Drummer John Dolmayan has unveiled a cover of the David Bowie song “Starman” featuring his System of a Down bandmate Serj Tankian on vocals. The track is the latest single from Dolmayan’s upcoming covers album, These Grey Men.
The cover takes the Bowie classic and gives it a System of a Down vibe, with a faster tempo and Tankian’s distinct vocals. It’s not the only track on Dolmayan’s album that features Tankian, who also sings on a cover of The Talking Heads’ “Road to Nowhere”.
Dolmayan’s These Grey Men album arrives February 28th. As for his inspiration to record a covers LP, Dolmayan stated, “While I was driving, I’d put on satellite radio and listen to whatever came on. Oftentimes, I’d hear something and ask myself how I would play or arrange it.”
He added, “I actually started to make a list of about 30 songs I might cover someday. I just got inspiration from desert driving and listening to music. System wasn’t making music at the time, but I needed an outlet for my artistic energy. So, I whittled down the list and reached out to some artists I wanted to work with.”
Previously, Dolmayan released a cover of Radiohead’s “Street Spirit”, featuring Avenged Sevenfold singer M. Shadows and Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello. Elsewhere on the album. Dolmayan covers songs by Madonna, Eminem, AFI, and more.
“Starman” can be streamed below, while the album These Grey Men is currently available for pre-order. Fans can catch System of a Down headlining two shows in Los Angeles with Korn and Faith No More in May. In addition, System will embark on a summer European jaunt. Pick up tickets here.
System of a Down’s John Dolmayan and Serj Tankian Unveil Cover of David Bowie’s “Starman”: Stream
Spencer Kaufman
