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- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: GNR's 'Democracy' To Be Retail Exclusive?
^ Agreed...although i'll be surprised if there isn't some 'adult' concepts on this album.
Re: GNR's 'Democracy' To Be Retail Exclusive?
Unbelievable! We've all been waiting for this album to be released for 14 years and you'll all complain that only Wal-Mart or whoever else can sell it? I don't care if it is sold at the Salvation Army as long as we can buy the frigging album. Sure I don't like Wal-Mart BUT I still buy there at times cause sometimes they have the best price. And yeah I wish I could've bought The latest Eagles album in a record store but I couldn't. At least they released another album. If I have to buy it at Wal-Mart, then so be it. As long as I get the album.
Re: GNR's 'Democracy' To Be Retail Exclusive?
^ Agreed...although i'll be surprised if there isn't some 'adult' concepts on this album.
"But I don't give a fuck about that, cause I am crazy!" 
Help me out here guys. I'm feeling really dumb reading this thread. Thing is, I can't figure out how a Wal-mart/Best Buy exclusive is good for music. I assume like with video game exclusives, the record company is gonna get a nice pay off for the exclusive, but I don't see how forcing your fans to go to a certain place to buy your album is a good thing. Here in Tokyo, if I want to buy any American/UK album that isn't absolutely mainstream and new, I have to go out of my way to go to Tower Records because I know that's the only place I'll (maybe) find it. That pisses me off enough, but at least I can understand why most stores here stock mostly Japanese "artists".
If I was back home, I'd want to be able to pick it up at the record store at the mall or off Amazon or wherever, and not have to make a special trip to Wal-Mart. Just seems like another thing to annoy consumers.
...and they wonder why people torrent. 
Re: GNR's 'Democracy' To Be Retail Exclusive?
i love walmart. and i don't give a damn where this album is sold. i'll be buying a few copies either way.
although i would be annoyed if only a "clean" version is available initially. cause then the "real" version would get released at somepoint and i'd be tempted to buy that as well.
- Randall Flagg
- Rep: 139
Re: GNR's 'Democracy' To Be Retail Exclusive?
Randall Flagg wrote:Someone who refuses to buy a copy of this album for some contradictory ideal isn't a real fan.
I don't need you telling me how much of a fan I am simply because I hate Wal Mart and what they stand for. I'm the administrator of a GNR site. Obviously I'm a fan.
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.
Re: GNR's 'Democracy' To Be Retail Exclusive?
Well, most have admitted that even though they hate these exclusive deals, they will bite the bullet and buy it at Wal Mart.
I have hated this type of thing for years. Has nothing to do with GNR or Chinese Democracy. I think most fans, even the very jaded ones, will admit that the hardcore base needs to rally around Axl on the release date and buy this just not as a show of "loyalty" and support, but as a way to ensure a high Billboard chart position.
As long as the GNR camp stops playing games with the fanbase, I think its safe to say everyone who has ever joined one of these sites will buy it. A download link doesn't "cut the mustard". People are gonna want to hold the album in their hands, even if just for a second, and say "its reality. I own it".
Re: GNR's 'Democracy' To Be Retail Exclusive?
In all honesty, I think the retailer exclusive option was something on the table, but it's not necessarily a reality. I think a lot of big name bands today negotiate deals and release strategies with their label and this seemingly new trend of retailer exclusives is bound to be DISCUSSED. That doesn't mean it's happening. I have faith we'll see this album in some form of a traditional release. I've seen nothing yet to suggest otherwise other than the rumor of talks concerning the possible options of retailer exclusives.
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: GNR's 'Democracy' To Be Retail Exclusive?
Yeah...i mean the label may get cash from Wallmart..but i see these deals as costing sales in the long run. I mean i would own the Angel Down dvd set today if i could fucking buy it here in Oz! Same with CD...how am i susposed to go to a wallmart. We don't have them down here...cos we actually have to pay our employees 
Re: GNR's 'Democracy' To Be Retail Exclusive?
I don't blame Axl. U have to compromise a little and u got to think 13 MILLION dollars. That is a lot of scratch and the label will get that money back. Releasing it through Walmart is a way to get that money back plus a profit.
U sell exclusively to Walmart, here is what happens.
Walmart probably pays the label 10 million for the exclusive rights.
Walmart THEN sells it for 10 dollars.
Walmart since paying 10 million up front probably would keep 5 dollars an album, label gets 3, GNR gets 2.
The album will have a HUGE stand in the front of every Walmart store, say the record sells 5 million in Walmart and with a big single and NO Itunes, it could sale close to that.
5 million times 5 would be 25 million for Wally world Profit of 15 million Label gets 15 million plus the 10 for exclusive rights, so they make 25 million which is almost double the 13 the spent on it. GNR rake in 10 million.
Everyone wins.
Re: GNR's 'Democracy' To Be Retail Exclusive?
Exactly. The Eagles learned this last year, and Azoff helped construct the deal. Not shocked at all he's pushing Wal-Mart on GN'R, not to mention AC/DC a legendary hard rock act has already secured a deal for this holiday season.
It's the only way for Axl to have a old-fashioned album release, and it be successful these days. As the old saying goes - "Nobody buys albums anymore" - yep, that's right. Except when they are at Wal-Mart, and can pick up DOUBLE-albums for only $10 bucks.
