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The Gibson Band features a rotating lineup of musicians – with Tony Iommi, Serj Tankian and Cesar Gueikian for the first single
All proceeds from the first Gibson Band project are being donated to an important cause.
Image: Gibson
Gibson has officially launched the Gibson Band – a revolving collective of Gibson artists – and their first single, Deconstruction, is out now.
For this first project, the band consists of Gibson CEO Cesar Gueikian, System Of A Down’s Serj Tankian, and Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi. The track was written by both Gueikian and Tankian, with Iommi on guitar.
The Gibson Band project has been in the works for a “very long time,” and in addition to the new song, Tankian has also provided its cover artwork. Based on an original painting he created himself (titled Our Mountains), the piece “harks back to the twin peaks of Mount Ararat, a symbol of the Armenian nation and the location for the rebirth of Noah’s civilisation.”
Tankian’s original painting, as well as a one-of-a-kind Gibson Les Paul Standard customised with the artwork, is currently being auctioned via Julien’s Auctions which will close on 18 December at 11:00 am PST. The painting is accompanied by a unique musical score that is unlocked via an app.
The Les Paul was custom built by the luthiers of Gibson USA using a proprietary, pure lacquer technique to recreate the centre portion of the original painting. It comes with a Black USA Modern hardshell case.
Gibson Records, Gueikian, Tankian, and Iommi will donate all proceeds from the sale of the song, as well as the funds raised from the auction of Tankian’s painting and Les Paul guitar via Gibson Gives. The Corporación America Foundation will match the amount raised from the auction, with all funds going to Armenia Fund’s Artsakh Refugee Initiative.
Listen to Deconstruction below:
“The concept of the Gibson Band was born out of a love of writing and recording new music and having a new venue for collaboration between our team and our Gibson artists,” says Gueikian.
“The first song brings multiple emotions together for me, including the dream of collaborating with Serj Tankian and Tony Iommi, two artists I admire and who have been influential and transformational in so many ways. Serj and I are both diaspora Armenians therefore, we immediately decided we wanted Deconstruction to be dedicated to the Armenian community.”
Tankian adds, “It’s a dream come true to have collaborated with my good friend, Cesar Gueikian, and Tony Iommi, who I have collaborated with before. I am happy that we are using our platform to donate the music, my art, and Gibson’s incredibly unique guitar for such a great charity. Music with the right intentions can inspire and also create positive change.”
Iommi comments, “It was great to hook up with Serj again and also to do a track with Cesar (I think that he’s trying to steal my job!) The Armenian people are really lovely people, and it’s a great pleasure, a great cause, and I’m very happy to be involved in it.”
Martin Eurnekian, CEO of Corporación América Airports says that the collaboration with Gibson presents an “exceptional opportunity” to further its “strategic goal of making a meaningful impact in Armenia.”
Find out more at Gibson. You can bid now on the original painting and Les Paul over at Julien’s Auctions.