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 had met them in a recording studio, where he was recording with his own band. the two members called upon him for assistance, and he became manager of the band. odadjian says in an early interview that securing system's first local gig was a struggle: