rock's Axis of Activism". salon.com. Retrieved 2007-05-06. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  22. ^ Serpick, Evan (2005-12-15). "System of a Down — Prog-metal Radicals". rollingstone.com. Retrieved 2007-07-24. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  23. ^ "System of a Down biography". 8notes.com. Retrieved 2006-06-26.
  24. ^ "Interview with System of a Down". voxonline.com. Retrieved 2007-07-21.
  25. ^ Griwkowsky, Fish (2006-06-23). "System of a Down Fight the Fight". jam.canoe.ca. Retrieved 2007-07-21. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  26. ^ "Official System of a Down MySpace". myspace.com/soad. Retrieved 2007-07-21.
  27. ^ Exclusive Interview With Andy Khachaturian (ex-SOAD) :: The Official Unofficial System of a Down Site

External links

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