What do you think of the Eagles/Wal-Mart relationship?

[Mr Peabody]

I know the bottom line must have money in it for the Eagles but can Wal-mart sell through more titles than all other distributors. I'd love to see the details of this contract. The exclusive clause is only for a year. REO did the same thing and was doing little promo gigs in the stores, very sad. I never expected the Eagles to go this route, hopefully they won't do in store promos. The anticipation of an Eagles album may be big enough for this to help Wal-Mart but I fail to see what could be in it for the Eagles other than money. For most, I guess that's enough.

[Slosh]

I don't shop at Wal-Mart, eat at McDonald's, or watch prime time TV. Am I on the verge of losing my citizenship?

[tentoze]

I think they richly deserve each other.

[bobsticks]

I don't.

[GMichael]

I think that what they do behind closed doors is none of my business.

[ForeverAutumn]

I don't shop at Wal-Mart, eat at McDonald's, or watch prime time TV. Am I on the verge of losing my citizenship?

No, but your Eagles fan club membership is on shakey ground.

[ForeverAutumn]

I know the bottom line must have money in it for the Eagles but can Wal-mart sell through more titles than all other distributors. I'd love to see the details of this contract. The exclusive clause is only for a year. REO did the same thing and was doing little promo gigs in the stores, very sad. I never expected the Eagles to go this route, hopefully they won't do in store promos. The anticipation of an Eagles album may be big enough for this to help Wal-Mart but I fail to see what could be in it for the Eagles other than money. For most, I guess that's enough.

I guess a band has the right to sell their music any way that they want. But personally, I don't like this new trend of exclusive sales. As a consumer, I should have a choice of retailers to make my purchases from. Whether or not I would purchase this CD is unknown since I haven't heard anything from it...it's unlikely. But it's even more unlikely now since I never step foot in Wal-mart.

[nobody]

I like Wal-Mart better than the Eagles.

[Finch Platte]

I think the Eagles should be greeters at WalMart rather than put out CDs.

[kexodusc]

I know how this will end.

Wal-Mart will withhold some of the Eagles royalties, demand to renegotiate the terms of the deal and put the squeeze on the Eagles.

I'll be more interested when the Eagles start playing at Wal-Marts.

[GMichael]

I know how this will end.

Wal-Mart will withhold some of the Eagles royalties, demand to renegotiate the terms of the deal and put the squeeze on the Eagles.

I'll be more interested when the Eagles start playing at Wal-Marts.

When are they coming to PA/NY/NJ?

[bobsticks]

I know how this will end.

Wal-Mart will withhold some of the Eagles royalties, demand to renegotiate the terms of the deal and put the squeeze on the Eagles.

I'll be more interested when the Eagles start playing at Wal-Marts.

You're referring to Donovan MacNabb and the Philadelphia Eagles, right? I heard WM is organizing a team of cartpushers that shows a lot of promise and is confident in their ability to, at the least, beat the hapless Eagles...


<wink wink> you out there Swishy?

[3-LockBox]

I don't like it - Wal-Mart will edit out all the bad words and sexual references.

[Mr Peabody]

Yeah, those old Eagles songs wouldn't be the same without the sex, violence and colorful language.

I sense some Eagle negativity here.....

So Wal-Mart is in Canada? I wonder if it differs from those here.

[3-LockBox]

I sense some Eagle negativity here.....

Myself, I don't get it. OK, so they're terribly over exposed, but so what. Either ya listen or ya don't.

[ForeverAutumn]

So Wal-Mart is in Canada? I wonder if it differs from those here.

Wal-Mart is all over Canada. It's the same cookie cutter store here as in the US. The only difference that I can see is that they can't sell guns or ammo here, which I believe they can south of the border.

[bobsticks]

Wal-Mart is all over Canada. It's the same cookie cutter store here as in the US. The only difference that I can see is that they can't sell guns or ammo here, which I believe they can south of the border.

Actually the one down here that I poke my head in from time to time stopped selling guns which I thought was kinda cool. I don't know if this is indicative of overall policy or, more probably, policy concerning city stores. Nothing good comes from selling shotguns and 30-06's in the hood.

[3-LockBox]

Nothing good comes from selling shotguns and 30-06's in the hood.

Nope. As a matter of fact, they should put a hault to selling illicit grugs in the parking lot too.

Ban drugs, ban guns, and while we're at it, ban alcohol.

Why not? It worked before...

[GMichael]

Dang it! My sarcasm detector is still in the shop.

[bobsticks]

Nope. As a matter of fact, they should put a hault to selling illicit grugs in the parking lot too.

Ban drugs, ban guns, and while we're at it, ban alcohol.

Why not? It worked before...

Well, until you've walked a mile...

Don't for a second think that I'm recommending a state or federal law or even involvement here. I'm talking about a responsible decision made unilaterally by a retailer based in the needs of it's community. There are still plenty of firearms available in areas outside the beltway where y'know actual hunting (of animals) oocurs.

First, the 30-06 is illegal to fire in the state of Indiana. Period. This is not exactly the most progressive state, we like our NASCAR and hunting so it would then seem that this decision was made with some deliberation. That's because the 06 is a bigass round that will go through a deer and over a cornfield and into the cute farmer's daughter that we all want to plow. This is exacerbated by the fact that there's not one darn hill in the entire state. Why sell a firearm that can't even be legally fired within the state lines?

Also, we're talking about Wal-Mart here. How good do you think the record keeping system is? Not to mention the fact that at some point in every gun transaction is the necessity for a human being to make a decision based on whether the prospective buyer is actually the person on the ID. Do we really want the kid working the midnight shift that couldn't get the higher paying job at the Department of Motor Vehicles making that determination?

I'm not talking about "banning" anything. I suspect that with two-hundred-and-twenty-million guns already in circulation that the ships already sailed on that one, but we can at least be responsible with who gets the new ones...and I think WM did that. Good for them.

And btw, I'm all for as many illicit grugs(sic) as you can get your hands on. Just make sure to share the wealth...

[BarryL]

I know the bottom line must have money in it for the Eagles but can Wal-mart sell through more titles than all other distributors.


Here'e what I think. I paid $11.99 for a two-disk CD. Gotta love that for value. I hope Wal-Mart does more of these deals.

On the other hand, I had to pay 15.99 for the new Joni Mitchell CD at HMV, which was a buck cheaper than buying it at Starbucks, even though it was released on Starbuck's Hear Music label. Starbuck's went for wider distribution. Given that the Eagles CD appears to be self-published, it's a win-win-win for eveybody. I get the CD at a great price, the Eagles probably make more money even if they sell fewer CDs, and Wal-Mart has a reason to get new shoppers into the store.

Of course, the new business model in the music business follows the thinking that few of the big bands makes money selling CDs. They make money touring. Expect a big summer Eagles tour with Wal-Mart support. I love it.

By the way, thanks for the post. I wouldn't have know that the Eagles had a new album out if you hadn't posted.

[Mr Peabody]

Barry, what did you think of the album? I haven't bought it yet. I really hate to buy music I haven't at least heard something from.

[BarryL]

I've only listened to the first disk, and had it on as background music, so I haven't given it a good listen.

The band will never produce another Hotel California, so it will never meet that standard. But I was impressed by what I heard in that the band seemed to be making an effort to produce a real album, not just whipping something together. A two CD set today would be the equivalent of releasing either a three or four album set of new material on vinyl. Nobody did that back in 1976.

I'll give it a listen this week and post a review. But on first listen, there was enough there to justify the purchase, even if you whiddled it down to a 60 minute CDR of the best.

[SlumpBuster]

First, the 30-06 is illegal to fire in the state of Indiana. Period.


Really?!? I did not know that. 30-06 is like required for Michigan citizenship. The 30-06 is the round that shocks the uninitiated and illicits a bunch of false bravado from shooters. I still remember my first time with a 30-06 on the range. My buddy's grandpa gave him the rifle. We were both 13 years old. Both of us were very experienced shooters even at that age. We just sat there at the bench starring in awe at the size of the round. After we each took a shot, we just starred at the rifle. Each shot was like a barely controlled catastrophe and was impossible without hearing protection.

I have never understood how the 30-06 M-1 Garrand and M-14 were standard issue in the Army. How does a 17 or 18 year old kid handle that? It's like giving them all Ferraris.

I read that the Marine sniper corp in Bahgdad got special permission to redeploy the M-14 because of its power and reliability in the desert sands.

[SlumpBuster]

REO did the same thing and was doing little promo gigs in the stores, very sad.


Back on topic. I am an unappologetic Speedwagon fan, I don't care what anybody says. :cornut: The band is actually really humble and good natured about their past and the path of their career. After the band broke up and reformed without Gary Richrath, Kevin Cronin was very honest about having to start over from scratch playing dives with groups of 50 people. On top of that they were doing it in a grunge era when they were practically a punch line. But, funny thing happened when they started inexplicably selling out major amphitheaters and halls. So a schlocky match with Wal-mart isn't surprising. For a band that was unfairly (IMHO) labled as Corporate Rock in the 70s and 80s, it is fitting that they were sponsored by Wal-Mart. If you can't beat them, might as well join them. There are a ton of old bands like that that are quietly playing to 20,000 people 3 nights a week during the summer with very little attention paid by the mainstream industry. Everyone from Huey Lewis to Poison. And frankly, some of those shows are really top notch.

[ForeverAutumn]

.... Everyone from Huey Lewis to Poison. And frankly, some of those shows are really top notch.

I've seen both Huey Lewis and Poison in the last five years. And granted I went to both shows because they were free, both were highly entertaining and I would not have been disappointed even if I'd paid for tickets.

[PeruvianSkies]

But, does anyone know if certain members of The Eagles were still planning to buy parts or perhaps all of Neverland Ranch???

[bobsticks]

Each shot was like a barely controlled catastrophe and was impossible without hearing protection...

...I read that the Marine sniper corp in Bahgdad got special permission to redeploy the M-14 because of its power and reliability in the desert sands.


That's about the best description I've ever heard of that round.

Yeah, I have a buddy who just got back that confirmed this. Evidently they have yet to come up with any iteration of the M16/AR15 that isn't susceptable to jamming under adverse conditions. That combined with the fact that they issued large amounts of the weapon with the shortened "commando" barrel for urban incursion has had a negative effect on plinking at long range. Add in the richochet factor of .223 around non-combatants and you've got an all-around bad deal.

He also muttered something about camel spiders which are evidently 2.5 to 3 foot in diameter arachnids that sleep in camel feces during the day and come out at night to feed and spread disease. He didn't say alot more and I was disturbed enough not to ask.

[bobsticks]

Everyone from Huey Lewis to Poison. And frankly, some of those shows are really top notch.

Agreed. Accusations against the Sex Pistols and their ilk aside, I don't think many would argue that you've gotta have some game to reach that level of success. Like 'em or not, touring bands of all genres have to be able to play. That kind of goes back to what I was saying about the Duran Duran gig (in the "Concerts..." thread) in that sometimes the bands from which you expect the least deliver the most.

[Mr Peabody]

Mmmmm....dose spiders sound like good eatin'

I like the older REO as well. True when you don't expect much sometimes you really get entertained. A couple instances come to mind, one seeing Loverboy at a county fair. The boys still must enjoy what they do, they played their heart out. Several years ago i saw Foreigner and they were surprisingly good in concert, even doing some very cool re-arrangements of their songs.

I wonder how the SKS would do in the desert.

[bobsticks]

But, does anyone know if certain members of The Eagles were still planning to buy parts or perhaps all of Neverland Ranch???

It's true...the ones that are pet primate necrophiliacs.


And Mr. P, probably very well in terms of reliability and very poorly in terms of accuracy. It's not the right tool for that job.

[kexodusc]

True when you don't expect much sometimes you really get entertained. A couple instances come to mind, one seeing Loverboy at a county fair. The boys still must enjoy what they do, they played their heart out. Several years ago i saw Foreigner and they were surprisingly good in concert, even doing some very cool re-arrangements of their songs.


Ditto - and I think you really hit the nail on the head here - there's a few bands I like so much that I could pretty much watch them play Greensleves all night long and think it was the greatest show on earth. That's a bias I have. Then there's most acts I see that I generally find have to live up to my expectations - not easy to do. Not unlike how a 6 month long marketing blitz can create hype and destroy the impact of a blockbuster movie.

Then there's those acts that you see on a whim without much expectation (or none at all). I saw Foreigner in the winter of 1999/2000 (give or take a year) knowing as much about them as what I'd heard on the radio and I've been a fan ever since, one of the best performances I've ever seen. So much that I bought old albums I had never heard before. Not many shows have ever had the influence on me. Those guys delivered. Makes me wonder what they were like in their prime.

So now I'm curious, is there in fact an Eagles tour planned to support this release? I thought those guys absolutely hated each other?

[ForeverAutumn]

He also muttered something about camel spiders which are evidently 2.5 to 3 foot in diameter arachnids that sleep in camel feces during the day and come out at night to feed and spread disease. He didn't say alot more and I was disturbed enough not to ask.

Thanks. Now I'm going to have nightmares. :nonod:


True when you don't expect much sometimes you really get entertained. A couple instances come to mind, one seeing Loverboy at a county fair. The boys still must enjoy what they do, they played their heart out.

I had that same experience with Loverboy. I saw them (again for free) at a casino and was surprised at how much they still rocked. I wrote a review of the show, you can search for it in the archives if you want to read it. I'm too lazy to find it for you.

Your mention of them is timely. They have a new CD that is being released in the US today. (The Canadian release was Oct. 23.)

[Woochifer]

I think it's just another corporate tie-in, among many. Not all that different than Best Buy locking up Elton John, the Rolling Stones, and Tom Petty for exclusive concert DVD releases. But, this is somewhat different in that the Eagles have locked an actual album release exclusively with a single retailer. In the end, it doesn't really benefit the consumer, so I'm not down with it.

[kexodusc]

In the end, it doesn't really benefit the consumer, so I'm not down with it.
That's subject to debate - I don't have to see or hear the new Eagles CD as long as I stay outta Wal-Mart...

[Mr Peabody]

A morning show DJ was saying this morning that if the Eagles went the typical distribution they would have sold about 700,000 copies but through Wal-Mart they'll sell about 350,000 by 11/8. He didn't say where he got his stats and WM don't generally publicize their sales figures of exclusivities.

You know some members get a little testy about threads wondering but I kind of like it.

FA, do you remember that episode of Gilligan's Island where Gilligan gets trapped in a cave by a giant spider?

[ForeverAutumn]

FA, do you remember that episode of Gilligan's Island where Gilligan gets trapped in a cave by a giant spider?

Thankfully, no. I was never a big fan of that show.

[kexodusc]

A morning show DJ was saying this morning that if the Eagles went the typical distribution they would have sold about 700,000 copies but through Wal-Mart they'll sell about 350,000 by 11/8. He didn't say where he got his stats and WM don't generally publicize their sales figures of exclusivities.

Well according to the Associated Press, the Eagles topped the 700,000 figure at Walmart...711,000 to be precise...not bad for a week's work I guess. At least it bumped Britney.
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=114&sid=1287759

[GMichael]

FA, do you remember that episode of Gilligan's Island where Gilligan gets trapped in a cave by a giant spider?


Thankfully, no. I was never a big fan of that show.

I do. It was like 3 feet tall and 5 feet wide, hairy with huge snippers up front. It kept attacking anyone who moved. Good thing they had that bird to save them.:idea:

[Mr Peabody]

Yeah, that DJ has to be eating some crow. I saw on the business report this morning that Eagles actually did sell 700k.

[MindGoneHaywire]

The relationship works well for me, in that my long-standing decision to patronize neither, which I've had a lifetime of holding to, doesn't seem any less sensible. If they can move units, more power to them & their fans; smart business. The comment about it being anti-consumer? No argument, except to point out that it's also pro-artist. And I just don't see consumers that want this product seriously having a difficult time obtaining it.

I take no joy in the Eagles bumping Britney, not because I care about either, but because the idea of her with a #1 album is just a harbinger of even more months and/or years of entertainment value in shockingly valueless tabloid news about this bizarre woman and her exploits taking time from more important matters. I mean, Frey, Henley, et al, aren't usually lurid scandal fodder for mainstream cable news outlets that pretend to be important while they pontificate about subjects they assign importance to...only to cover Britney's night out with some other genius who inexplicably warrants press attention as they engage in their pending misadventures. Point being, her comeback is good for 'news', or at least 'cable news,' and 'entertainment news,' and that's going to fill the voids in a lot of people's lives during the writer's strike.

I do think it's a good thing that Billboard decided to report the Eagles' sales in spite of Wal-Mart not being affiliated with Soundscan (a decision which, it has been speculated, didn't just happen, if you get my meaning). I've long read that Soundscan has been gamed since its inception, anyway, by the labels. Just a rumor, but a nudge-nudge wink-wink sort of deal. So while we all know radio is manipulated, it's reassuring to know the charts are, also. Well, if anything, this might bring a different element to the table. In any case, that 700k number is significant, and is indicative of a healthier music business than I think some of us probably thought at this stage of the game...even if is the Eagles.

If they top 100k next week, then it's more of a story. But this time of year, that's quite possible. In spite of my feelings on their music, good for them. And Britney too. Yay.

[3-LockBox]

I think that the album will eventually be offered elsewhere soon enough. If a person is dead-set against stepping inside of a Walmart, then all they need do is wait, because this album will start popping up in used CD outlets everywhere. I heard it last weekend and its very generic sounding. Most of these songs sound like clones of their greatest hits. I'm glad I didn't buy it.

But the idea that fans are screwed because of the Walmart deal is a tad bit stretched, because Walmarts are everywhere, and aren't Walmart customers pretty much the target audience now anyway? If an Eagles fan is that put out by what Walmart stands for, then they won't want the new album anyway. It a win win.

You can order it at Amazon, BTW.

[Mr Peabody]

I went to Amazon looking for a sample but found none. It's funny the used copies on Amazon cost more than you can buy it new for.

[bobsticks]

I think it's just another corporate tie-in, among many. Not all that different than Best Buy locking up Elton John, the Rolling Stones, and Tom Petty for exclusive concert DVD releases. But, this is somewhat different in that the Eagles have locked an actual album release exclusively with a single retailer. In the end, it doesn't really benefit the consumer, so I'm not down with it.


I don't know, there are WMs all over the place. It seems as if any consumers were that concerned about it they could just sack up and overcome their fashion-conscience dislike of the retail behemoth and drive the five minutes down the street. Everyone hates the Yankees but I'd venture to say most of us could watch a game if they were playing our hometown heroes.

I went to my local shoebox retailer today and the place was pretty busy. I made a few selections, sauntered to the counter and made mention that one of the managers had a fax of available SACDs waiting for me. The kid behind the counter disappeared and upon his return presented both the list but also the Magnolia Electric Company box set which I had not ordered but merely mentioned in casual conversation a few weeks before. That kind of attention to detail is what is good for customers and in the chaotic din of mass merchandising there is no threat of supplanting this type of service.

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

I have never understood how the 30-06 M-1 Garrand and M-14 were standard issue in the Army. How does a 17 or 18 year old kid handle that? It's like giving them all Ferraris.
It kills people real good.