Yep, it instructs you that I am in favor of free speech.

Except when the speaker disagrees with you, as we've seen with your fixation on violent fantasies.

Because Drudge is a huge liar?

Actually - any who has ever attached to Drudge's site knows that he very rarely posts anything of his own, he just hot-links to the rest of the world.

And if you took the time to read the original comment I said that he linked to a music industry periodical.

Yep, it instructs you that I am in favor of free speech.

Anyuone who takes FMac tunes and give's them a country slant is looking for crossover territory, at the outset.

Therefore Mr. Bush is not from Texas he's from Connecticut and that makes him a Connecticut Yankee and not a Texan. I don't care how many years he lived here in Texas, or that he owned a MLB team, or that he owns that ranch in the Hill Country, or that he spent six years in Austin as Governor, he is still not from Texas. The only Presidents of the United States who were actually from Texas were Dwight David Eisenhower and Lyndon Baines Johnson. So The Dixie Chicks should have said they were embarassed that people thought that that Connecticut Yankee in the White House was from Texas.

Great-Great-Granddaughter of an officer in the 2nd Texas Cav (1863-1865)

Oddly, this is the only act I feel this way about. I still love Streisand's music even though she acts like a lunatic. Chrissie Hynde openly rooted for Saddam on the eve of the war and I still listen to the Pretenders.

It's not that the Chicks attacked the president. I think that most of the CDs and downloads I've purchased in recent months are by artists who embrace the "impeach Bush" position.

Rather, the Chicks come off more as wannabe Bush haters than the genuine article. I don't hold it against Streisand or Sean Penn or Alec Baldwin or Susan Sarandon when they attack Bush or say stupid (IMO) things. They seem genuine in their beliefs and I can easily separate their politics from their talents.

The Chicks' actions always stuck me as a poorly executed career move. Like they got bored with country and wanted to move on to greener pastures (can you say, crossover?).

Well, they did get a lot more famous outside of the country world, but years from now (unless they dramatically change course) they likely will be remembered, if at all, only because of the media event and not their art. I'd say they'll end up regretting their actions down the road.

Isn�t the difference in tenor & tone between pro- & anti- Dixie Chicks remarkable?

As in, Anjin-san is pro-Chicks? Highly instructive.

You have a point. Pro chicks types are worried about the future of the country and anti's are pissed because they dared to exercise free speech.

Personally, I think they are a mediocre band, but I am glad they are standing up for what they believe in..

However, the debut week sales of the Chicks' current CD are significantly lower than their last CD release ("Home") 3+ years ago. According to Billboard, Home sold 48% more than this CD in its debut week.

This is all the more notable in light of the "incredible media blitz" highlighted in the label's press release.

To put this in perspective, how many have heard of the band Tool?

How many saw their Larry King interview or the live Tool concert on Good Morning America or their fawning USA Today or Time Magazine cover stories?

No one? Guess that's because none of those things happened for Tool.

But even without 1% of the PR/Marketing blitz bestowed upon the Chicks, Tool managed to outsell the Chicks (564k to 520k per Billboard)when their most recent CD debuted 3 weeks ago.

The Dixie Chicks should refuse to ever let their music be played on Clear Channel again. Screw Clear Channel. They've already told country fans to go screw themselves.

And there's part of the issue; They're being charted in Country groupings, and yet have no country FANS. If they were to be charted within the niche of people who are actually BUYING their stuff rock/pop... 'alternative'... they'd not even show up.