John Dolmayan, standing at the top of the steps that lead to his house in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, is currently attempting to set his dog, Ginger on the interloper who just set foot on his property. Sadly for him, but thankfully for the interloper - namely me - Ginger is approximately the size of a small shoebox, and hence hardly premium guard dog material. Instead, Ginger dashes around the hall, narrowly avoiding being trodden on and studiously ignores repeated calls to desist and behave.
Were a few days into the New Year, and System Of A Down - Dolmayan, guitarist Daron Malakian, bassist Shavo Odadjian and vocalist Serj Tankian - are enjoying the remainder of their holiday break before the jet off to Australia to take part in he Big Day Out, before heading on to Europe for their first tour here in two years.
Right now SOAD are America�s most exciting band. Their acclaimed second album, �Toxicity� - which had the dubious honour of being at Number One in the US charts on September 11 - had sold close to two million copies in America, and seeming everyone wants piece of the band, from the journalists who want to speak to them to the fans who look up to them.
The four members of System Of A Down prefer to be interviewed separately these days. This is usually a sign of over-inflated egos, or rifts within the band; in SOAD�s case, its it�s simply because the quartet found that being interviewed together didn�t work, as they all tended to talk at once.
Hence the fact that I�m at the drummer�s house, with his pint-size pooch snapping at my ankles
John Dolmayan has lived in the San Fernando Valley for the past 21 years and in his current home - which he shares with his parents - for 18 months. Despite news reports of increasing homicide rates, the Valley - or at least the part where John lives - is the epitome of suburban life, and a far cry from the hustle of the rest of the city.
�I like it here,� says the drummer. �I don�t want to live in Hollywood where it�s all loud. Right now I can hear a car passing and even that bothers me. I want silence... but I like to make noise.�
The Dolmayan household doesn�t really stand out from any other on the street. It�s a big house, but then all the houses around here are big, perhaps due more to an abundance of space than a lavish lifestyle. Inside John�s lair, there�s a drum kit, various poster, board games (�Risk� is a favourite) and a huge TV complete with PlayStation, X-Box and all the latest gadgets.
The drummer was the last member to join System Of A Down. He regularly watched them plat at local clubs like The Whisky and Troubadour, fondly recalling how the band would fit 1,000 people into a 500 capacity venue. He says that he still goes to the same clubs when he�s not on tour and wistfully wishes they could play there again some day, although the last time SOAD tried anything like that - a free show in an LA parking lot - resulted in a riot.
Despite the band�s success, Dolmayan is apparently unaffected by the band�s ver increasing public profile.
�That�s something that effects my girlfriend more than me,� he shrugs �When we go to the mall there�s always some kids who�ll recognise me. I have no problem with that as long as people are respectful. There�s nothing wrong with it and I think it�s cute. Personally I don�t recognise anybody in bands, because I don�t give a f**k what anybody looks like or know their names.�
Do people treat you differently these days?
John: �Your true friends know you for who you are, I�ve met people who would have never cared about me if it wasn�t for my band. What also happens is we�ll go on tour for six to nine months, and it�s almost like you�re in a time capsule. For you it doesn�t take long, but to everyone else it�s a year, so when we get back things are different. Not only because they�ve changed, but their perceptions of you has changed, especially if they hear you on the radio a lot.�
I guess you can�t spend time hanging out with fans outside gigs so much...
John: �I still do, but I can�t do it in LA because I have so many friends and family there. In LA I go to the show about half-an-hour to an hour before we play, then I�ll leave straight after. It�s just too nuts. But when we were in Denver I was walking by the line outside the venue and this guy said to me �Nice look!�. I think he thought I was trying to look like John from System Of A Down, he couldn�t understand why I�d be walking by on the street. I�ve always enjoyed being outside the venues and meeting fans because they�re always really cool. I don�t care how big the band gets; it�s not a big deal. I may freak out our security guards sometimes because I don�t tell them I�m going outside, but people are cool, they take time out of theirs lives to focus on your band. They�re not gonna do anything to you.�
So why take out security guards?
John: We did it for one tour, because of September 11. Some members of the band felt it was necessary, so we took one out and I don�t think it made much difference. But then some people in the music industry do get mobbed, so I can see why you might need security. So far it�s not necessary for me and I hope it�s not. The more you know about me the less you�ll care.�
But it does seem as if some fans are looking to System Of A Down for answers, especially given that �Toxicity� was Number One in the US charts on September 11�
John (shrugs): �I look to fans for answers sometimes. That�s okay, let them look. Maybe they�ll find something. Whatever inspires you to live your life in a more positive way, f**king do it. A lot of people look to religions to inspire them. I�ve found a lot of religions to be ridiculous, but if it makes you happy and you�re not hurting anyone else, then do what the f**k you want. If you want to look at my band like that, then good for you.�