System of a Down Bassist Plans "Revolutionary" Social Network/Record Label

MySpace, you officially have some massively goateed competition: System of a Down bassist Shavo Odadjian is introducing urSession.com, an online community that doubles as a record label. "It's the first online label to actually audition artists via audio uploads and video uploads," Odadjian explains. And in true democratic SOAD fashion, the people will have a voice: "I thought if urSession could be a big art-district community, so then the community votes for who I sign. So after a 10-month, 11-month running of artists, whoever gets the most votes, I go over and I sign."

The site proclaims it is "urEntertainment (R)evolution" and "not ur dad's A&R" and invites would-be users to "join the revolution" when it launches later this month or in early August. At least for now, the label is strictly digital, though Odadjian said he has spoken with labels about other options. System of a Down has been on hiatus since last year, and Odadjian says he'll direct videos and continue to work on Achozen, his side project with Wu-Tang's RZA, in addition to his work with urSession.

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Song Stories

“Tonight's the Night”

The Shirelles | 1960

The lead cut and title track from this girl group's debut album, "Tonight's the Night" was written by 19-year-old bandmember Shirley Owens, who sings lead, and producer Luther Dixon. The band from Passaic, New Jersey met in high school, first calling themselves the Pequellos. The song's frank thoughts about sexual and emotional surrender was racy for the time, but that didn't stop the Chiffons from cutting a similar version immediately after the original came out. "We were the first female group to write some of our own material," band member Beverly Lee recalls. "We did have some say-so in our writing."

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