Shavarsh "Shavo" Odadjian (Armenian: Շավարշ "Շավո" Օդաջյան; born April 22, 1974)[1] is an Armenian-American musician, best known as the bassist of heavy metal band System of a Down.

He also plays bass in a trap group called North Kingsley and in the metal band Seven Hours After Violet.

During System of a Down's hiatus from 2006 to 2010, Odadjian collaborated with Wu-Tang Clan founder RZA on a project called AcHoZeN, which contributed a number of songs to the motion picture Babylon A.D. A compilation album was released in 2015.

[3][4][5] During his youth, Odadjian has stated that he spent most of his time skateboarding and listening to punk rock and heavy metal music.

Among others, he credits Dead Kennedys, Slayer, Black Sabbath and Metallica as his favorite bands, and the most substantial influence on his musical development and career.

[6] While attending college (majoring in Psychology and minoring in Art) and working in a bank, Odadjian began managing Soil – the band Daron Malakian and Serj Tankian were a part of in 1993.

Odadjian says in an early interview that securing System's first local gig was a struggle: "I was managing the band and we had no demo [tape], we had no money, but we wanted to play a show.

Odadjian is credited with writing noted System of a Down songs, among them "Toxicity", "Sugar", "Jet Pilot", "Bounce," "Mind," "Dreaming," and "U-Fig."

[9] On October 21, 2001, during a show in Grand Rapids, Michigan where System of a Down was headlining with Slipknot, Odadjian was assaulted, racially profiled and escorted out of the Van Andel Arena by security guards when he tried to enter the backstage.

AcHoZeN is the musical alliance between Odadjian, Wu-Tang Clan founder RZA, Kinetic 9 (aka: Beretta 9 from Killarmy), and up-and-comer, the Reverend William Burke from Chicago.

"The four principal members feel that their unique sound is not only spiritual in nature, but a new genre of "heavy hip hop," not "rap-metal."

The bulk of the beats were created by Odadjian (only one or two samples were used on the entire record) who also played live instruments throughout, including bass and sitar.

[15] Achozen's debut features an eclectic array of guest performers that includes Funk-master George Clinton, Red Hot Chili Peppers' guitarist John Frusciante, Wu-Tang affiliate Killah Priest, Wu-Tang founding member GZA, emcee Sick Jacken from Psycho Realm, and Angolan rapper Leggezin Fin.

Utilizing sitar and violin, Shavo breaks the mold, playing live instruments across the album, as he constructs beats with a cosmic fluidity.

[20] Shavo spoke with Wall of Sound about the band's name origin revealing it came from the first street he lived on when he first moved to Los Angeles from Armenia back in 1979.

Morgoth Beatz and drummer Josh Johnson from the band Winds of Plague, guitarist-vocalist Alejandro Aranda, and lead vocalist Taylor Barber.

[26] In addition, Odadjian is a popular DJ in the LA area, taking part in such events as the "Rock/DJ Explosion" on March 2, 2001, at The Roxy in Hollywood, CA and collaborating with System of a Down bandmate Serj Tankian on Serart, the singer's collaboration album with multitalented Armenian musician Arto Tunçboyacıyan.

Odadjian goes by the name DJ Tactics, and spins a wide spectrum of music spanning hip-hop, tech-house, classic rock, and metal.

In September 2008 he appeared (playing guitar instead of bass) in a live performance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno with Clinton.

[27] Stating himself to be a "very visual person", Odadjian has directed and edited extensive music videos for System of a Down, including "Aerials" and "Toxicity".

[28] Odadjian's directing style implements surreal atmospheric themes and integrates innovative methods in filming, inspired by Rod Serling (Twilight Zone).

Odadjian also directed the TV spot and launch trailer for the 2015 video game Mortal Kombat X, which features his band's signature song "Chop Suey!".

In 2007–2008, Odadjian and Rza teamed up with Hans Zimmer in scoring major motion-picture, summer blockbuster movie Babylon A.D., starring Vin Diesel.

In an interview with Loudwire, he noted that him being prominently featured next to Schwarzenegger was unintentional, as the shot they used had the lights hit him more than any other extras in the crowd.

The film follows Odadjian and the rest of the rock band System of a Down as they tour Europe and the US, pointing out the horrors of modern genocide that began in Armenia in 1915 up through Darfur today.

One critic wrote of the Ozzfest performance: "Where most of the other bands on the bill stuck to the traditional metal imagery of skulls, blood and gore to enhance their stages, System went the other way, offering a series of abstract paintings that swished across an enormous video screen.