ai still contend that the comments in London were just to pander to the English fans. No ideology on display, just fear at rejection and greed.

When they realized they had messed up in the US they were to arrogant to admit error.

They don't need to change their politics, they need to change their agent.

A politically savy agent would know which cities to book, they sure would know not to book concerts in the south or southwest.

Papa Ray

They're not Americans, they're "citizens of the World." That's what happens when "the artist" finally realizes what a "special artistic genius" they are--"political genius" too. Who would’ve guessed? :-)

They're hopelessly confused. Lileks wrote about the condition.

The great thing about this is that recording artists like the Chix hardly make any money off of their recordings, instead they make 90% of their money off the touring. That is unless they have gotten to a place where they can demand up front money and great contracts from the record companies. That usually occurs after their first deal is over (usually 5-6 albums) and the artist is established as a big star. The Dixie chicks may be darlings of the moment to the left, but most on the left don't listen to country and they have so alienated their base that their big mouths have just cost them their careers. Look for them to reinvent themselves as pop stars for the next album, either that or folky liberal Joan Baez types.

Oh, and for the savvy agent comment: The agent probably never expected that their base would erode so much due to their expressions of their political ignorance and anti americanism. I would also assume that there are only so many places that I would assume country singers are going to sell out. Toronto is one thing, but when you go on a tour, one tries to set the tour up in a linear format so they are traveling from one point to another. It would be hard to put together a tour hitting San Fransisco, Toronto, New York, and that is about it. Sounds like they pretty much have to cut out middle america.

The key in the music business is the number of sustained sales 4 to 6 weeks out.

They sold anywhere from 4 to 9 million units before. (Their last album, a live set, did not sell one million units, though it may have by now) This one disc tail off at 1.5 million or so. Still, not a bad living. A lot of artists would die for those numbers.

For their own sake, one can only hope they invested well (personally, I don't give a dang). The next album - two or three years out, will tell the final story. If they can't stretch out their victim image, it could very well be the bomb. Watch - they'll push a greatest hits package this Christmas!

They are done in country, they don't get much rotation on progressive stations and they aren't an R&B group. They need the MSM to prop them up now, but that will be gone in the future.

It's an interesting pickle, isn't it?

Over the years I've been massively uninterested in C&W generally the Chicks included. I was a big Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, and Willie Nelson fan. But the Chicks? Nah.

But I almost regret this thing. I've come to be a fan of the guy who produced this Chicks album, a guy named Rick Rubin, because of his work with Johnny Cash and lately Neil Diamond. The best stuff Cash has ever done and Diamond's best album since the 60's. I listened to the demo on Amazon and it sounded good.

I normally don't consider politics in buying music. Cash, Kris, and Willie were all lefties of one stripe or another as is Bruce Springsteen, another favorite. I'm going to buy his Seeger album soon. Pure quill American Folk and politics be hung!

But I draw the line at the Chicks. You don't trash a state, you don't trash your President ti foreigners, and above all you don't trash the folks who buy your records. But I want that album. So I'm going to wait until it's off the charts and then I'm gonna buy it used from Amazon marketplace! No new sale to me.

I think they screwed up too far to go back and they are making the best of it. I agree with Sachi's analysis except for one thing, the Chick's single was the #1 download as well. So they're doing OK on sales. I don't see them going over bigtime on tour except maybe on the coasts and in Europe. We'll see. Talented but dumb, that's the Clucks!

"The Chicks' low ticket sales might have more to do with Brokeback Mountain than their politics..."

Oh Lord give me strength, that flick was one of the biggest FARCES ever!

Here's the supposed plot

"story about a forbidden and secretive relationship between two cowboys and their lives over the years"

No REAL Cowboy would EVER participate in the activities portrayed in that Movie.

I mean just read this,

"Ennis a ranch hand and Jack an aspiring rodeo bull rider, are sent to work together herding sheep on Brokeback Mountain,"

HERD SHEEP?????????????????????

Any self respecting cowboy would sooner shoot themself!

But I guess Hollywood figured calling them two sheepherders (which is what they were) would not be so dramatic.

Oops - not #1 on the digital chart(s). #7 and #8 at peak. Sorry.

**The following comment was originally posted by F. N. Owl. Due to the technical problem we faced, I am reposting under my name.**

What interests me is that there are so many people who will buy a CD for political reasons. I'd bet even money that most of these CDs are the only country CD in the house. --F.N.Owl

I finally heard the Amazon clips and I'm not so sure I want the album after all. There seem to be a lot of bitter songs on this album and I'm not into bitter this year.

The Cash 'American Recordings' series is extraordinary because the artist is clearly facing his mortality and singing about things he finds important. Some of these things concern politics, but Cash lets the song carry the message. No lectures, no ballyhoo, no popping off at the mouth.

I just got American III, Solitary Man and there is an extraordinary song 'The Mercy Seat' about the thoughts of a man on death row and in the chair. I think anyone who is for the death penalty (like me) ought to listen to it.

The song leaves you uncertain of whether the prisoner was guilty or innocent but forces you to understand the humanity of the prisoner. Puts the listener into his shoes. It's making me think hard about whether the death penalty is the Christian thing - and that is pretty hard to do because I ain't a liberal in any way.

I urge you all to get the album and listen. Not only for that cut but because it's a great album and great entertainment.

Sorry folks. That is Johnny Cash I was referring to in that last post.

Don

Johnny Cash's albam The Legend Of Johnny Cash is still sitting at number 8 on the top country album, after 32 weeks! (Peak position was #2.)

That's the real staying power.

Well Dan,

There must be some reason all those Red State politicians are so worried about gay marriage...

The above hissed in response by: monkyboy at June 10, 2006 02:25 PM

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Brokeback Mountain certainly is a perfect example of how the Left has to portray somethings as other than they really are to try to "fool" the public.

A"story about a forbidden and secretive relationship between two sheeperherders and their lives over the years"

Would have been greeted with more a yawn than if they were called cowboys.

"Save a sheep, ride a cowboy!"

Sorry, I couldn't help it.

"Despite those [album sales] numbers, early ticket sales are clearly not meeting projections. The plug was pulled on public on-sales for shows in Indianapolis (August 23), Oklahoma City (September 26), Memphis (September 27) and Houston (September 30) because of tepid pre-sales in a national promotion with Target stores."

There is only one headline possible for this story:

Hicks Nix Dix Chicks Tix......

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