AC/DC’s dirty deed with Wal-Mart
June 9th, 2008 by Wade Tatangelo in News
I’ve taken much shit over the years for being a dedicated fan of dirt rock kings AC/DC. Yeah, the band hasn’t made a great record since Back in Black and, yeah, Sarasota resident Brian Johnson (my drinking pal a few years back at the Sarasota Blues Festival) did kinda ape the late great Bon Scott’s trademark howl.
But AC/DC can still bring it live and I was totally excited about their new album … until I read on Billboard.com that they pulled an Eagles, opting to release the new disc exclusively through Wal-Mart, a store I refuse to patronize for various reasons.
Brian, please tell me this decision, which completely undermines the gloriously reckless, rock and roll spirit of AC/DC, was made by the Young brothers, and that you fought like hell trying to talk them out of it.
June 9th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
While I agree about the Walmart decision (if it’s true), I must say that your comment “they haven’t made a good album since BIB is a little harsh! For those…, Flick and Razors Edge are FANTASTIC.
Also, Brians howl isn’t Scott-inspired…… closer to Robert Plant in his earlier years, I’d say……
June 9th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
I stand corrected. “Razor’s Edge” is a damn fine album.
June 9th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
I actually think this is a good idea. Wal-Mart shoppers are older listeners, looking for nostalgia, who are also more inclined to purchase CD’s than digital downloads. i.e. the same demo as Eagles fans. And, I don’t begrudge a band from making money.
Are we going to assail Dylan for releasing “Live at the Gaslight, 1962″ exclusively at Starbucks? The album will still be produced by Columbia, and Wal-Mart will not have any direct affect on the creative input side.
Hopefully, this leads to finally a proper digital rollout on iTunes and Amazon. That Verizon deal was a big headscratcher.
June 9th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
I don’t like this either, but it is AC/DC, and I’ve been waiting way too long for the new album, so I’ll have to bite the bullet and buy it from wally world. I have a feeling it is Sony responsible for this and not AC/DC.
June 9th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
I agree….. this is a corporate decision…
June 10th, 2008 at 8:53 am
I agree that this is corporatist B.S. and I won’t be purchasing the new album nor attending their shows. I can’t believe people who will buy it anyway, in spite of disagreeing with this. Grow up! You don’t agree with it because they’re not allowing you the choice of where you’re going to buy it, so you’re going to buy it from them because you’ve got no choice! That’s really stickin’ it to the man! Fuck that. Fuck AC/DC/
AC/DC characterise themselves as a band for working-class people. If that’s so, then why should they sell their souls to one of the biggest exploiters of working-class people in the industrialised western world?
June 10th, 2008 at 9:10 am
Amid all the accusations of satanism made by the religious right, this is probably the closest AC/DC have gotten to anything actually satanic.
June 10th, 2008 at 11:50 am
I’ll still go to the shows (it might be the last time), but, I’ll be downloading the album if the Walmart thing goes ahead.
June 10th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Nice one, Martin: “Amid all the accusations of satanism made by the religious right, this is probably the closest AC/DC have gotten to anything actually satanic.”
But I also agree with Paul, AC/DC returns to town and I’m there, listening to a download of the album on the way home, you know, if it’s any good. Otherwise, I’ll just settle for another shot of “High Voltage” or “Back in Black.”
June 13th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Yeah, it’s kind of a bummer that only one store will sell the new album….plus Wal-Mart’s sales are responsible for close to 15% of the trade deficit the U.S. has….but, as a fan of the band, I also realize there’s more than meets the eye here….the majority of money that a band actually makes anymore comes from the tours, not the albums….and if it was ONLY about money, wouldn’t they sell MORE units if the CD was available at ALL outlets, not just at Wal-Mart?? So many people are jumping the gun here, and criticizing the band over this deal, perhaps unfairly so….They are a GREAT live band, but they only tour when they have a new album to support, unlike so many classic rock bands, who just skip coming up with new material in order to go out on tour and apparently are just in it for the money ALONE……I realize that I may be biased because I’m a fan, but the negative accusations about the band that I’ve seen so far over this whole thing seems a bit premature to me.
June 23rd, 2008 at 10:49 am
I’m On The Highway to Wal-Mart! LOL
August 1st, 2008 at 2:48 am
I think it is better for the fans for the CD to be put out by Walmart instead of other media and music stores because of the price. The CD is probably going to cost like $13.99 at Walmart of there abouts, which is better than $15.99 to $17.99 at a store like F.Y.E. The bad thing is that independent record stores will not carry the new album. It is also good for the fans to get the album at walmart because their material cannot be downloaded from places like itunes.
August 1st, 2008 at 2:51 am
I think it is better for the fans for the CD to be put out at Walmart instead of other media and music stores because of the price. The CD is probably going to cost like $13.99 at Walmart, which is better than $15.99 to $17.99 at a store like F.Y.E. The bad thing is that independent record stores will not carry the new album as it comes out. The release at walmart is also good for the because their material cannot be downloaded legally from places like itunes.