Wal-Mart changes Willie's new reggae album cover - for real

[donsu]

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/eo/20050712/en_music_eo/16920

Wal-Mart Tweaks Willie's Reggae

No, you're not smoking something--the cover of
Willie Nelson's new reggae album comes in two separate versions: regular and Wal-Mart.

The cover art of Countryman, released Tuesday, features green marijuana leaves over a red and yellow background and looks similar to a large pack of rolling papers.

However, for those looking to snap up the CD at Wal-Mart's famously rolled back prices, the cover features a palm tree in place of the offending leaves, a change made by Universal Music Group Nashville out of deference to the retailing giant's strict guidelines with regards to lyrics and packaging.

"They're covering all the bases," Nelson commented to the AP.

-snip-

Nelson's not the first artist to be edited by Wal-Mart. In the past, musicians have been asked to change lyrics in order to be stocked on the retailer's shelves, and Wal-Mart once refused to carry a
Sheryl Crow album because it contained a song with lyrics about children killing each other with guns purchased at the store.
-snip-
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the wal-mart people are insane, may they swallow their own tongues

Universal Music Group Nashville people are cowardly suits

[getmeouttahere]

1. If he had real cojones....

he would tell Walmart to fuck themselves...

[dogman]

2. If the consuming public had real cojones....

they would tell Walmart to fuck themselves...

[getmeouttahere]

7. No argument here....

[expatriot]

4. unfortunately, i don't think that's his decision....

i'm not an expert on the music industry but I am pretty sure it's somebody elses's decision (record label) unless specified in his contract. WAnd with Wal-Mart's market share, no record label driven by the bottom line is going to refuse distribution in Wal-Mart stores. It sucks big time.

[mongo]

9. Most likely he would if he could

but it's likely he has no control over the distibution chain.

[ScamUSA.Com]

3. wow what a joke... although it does conform to their 'policy'

wonder what they would say to an alcohol themed cover



legalize it!

[SiouxJ]

5. Arguing over album covers is so like 1975

How funny! iTunes has this album for $9.99. You don't get a paper copy of the nifty album cover but who cares, it's cheaper than even Wal-mart I'm sure. I was just checking it out - not bad.

[HeeBGBz]

6. Fucking stupid walmart

*shakes head with no more to say*

[KamaAina]

8. Did someone say "rolled" back prices?

Tee hee. :smoke:

My goodness. A Willie Nelson reggae album. Looks like all the time he's spent on Maui recently (he is said to be opening a club in the hippie/surfer mecca of Pa'ia) is starting to sink in (we have our own local style of reggae here, called "Jawaiian". No, really.)

Edit: Wal-Mart sucks. But you knew that already.

[samdogmom]

10. K-Mart is selling the same "Palm" tree cover album

In my little town the only options for music CDS are WalMart or KMart--or you have to order online and wait several days for the CDs to come in the mail. Anyway after I became aware of the cover art change yesterday, I tried to buy the album at KMart instead. It's the same altered Palm tree cover. The joke is that when you rip the album to your computer, Windows Media Player displays the marijuana leaf cover. So who's being fooled after all?

[scarlett1]

11. Willie's getting good press at least

I didn't realize he had a new album. But if it were me. I'd refuse to allow my cover art to be changed, (Copyright issues) He has clout, he could require it. Movie directors do it all the time.

But it is good advertising.
As long as they spell the name right!

[warrens]

12. They did the same thing to Nirvana

They censored the cover of In Utero and changed the title Rape Me to Rage Me.

[Viking12]

13. Do ya think they carry Peter Tosh's "Legalize It"