Rugged Stuff
The Dixie Chicks Have Flown the Coop
By R. Keith Rugg, 6-05-09
 Radar? We don't need no stinking radar! |
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Back in November, I stated that “…the Dixie Chicks seem to have dropped entirely off the radar…” and there were a couple of outraged comments arguing with me. Red Dancer said “The Dixie Chicks are pretty far from being off the radar. Your radar must be off.” And renee asserted that “the dixie chicks haven’t fallen off the radar. Maybe in country music radio which still refuses to play them, but they’ve crossed over to pop where there [sic] old and new fans still support them very well.”
Now, I know that this brave new world of citizen journalism is more about opinion and off-the-cuff blog comments than it is about the facts of any given subject, but I’ve just got to ask- What’s your proof? Where’s your evidence? And what the hell are you talking about?
The Dixie Chicks picked up a batch of 2007 Grammys. And then what?
Let’s see…
October 2008, Dixie Chick Emily Robison divorces.
November 2008, Dixie Chick Natalie Mains and the other members of the group are slapped with a defamation suit. Anything I say about this situation, somebody will get their back up about it, so just look it up yourself.
December 2008, the Dixie Chicks are among the artists participating in the World AIDS Day launch of exclusive new songs.
January 2009, Dixie Chick Martie Maguire reported to be working on a fiddle album.
Gosh, it looks as if my old research buddy, Mr. Google, is kind of falling down on the job here. He’s not picking up much on the radar at all about the Dixie Chicks over the past year. But don’t worry- we’ll just pop over to the Dixie Chicks’ official website to see what Red Dancer and renee must have been referring to. It’s located at www.dixiechicks.com. Come on, open up a new tab in your browser and let’s explore the site together!
Hmmmmmm….. what have we got here? Okay, nice front page, nice photo of the Dixie Chicks. Let’s click on the tabs down the side.
Here’s one called “The Latest” Click on it and… hmmm, it links to a blank page.
Well, let’s try the “Tour” tab. Ah, wow, looks as if they’ve got a lot of dates lined up! Looks as if they are booked solid from July through December… Only about half of the shows are scheduled for venues in the United States, though… WHOOPS! This is the tour schedule for 2006! Oh, here we go, the fine print at the top of the page reads “Dixie Chicks are not on tour at this time. New tour information will be posted as it becomes available.” I guess it’s good to see where we COULD have seen then perform if it were still the year 2006. I guess.
There are some other tabs with some real info on the pages. Bios of the band members, reference info on the Dixie Chicks singles and albums up to 2003. Photos. Ah, but here is the tab I usually go to right off the bat on any entertainer’s site… the “Press” page.
Click on it… and… whoa. This one doesn’t just open to a blank page; this link kicks me right to a “404 Not Found” browser error. The press page just doesn’t exist.
Okay, let’s try one last link on the front page of the Dixie Chicks website. The large graphic in the center of the front page says “Dixie Chicks Underground.” And it leads to… a Dixie Chicks blog. It says I’m visitor number 39. And today’s entry- I kid you not, I’m not joking and I’m not making this up- the entry for today, June 4, 2009, is “I saw a squirrel in a tree … and now I feel confused. LOL.”
***
Yes, I know that this horse is dead, and that I’ve gone waaay beyond beating it. It’s more like I hung its body up from the rafters in my garage and have been using it to hone my boxing skills for my upcoming match with Apollo Creed. And I know very well that an out-of-date website doesn’t absolutely determine an entertainer’s level of activity. But the point being made- and I do believe that it really and truly has been made- is that THE DIXIE CHICKS HAVE DROPPED OFF THE RADAR. PERIOD.
If you’ve got any real info to the contrary, just let me know. If you can hook me up with anything real, I promise to re-visit the subject and point out whatever great Dixie Chick work or project I missed, and confess to all the world just how wrong I was. Bring it on.
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Comments
PS For what it's worth, I am a republican!
Too bad; they were a great band, with both talent and guts. And of course they were entirely right about Bush and his blatant lies and horrendous crimes against Humanity!
I will miss them enormously, but at least we still have their music. I hope that Natalie, at least, reappears as a solo artist.
...
The Chicks are on another hiatus, they will be back at least one more time...Let them get their lives back in order.
Whatever happens next fromt these ladies, we will not be disappointed...
CashmereCowgirl, why do you post nasty remarks from the safety of your pc? The Dixie Chicks are talented, gorgeous girls and dont deserve your remarks. It is ridiculous that YOUR COUNTRY attacked them for speaking out, yet so many of you have had something to say about it online and at other forums. Why can you speak out, but they cant? Get some original thoughts and comments and let the past be the past.
The Chicks are talented, driven women who are dealing with divorces, children, legal and artistic struggles, etc. After being dumped on by their "fans" simply be speaking honestly, who could blame them for needing some distance? I don't really care how long it takes them to record another album. I just know I'll be in line to buy it.
Oh, and I find it interesting that the conservatives who so enjoy sniping on this website feel compelled to declare the Chicks a no-talent band simply because they disagree with their politics. Typical sweeping generalization from these hateful people. God, life is so simple when you're a conservative.
...
speaking of beautiful..have you seen that fow cows natalie pic up on tmz today? for the love of all things holy..put some clothes on! GROSS!
Were they stupid for what they did? Yes.
Did they have the freedom to say what they said? Absolutely.
Do their fans have to spend their money on them if they disagree with their views? Absolutely not.
Will they ever be back on country radio? Doubtful.
Now if the conservative movement can be as successful at the voting booth as they are with causes like this, we wouldn't be mortgaging our future right now.
You're comments aren't noteworthy. Speak english much?
I think the Dixie Chicks, and by extension this blog, for exceeds your IQ (um, Intelligence Quotient). If you're too lazy or too stupid to blog -- than do us all a favor and don't blog at all.
I'm just saying...
For those of us who have the absolute privilege of living in countries where we have freedom of speech... those of us who are blessed in countries like America and Australia, it is an absolute abuse of this privilege to speak like children and call people (especially ones who we dont know personally) degrading names.
IF YOU DONT LIKE THE DIXIE CHICKS THEN DONT LOOK THEM UP ON TMZ, THIS WEBSITE OR ANY OTHERS!!!! Gosh, for someone who doesnt like them you seem to be all over them on the web.
Build your bridge and move along... how can you STILL resent these beautiful gals? Natalie Maines is stunning, as are the Martie and Emily. Sometimes the things we dont like in others are the very things we dislike in ourselves... I suggest you look in the mirror and ask yourself if you are a good person in your heart.
Leave the Dixie Chicks alone. They are awesome.
DIXIE CHICKS ROCK THE WORLD!!
for exceeds? wtf is for exceeds?
brilliant. just brilliant. way to put me in my place braniac. :rolling eyes:
oh really, does that include fatalie means, because she spent an entire tour making desparaging remarks against a litany of people whome she only wishes she knew personally. spare me your faux outrage.
What in the everloving world are you TALKING ABOUT? When did I ever make this judgement call on the Chicks?
Never, that's when. I happen to think that they are incredibly talented, and I really liked them, up until they forgot that they are entertainers, instead of political pundits.
And I STILL haven't seen anything here to refute the fact that they dropped off the radar... whether you hate 'em or love 'em, that hasn't changed, and THAT's the point I was making.
I, too, wondered what happened to the Dixie Chicks as they have disappeared completely from the radar. Clearly, by vocalizing their disdain over Bush tactics and policies they ruffled a few feathers along the way...
One has to speculate if it had been 'just' another band from another genre (besides Country) would they have been so ridiculed and hated for speaking their mind!?
Keith: I can see how some folks might confuse you as the ONE quoted as referring to them as 'marginally talented'. I think a wiki site made the actual reference but your site is listed with a link to this Dixi Chicks blog.
Peace all.
http://pdf.rronline.com/Cou/COU-20060619-3150.pdf
And now you know the rest of the story.
As far as the future of the Dixie Chicks I hope they keep creating great music and continue to flip off the very people who drug them into the political arena to begin with.
Which explains why you are such an avid fan.
And someone wrote something and went YOUR COUNTRY this YOUR COUNTRY that...don't blame it on the country, every country is different, the U.S just happens to have freedom of speech which means Natalie can say what she wants and everyone else can copy each other and say the same thing, even if they weren't a Chicks fan to begin with and probably had no idea who she was until "the incident." And even if they didn't believe it. The U.S is a great country and fortunately right now there is a better president now, and I know almost 95% of the U.S. knows that Bush did nothing good to this nation. Even though the Chicks were the first to say it, and a lot of people forgave them, I know it, cuz back here in the States where I live their music is in rotation with everything else, their music is great, and you just can't help but listen. I hope one day the haters out there will set aside the political views and just listen and appreciate the music, you know you aren't even as half as talented as they are.
I managed to set aside my dislike for Toby, because he does have some good music,I don't like all of it, but I do like a song here and there.
Leave the Chicks be! They will be back! That was not a farewell tour in 2006 that was just the beginning...
If you listen to the interviews on the television tab, they admit to taking a long time to get their songs just right. Sure, they're off the radar at the moment, but I'm inclined to believe it's their choice. I don't know what they're doing right now (I could guess, seeing as how they all have little kids), but you can bet they'll be back eventually with some kick-a** new music that they took their time to perfect.
That whole part of their site is really hilarious and full of jokes, but it's not even a real blog that you can scroll through! Why would you quote something to back up your argument and not even check to see whether the quote is real? That's bad reporting.
That being said, check out their "hidden" site, it's fun! You'll see what the "blog" posting about the squirrel is referring to! These awesome ladies are edgier than the public even knows!
They do suck.
So I don't even wanna hear that they aren't big enough that is BS u try making albums, raising a family, going on tour, charity work, and countless other events while always keeping the fans in mind. The Chicks r plenty big and will be back soon u haven't seen the last of them yet!
Natalie said Bush is an idiot...but the painfully obvious truth is that Natalie is an idiot and her idiotic comments absolutely ruined their skyrocketing careers.
Yes, yes...I have to admit, I have enjoyed watching them twitch in the wind even more than reading their defenders pathetic attempts to underplay what lamebrains they really are.
The few hours it takes every so often to keep tabs on what the morons are up to now are well worth it to me. I love a good train wreck, and the Dixie Chicks are a collossal train wreck. No survivors.
I bet you were one of those with the empty promises about buying their entire catalog...weren't cha?
You'd best get to the store and support your Chicks quick, they need your cash now more than ever before....because as much as your continued lip service may make them feel a little bit less stupid....empty words simply won't cut it when Obama sneaks up behind them and assaults them for your next to worthless yet somehow still seriously overpriced gov. ran health insurance plan.
I wonder how big of fans they will be of his then?
Well, I don't recall anyone ever saying that brains were their "long suit" ;)
Anyway, it's clear I'm a fan. But I entirely agree with the assertion that the Dixie Chicks appear to have completely dropped off the face of the earth as a band...and it sucks!
I've seen this happen with at least one other large band before - this odd lapse into disconnected silence. It's incredibly frustrating when there's no official word on the future of a band that you love...or any way to get official word. You check the official website, the MySpace, the wikipedia articles...you Google...all in vain. Years roll by without a statement. It really, really sucks. Not even knowing if they're still together as a band, or broken up. (Goodness forbid any breakup, yoy!)
Anyway, so yeah - I'm with you, Keith, and thanks for raising the issue. The Chicks have indeed been running silent for quite some time now. As a fan of the Dixie Chicks, I'd just like to know what's going on with them and what's on the horizon for them as a band. :)
Come on over, and I'll treat you to some Toby Keith hospitality... and put a boot in your ass.
Point No. 1: Big deal, I post my real name on every comment I make.
Point B: It's a reference to the Toby Keith / Dixie Chicks spat that started the entire thread (like months ago, btw, why the hell are you posting to it now?)
And thirdly: I guess there's no room for my boot, what with your head already up there, and all...
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have contributed to the current disastrous economy ($1.09 trillion dollars have been allocated to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan). ... and took the lives of innocent Iraqis and our young and courageous men and women.
We should be ashamed at the way we have treated the DIXIE CHICKS for exercising their first amendment rights. BUT WE WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO TAKE AWAY THEIR TALENT. STAY UP, SISTERS!!
cutlets 29 I agree 100% with ya! Bring back the voice Steve Perry, and EVELYNN screw the chicks!!!
still no sign of the Dixie Chicks and has been about 2 years.
I only hope Tiffany has held her breath and hasn't used that won 13 Grammies ka ka with any other group who also won a bunch of useless awards
Adios Tiffany and good ridance Dixie Chicks!