FM Fats writes in…

Sugarland’s new album, The Incredible Machine, was released Tuesday. As I was driving down West Ponce on my way home, who should I see walking out of Decatur CD with a vinyl copy of the album but Kristian Bush. I guess he wanted to be the first one on his block with a copy, but you would think he might have some connections for freebies.

From the latest Decatur CD newsletter…

As you may have heard, we caused a bit of a tussle on the internet recently by speaking our mind about independent retail, Wal-Mart, Sugarland, etc. Quite a few media outlets (the AJC, L.A. Times, CMT’s blog, many others) picked up the story and the whole thing got blown a little out of proportion as far as we’re concerned. But hey, that’s the internet, is it not? Just to clear the air, Kristian Bush stopped by the store and he was a stand-up guy all around, talking with Warren for a good long while, chatting up customers, and so on. Unfortunately, due to circumstances outside of our control, we won’t be stocking the current Sugarland release. However, Kristian did propose working with Decatur CD on a little event this fall. It’ll be fun and we’ll keep you posted when we have more details.

Some Decatur stories have a certain je ne sais quoi and find themselves quickly being reported on much larger stages.

Country Music Television summarized the recent falling out and reconciliation between Decatur CD and Sugarland in a blurb…

Sugarland’s Kristian Bush visited Decatur CD record store in his hometown of Decatur, Ga., on Wednesday (Aug. 12), after a store employee criticized the duo’s exclusive distribution deal with Wal-Mart for their new CD/DVD, Live on the Inside. Decatur CD employee Warren Hudson complained on the store’s blog that by “shutting the door on independent record stores, you’re in effect shutting the door on your hometown.” Bush posted a reply on the blog entry that he would come to the store when he had a break from his tour. During his visit, he signed autographs for customers who happened to be in the store and purchased three CDs.

If there’s a moral here, it’s that criticizing celebrities is a great way to get free publicity.  With that said, look forward to my critiques of various Decatur celebs attached to random initiatives I support.

For example: “Dear John Mayer, why did you write a song about an Atlanta highway (I-85) thereby promoting the stigma that our city is all highways and subdivisions?  Did you not perform often in Decatur?  Did we not nourish your young mind with progressive thought and a ‘shut up and be quiet’ stage? And this is how you repay us?  It seems you were more than just “tempted to leave the car in drive and leave it all behind.”

Was there ever any doubt that Wal-Mart wouldn’t allow Sugarland’s Kristian Bush to sell CDs directly to Decatur CD?

The star-struck AJC reported yesterday afternoon that Kristian Bush did indeed stop by Decatur’s bluest brick building yesterday afternoon as promised, but didn’t bring any copies of his latest album, Live On the Inside, with him, due to his surprisingly “ironclad” contract with the low price leader.

Sorry Kristian, Wal-Mart doesn’t care about showing goodwill.  You’re not in Decatur anymore.

To play off the publicity, I think Decatur CD should put up a display of “Alternatives to Sugarland” at the front of the store.  Or if they want to be really snarky – and I hope they do – a “Better Than Sugarland” display.

There once was a band named Sugarland.

Sugarland grew up amongst the rolling hills of Atlanta, feeding off the love and attention given to it by Decatur music mainstays like Eddie’s Attic and Decatur CD.  Then one day, the little country band grew up, moved out and became very famous amongst much greener (ca-ching!) pastures.

Things were fine for a while.  Lord knows Decatur was used to its singing children moving on and succeeding in the bigger world.  But then one day, Sugarland signed an exclusive deal on a new album with Wal-Mart and Decatur (played here by Decatur CD) felt betrayed.

In an open letter on its blog, Decatur CD writes…

About five minutes before we started writing this letter, a customer walked in and inquired about your new CD/DVD release, Live on the Inside. “Do you know if it’s out yet?” she asked. We said that, yes, it was released Tuesday, but that we were not allowed to sell it. She’d have to go to Walmart to get it. “Walmart?” she replied, with an incredulous look. “Really?” She left disappointed, and frankly, we’re disappointed as well.

You guys have been around roughly as long as Decatur CD, and we’ve been supporters of your music from day one. We’ve put your releases on listening stations, given away tickets to your shows and so on. After all, what is a local music scene if not an extended family of sorts? We have to take care of each other.The point is that by shutting the door on independent record stores, you’re in effect shutting the door on your hometown.

Read the full post here.

But this time around, this big-box store eats local store story has a sorta happy ending!  Within two days, Sugarland’s Kristain Bush responded saying…

You are right, and thanks for the suggestion. I am in Houston for a show right now but will come by the store when I get home on Wednesday and bring you a few boxes of discs, We can peel off the Wal-Mart stickers together while we catch up. -Kristian

h/t: Crib Notes