It was all just a big joke. No really, I mean it.

http://launch.yahoo.com/read/news.asp?contentID=212895

Forty percent drop in sales.

HeHe

Raven

What a knucklehead!

Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder did something even worse so unfortunately I must boycott them. At least with the DC's I didn't like their music to begin with.

Got what she deserves. Just cause you're a celebrity it don't make you better than the public that supports you and too many of them get full of themselves.

Hell ya!!! Now thats funny /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/buttrock.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

great! i hope it puts their careers in the toilet.

i never understand why musicians think we want them to open their mouths. we buy their records to hear their music, not their pie holes!!

....i still like there music though...and i'm not that big of a fan of country music.

...it's a shame they had to open their mouths. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

I think they deserve it, no question. They were kinda like the redneck Spice Girls, everybody wanted to see them crash and burn. Natalie might note the two sisters fired two singers before her.

Its always nice when these celebrities who snarkly mischaracterize Bush's motives demonstrate the depth of their own character and integrity when they turn and flee from their own words as soon as they start losing money

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif That's great. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif
What a bunghole. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif
If she feels that way, at least she should be steadfast. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohgeez.gif
Repugnant back-pedaler. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/poke2.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twak.gif

I love all the morons who are complaining that the radio stations are censoring them by not playing their music. Yes they have the freedom to say whatever they want. The radio stations also, since this is a capitalist nation, have the freedom to earn a profit. That they can not do if the listeners use their freedom of choice to not listen to those stations that play the Dixie Chicks. The advertisers will then exercise their freedom of choice by not spending money to advertise on a station that has few listeners.
Is this difficult to understand?

I thought pretty much all radio stations in America were now owned by ClearChannel and that they had exactly zero decision making power in what they played. All playlists come from corporate HQ. If they are making local decisions to leave them out of it then they are going to get in trouble with their boss. If the company itself is making this decision then thats different, but I somehow doubt it.

THIS is why radio music has gone completely to pot.

Re: It was all just a big joke. No really, I mean

James, I agree wholeheartedly.
This is the raison d'être both the Mrs. and I listen exclusively to XM satellite radio. They now offer 30 commercial-free stations. Residing in the greater NYC area, our choices in free, over-the-air FM broadcasts has been severely curtailed in recent times. They've eliminated country completely. They only have one Classic rock, one jazz and until just recently, just one Classical station remaining. The rest is all techno trash, way too much Pop, and loads of Rap-crap (Jive, hip-hop or whatever the hell it's called lately). XM put an end to all that, plus I've never really cared for advertisers to bark out their latest offerings to me while I commute to work. If I require a product, I will research it on my own, then decide. I obtain all the most recent info from Magazine ads, which is the only form of advertising I ever take in. We don't own a television per se, just a DC unit (B/W) for the daughter to watch during outings in the RV. I find commercial and most cable stations to be insulting to my intelligence. Seldom do we watch DVD movies on the PC (I've got an enormous plasma display monitor sans tuner) so our movie choices are based on both critic and viewer reviews that we read or hear via word of mouth. That amounts to maybe 4 or 5 movies on average per year. You see, I could go on and on, but I have so little time to play the role of couch potato. Since I don't watch sports, I don't really miss broadcast or cable TV that much.
Besides, I get all my lighting info right here on CPF. So to stay current, I feel that there is really no need to blast me with your wares audibly and annoyingly while I try to relax to some good tunes. I can read, research and decide for myself. Time is too precious. Don't waste it by idling your time in non-productive manners. I volunteer with the local ambulance corps. My wife donates lots of her free time to church activities. My daughter is involved in soccer, scouts, and storytime at the local public library. We do enjoy life as much as possible, without mass media, and the nonsense that goes along with it.

Ed
{/rant}

Re: It was all just a big joke. No really, I mean

James,

ClearChannel owns 1,225 radio stations. That's somewhere below 5%. I had to look it up since I had never heard of ClearChannel before, don't let me mislead you into thinking I knew that off the top of my head /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Your best bet for good radio is non-commercial college stations unless you live in a area where there are some decent independents. I agree the quality has gone down quite a bit in the last decade, that's the reason I don't travel without a pile of CDs anymore. OTOH, talk radio has improved a lot over the same time period. Except NPR.

Re: It was all just a big joke. No really, I mean

I've been a fan of "both kinds of music, country and western" for as long as I can remember. In addition I have always liked The Chicks. Until NM's remarks-" Just so you know, we're ashamed that the president of the United States is from Texas." That comment was made in Germany while on tour.

As far as I'm concerned The Chicks can stay in Germany. I destroyed my CDs and I won't listen to any of their songs. I don't care that they "apologize". Let their sales drop more than 40%. They attacked our president at a critical time and they KNOW it.

Re: It was all just a big joke. No really, I mean

I don't listen to the Dixie Chicks at all, but if I ever found one of their tapes on the ground, I'd run over it with my electric chair until all the tape came out, then I'd loop it over power lines (like you sometimes see with pairs of old tennis shoes) and drive away.

Re: It was all just a big joke. No really, I mean

It's a nice thing that freedom of speach also gives you the right to NOT say whatever you'd like, too.

Re: It was all just a big joke. No really, I mean

[ QUOTE ]
Albany Tom said:
It's a nice thing that freedom of speach also gives you the right to NOT say whatever you'd like, too.



[/ QUOTE ]

Unfortunately that is the price you pay when you choose the career that they have. You are in the public eye and fall to their scrutiny. No sense complaining about it, thats just the way it is, and it has been like that for entertainers for a LONG time. I've worked in the entertainment field and it was a given that you were careful what you were overheard saying or what you were seen doing. Thats the way it is and if you can't handle it or don't want to, then you aren't going to survive in that line of work. How many times have you seen entertainers that "dropped out" of the scene, not to be heard of again because they got fed up with the system, the game, hypocracies, etc? Of course most of them were smart enough to keep their mouths shut until they aquired a nice little nest egg to retire on.

Also as a side note, where are all these protestors now? I keep seeing this new slant they are throwing out that "well we appreciate the efforts of those who are in harms way, and to those who support the war we have all learned to agree to disagree". Seems like the tone is changing what with finding the chemicals and the atrocities. Quite a change from the "we want the US out because Bush only wants to take their oil" stance. Maybe they'll see now how the people of Iraq truly suffered.


I find it ironic that ole dixie girl made her comments in the UK, didn't have the guts to say it at home? Isn't it nice to live somewhere that a performer can speak their mind, instead of a country where the government tells you what you can sing and talk about? I would have had a lot more respect for them if they just came out and said that the statement expressed their personal opinions, but apologized if anyone was offended instead of this "its a joke" crap. Kinda shows how superficial, shallow, plastic, and hollow they are. Their statement shows the world that money is the bottom line motive here, not true concern and expression, and I feel its an insult to the American public that they won't stand up behind what they said out loud, to think that we can be won over because "it was a joke". Do they think we are THAT stupid?!
Obviously they do, and I feel this is a true reflection of the depth of their own vanity, their opinion of us, and their true motives.
They also need to hire a new handler and PR folk. And I smile thinking of feedback they must be receiving from the label and radio stations.

I'll shut up now.

Re: It was all just a big joke. No really, I mean

Those are great points, and it's equally great to read it from someone in the industry. I'd add, though, that being greedy, and being reluctant to admit being wrong, are far from unique to entertainment people.

I think the majority of protesters will just slink away, and may even realize they were mislead. There will still be a core, though, that hang on to the belief that anything our government, or a "right" government does is wrong, and keep going. As are others here, I'm also convinced that there is a core group of these people that are sharp enough to know it's all B.S., just another tactic to improve the ratings of their own political party, socialist or democrat. Stupidity and evilness are often hard to discern from a distance.

Re: It was all just a big joke. No really, I mean

[ QUOTE ]
webley445 said:
[ QUOTE ]
Albany Tom said:
It's a nice thing that freedom of speach also gives you the right to NOT say whatever you'd like, too.



[/ QUOTE ]

Unfortunately that is the price you pay when you choose the career that they have. You are in the public eye and fall to their scrutiny. No sense complaining about it, thats just the way it is, and it has been like that for entertainers for a LONG time. I've worked in the entertainment field and it was a given that you were careful what you were overheard saying or what you were seen doing. Thats the way it is and if you can't handle it or don't want to, then you aren't going to survive in that line of work. How many times have you seen entertainers that "dropped out" of the scene, not to be heard of again because they got fed up with the system, the game, hypocracies, etc? Of course most of them were smart enough to keep their mouths shut until they aquired a nice little nest egg to retire on.

Also as a side note, where are all these protestors now? I keep seeing this new slant they are throwing out that "well we appreciate the efforts of those who are in harms way, and to those who support the war we have all learned to agree to disagree". Seems like the tone is changing what with finding the chemicals and the atrocities. Quite a change from the "we want the US out because Bush only wants to take their oil" stance. Maybe they'll see now how the people of Iraq truly suffered.


I find it ironic that ole dixie girl made her comments in the UK, didn't have the guts to say it at home? Isn't it nice to live somewhere that a performer can speak their mind, instead of a country where the government tells you what you can sing and talk about? I would have had a lot more respect for them if they just came out and said that the statement expressed their personal opinions, but apologized if anyone was offended instead of this "its a joke" crap. Kinda shows how superficial, shallow, plastic, and hollow they are. Their statement shows the world that money is the bottom line motive here, not true concern and expression, and I feel its an insult to the American public that they won't stand up behind what they said out loud, to think that we can be won over because "it was a joke". Do they think we are THAT stupid?!
Obviously they do, and I feel this is a true reflection of the depth of their own vanity, their opinion of us, and their true motives.
They also need to hire a new handler and PR folk. And I smile thinking of feedback they must be receiving from the label and radio stations.

I'll shut up now.

[/ QUOTE ]

well said.

Re: It was all just a big joke. No really, I mean

The Dixie Chicks might as well do a commercial for Evian
water, that way Americans can have two boycotts for the price of one.

Raven