Black Friday Music Sales

A week from today is Thanksgiving in America. My favorite holiday is Halloween with Thanksgiving a close second. Sure, I'm a strict vegetarian - but I still like to gorge on potatoes, stuffing and cranberries. Always have.

Thanksgiving was always a special holiday when I lived at home. I liked the way my mom prepared our meal - plus we always ate at 1 p.m. so there was ample time to fall asleep, wake up later.. then eat more. Next month, I'll celebrate my sixth wedding anniversary. The day I married Eric, I kissed my old Thanksgiving routine goodbye. That's another story for another day.

The best part of Thanksgiving for me now is actually the day after. I won't lie: I'm cheap, but I do love to troll a mall. I am obsessed with finding items on sale - the cheaper, the better. I horde coupons, scan ads and search for sales over the Internet.

I start looking for Black Friday leaks in August.

True story.

So, one week from today, many of you fellow American Glam fans will be eating turkey and talking with family. I'll be reading sale ads and plotting my 4 a.m. shopping spree.

Here's a secret: I don't actually want anything of substance for the holiday season. I do, however, have a list of CDs I'd like to own but just never bought.

In America, nearly every store has a crazy Black Friday sale. Big ticket items go fast. I plan on making a bee line for the music section of every big box retailer in town. It has already leaked in many places that stores like Best Buy and Circuit City will have new releases and older CD titles for under five bucks! That's right! It's highly possible that I could buy 20 CDs next Friday...and spend less than a hundred bucks on the endeavor. I could outfit my entire gift list this way.

Ah, the possibilities.

This is a great time to backfill a collection. I'll be looking for quite a lot of Alice Cooper and Tesla - and Eric has specifically mentioned many discs he wants for Christmas.

Sadly, I haven't found any box sets listed in the leaked Black Friday ads...yet.

Do you have any music-related Black Friday planned purchases?

Patience

"Patience" is my all-time favorite Guns n' Roses song. I felt like posting it today - so I did!

Super Duper Deluxe Chinese Democracy Edition?

Metal Sludge is up about half the time these days. Last night, the site was actually working. As I was clicking through through the threads, I noticed someone talking about some limited edition version of
the still unreleased Chinese Democracy. Apparently, some website is offering a limited edition merchandise box celebrating the release. According to Sludge, the box comes with Chinese Democracy, a T-shirt, a DVD and b-sides from 1996-2006.  I couldn't find a description anywhere else online, so I don't know if this set actually exists or not.

The rumored cost is $120 bucks (may or may not be Canadian!)

Now, I might just be in a negative mood this week, but give me a break! $120 bucks?! For something we've already waited on for more than a decade? Please!

I know there are plenty of GnR fans that will pony up the cash to own the box set (again, it if actually exists) but I think it's a little premature to offer before ChiDem even sees the light of day.

Just like the fan club costs I mentioned yesterday, I've got better ways to spend my money than buying an over-inflated version of the much hyped Chinese Democracy. Sure, I'll buy the actual album the day it is released, but I ain't giving Axl Rose any more cash than that - not when there are so many people in need in this world.

Thoughts?

Oh, and I was trying to wait and be diplomatic, but I listened to some of the leaked Chinese Democracy tracks on YouTube last night...gotta say, most of the songs suck. Maybe the real album will be better.

Or not.

Not Just a Glam Fest After All...

Superstar Rockers Puddle of Mudd Play Rock Gone Wild 2009

ALGONA, IOWA (November 18, 2008) - Puddle of Mudd currently have two singles climbing the charts and the band continues to circle the globe promoting their new album Famous. Planets aligned, deals were struck and Puddle of Mudd will be main stage at Rock Gone Wild. The festival is slated for August 20-23, 2009 in Algona, Iowa.

The guys in Puddle of Mudd are hardened road warriors and quite at home playing in front of capacity crowds. From their breakout single "Blurry" to their most recent hit "We Don't Have to Look Back Now," the band is poised to reign supreme among the modern rock kings. Their addition to the Rock Gone Wild lineup adds a unique twist to the ever-expanding festival roster.

The Midwestern band formed in 1993 as the music world was hitting a height of change. A handful of songs and years later, the band made their major label debut and garnered a string of Top 40 hits. To date, Puddle of Mudd has sold more than seven million records worldwide. Wesley Scantlin, Doug Ardito, Christian Stone and Ryan Yerdon are Puddle of Mudd.

Rock Gone Wild is Iowa's preeminent music festival, featuring more than 50 bands on two stages over four debauchery-filled days. The festival is the only type of its kind in America to boast top music talent from four decades of hard rock. Music fans can experience Rock Gone Wild in three different ways: platinum, VIP or general admission seating. For a breakdown of all seating tiers and to purchase tickets, please visit www.rockgonewild.com. Over the next few weeks, www.rockgonewild.com will become a virtual destination, complete with interactive contests and games as the countdown to Rock Gone Wild heats up.

Already announced bands include Skid Row, Kix, Great White, Dangerous Toys, Helix, Saigon Kick, Rhino Bucket and Junkyard. Visit www.rockgonewild.com or www.anatomyofafestival.wordpress.com each Tuesday for a new band announcement.

Rock Gone Wild will take place at the FreedomPark festival grounds, located at 2507- 160th Avenue in Algona, Iowa.

If you build it, they will rock.

***

Sick of Being Used

I'm sick and tired of being used when it comes to bands.

Now, I'm a rare fan. I'm loyal. I do pay for music and concert tickets. I don't download illegally. I read news posts and give free press right here.

I am fed up.

Last Friday, Motley Crue announced their winter tour - and fan club pre-sale all in one shot. Now, I think it's a little disrespectful for a band to say "We're touring - buy now!" but that's the least of my beefs.

Motley Crue has a pay-to-belong fanclub. I joined this before CrueFest for forty bucks. You might recall a couple months ago I said I wouldn't pay any more cash for fanclubs ever again. I stand by that rule. I'm turning that money into a donation to the local homeless shelter. The cash will be better used, the recipients more grateful.

Back to Motley Crue.

This time around, the fanclub pre-sale had a new wrinkle: a legacy membership.

What the hell is legacy? It's a sham, that's what! Apparently, fanclub members of more than a year were offered the chance to renew early or something. I guess I had this option too - meaning I'd have to pay *again* even though there are several months left on my membership!

What is the benefit of legacy?

So called "legacy" members got to buy their fanclub tickets at the designated time outlined on Motley Crue's official website. The other, still *paying* fanclub members had to wait an extra hour! The worst part of this is that barely anyone knew about the legacy option, so all it did was create anger and confusion among the band's most loyal fans.

The whole thing left me with a *very* bad taste in my mouth.

I have to pay money to travel to the show. Honestly, I'm going to the Rockford, Illinois stop to visit with Heather - not to see Motley again. In my mind, they've turned their backs on us. Maybe that's the wrong way of looking at things, but I can't help but feel a little hurt. I know Motley are extremely rich now. Good for them. Only problem is, it's people like us that made them rich in the first place. Considering they were all dirt poor - they should think twice about screwing over fans - especially in this terrible economy. Will fans have to renew a membership for each tour? We already know there will be CrueFest 2. So help me if Motley thinks they'll be able to retain every fanclub member and get those same people to add an extra forty bucks again, just a handful of months after already renewing out of turn.

Now, this is important: the point here is not that I'm annoyed I had to wait an extra hour to get tickets. Quite frankly, I could care less. I have decent seats and I knew there was no way in hell the show was going to sell out. The point is that bands of a certain stature, be they Motley or Kiss or any of that ilk need to come to grips with the fact that literally raping your best customers will only bite you in the ass in the long run. Again, if it wasn't for Heather, I wouldn't have given Motley any money for the tickets, either. I am just sick and tired of being used and abused by just about *everyone* when it comes to my pocketbook. At some point, Motley, Aerosmith, Kiss, Poison...won't be able to tour anymore. Yes, that day will come. What then of the paid fanclub memberships I ask? What then!?!

You: Program Director

XM and Sirius satellite radio merged. For the time being, The Bonyard (XM) is off the air. Taking the dial at 41 is Hair Nation, a flagship of Sirius. I'll be honest and admit I don't like Hair Nation as much as the Boneyard because of all the talking. I pay for satellite radio to hear music - not jocks. I don't want my songs introduced. I don't want stupid gossip either. My satellite receiver means I can see the name of the band and song playing at will.

Still, Sirius Hair Nation is doing one thing right: the powers that be are letting the paying customers vote for new music. While some may take the word "new" to mean modern - I actually just mean "different." I can think of a lot of 80s songs that never - or rarely - get any exposure on Hair Nation or the Boneyard. I'm sick of hearing "Same 'Ol Situation" nine times in one day!

To pick songs, just click here to make your voice heard. Click "request a song" and you can leave a message, too.

I'll tell you: I was not pleased after the mash-up of channels last week as most of my pre-sets were screwy. It took me two days to get everything organized again! Still, it's nice to get a few other stations in the mix - for free!

Has Wal-Mart Destroyed Music?

I have a hate/hate relationship with Wal-Mart. I mean, I boycotted the store for *years.* As the price of everything in this world continues to rise, I found myself breaking down and giving in to the world's largest retailer. I still make it policy to shop at Wal-Mart on rare occasions. One thing I've never compromised is my refusal to buy music at Wal-Mart. You read that correct: I never buy music at Wal-Mart. This means I don't own the new AC/DC album and I won't I guess. Wal-Mart largely censors artists and I think this is a load of bullshit. I also think it's bullshit that so many artists (like AC/DC and Guns n' Roses) are going to exclusive deals with places like Wal-Mart and Best Buy.

Anyway, SIXX: AM recently did a commercial pimping the joys of Wal-Mart music. The pitch is for Motley Crue's Saints of Los Angeles and the song playing is "Mutherfucker of the Year." I get that Motley chose that song as the second single form their new album, but give me a break. The song is 100% edited when purchased at Wal-Mart! To me, there is zero point in listening to edited music. It's not what the artist intended - or performed. Maybe I'm being overly picky on this Sunday afternoon, but the whole thing just seems absurd to me. Watch the commercial below.