James, I'm not saying you or anyone else isn't a fan, but the only way to truly support the band is to buy their material.  All the fan websites (yours being my personal favorite) in the world aren't gonna keep GN'R making albums and touring.  The key issue I think the anti wal-mart crowd needs to keep in mind and will hopefully help them rest easy, is that you normally have a choice in where to shop. So if you want to shop at your local Bob's IGA in lieu of going to Wally World, so be it; you can get a loaf of bread at either place.  In this particular instance, you may only be able to get CD at one retailer.  in essence you won't be violating your beliefs because you're not choosing to shop at walmart over company X, they have a product you like, so you have to buy it there.  Just like a Corvette is made by Chevrolet.  You have to goto  a Chevy dealer to buy a new one. 

This all ultimately stems down to the ethics behind internet piracy of music.  I'm not going to discuss that here as we all have our opinions and justifications.  But to think that album we've all been dreaming up for the past 14 or so years is going to be available, and some people won't buy it because it's at a store they don't like is bullshit to me.  The whole reason Best buy or Wal_mart would enter this agreement is because they know people will more than likely buy other things while in the store.  Buy the damn CD off their website or pay someone else to buy the thing for you.  I just don't want to see the sales and ultimate success of this album fail because of a completely unrelated issue to the band itself.  It's no like Guns N' Roses is trying to make this retail exclusive.  Geffen/interscope as well as the band are trying to get their investment back in the safest way possible.  There is nothing orthodox about Guns N' Roses, why would their album sale be any different.