Posted on 06/17/2006 5:54:37 AM PDT by veronica
Adam Sweeting assesses how the Dixie Chicks have weathered a political storm
Will it be the salmon teriyaki with organic greens, or asparagus tempura and tuna sashimi? As the waiter hovers with pencil poised, the Dixie Chicks debate the menu with the practised air of professional restaurant critics. The Chicks have traditionally been branded a country band, but clearly it's some time since their diet consisted of ribs, tacos and pancakes.
Sisters Emily Robison and Martie Maguire project a polished Fifth Avenue elegance, and vocalist Natalie Maines is a vision of sculpted cheekbones and smoky eye-shadow.
With their origins as bouffant-haired ingénues playing bluegrass music long forgotten, the Chicks are in Miami to attend a Sony BMG conference, where their new album, Taking the Long Way, is high on the corporate agenda. It's their first release since the group weathered the storm of outrage triggered by Maines's expression of shame that President Bush was from her home state of Texas. Although they've sold 30 million albums, the company was concerned about their commercial future.
When Maines made her comment on March 10 2003, 10 days before Operation Iraqi Freedom unleashed "shock and awe" over Baghdad, the Dixie Chicks were probably the biggest act in country music. Yet within days, their music vanished from the charts and the airwaves, apoplectic rednecks crushed piles of their CDs with tractors, and the FBI was feverishly monitoring death threats against the trio. It was the most heinous pop-star outrage since Ozzy Osbourne urinated on the Alamo.
"The reaction was as if Natalie had said 'Death to the President' or something," says violinist and vocalist Maguire.
"It was the bullying and the scare factor," shudders banjo and guitar player Robison. "It was like the McCarthy days, and it was almost like the country was unrecognisable."
The level of debate can be gauged from the way Maines was compared to "Hanoi Jane" Fonda, who was photographed manning a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun at the height of the Vietnam war.
The Chicks can't hide their disgust at the lack of support they received from other country performers. "A lot of artists cashed in on being against what we said or what we stood for because that was promoting their career, which was a horrible thing to do," says Robison.
"A lot of pandering started going on, and you'd see soldiers and the American flag in every video. It became a sickening display of ultra-patriotism."
"The entire country may disagree with me, but I don't understand the necessity for patriotism," Maines resumes, through gritted teeth. "Why do you have to be a patriot? About what? This land is our land? Why? You can like where you live and like your life, but as for loving the whole country… I don't see why people care about patriotism."
There can be no rational explanation of how Maines's remark came to drive a red-hot poker into America's divided soul, but it's only now that some of the poison has begun to dissipate.
Early concerns about the premature demise of the Chicks' career subsided when the furiously unapologetic single Not Ready to Make Nice became the most downloaded track on iTunes, despite a lack of radio airplay. Then the album went to number one on the Billboard 200 after selling half a million copies in the week after its release in America last month. It looks set to be their first UK top 10 album this Sunday.
The recruitment of Rick Rubin as producer, the man who rejuvenated Johnny Cash, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Neil Diamond and others, is guaranteed to extend the Chicks' appeal, though it would be disappointing if the album's thoughtful range of subject matter (from IVF to Alzheimer's) was overshadowed by the Bush episode.
"I think for longevity's sake, our music had to mature and we had to mature as people," says Maguire. "Not that this particular event had to happen, but it sped up the process for us and helped us make a record that's really meaningful to us, whether or not other people see that."
"The most amusing part of this puff piece was where the Dixie Chicks questioned the Dixie Chicks' patriotism."
From Today's Drudge Report - Article Headline:
In their stupid unpatriotic minds, they think this course is a good idea. My God, they are idiots.
Ho ho ho! Scrap with Bush? They were the only people "scrapping". Now that their tour is tanking, they know what a scrap is.
I wonder if this has hurt Charlie Robisonss' career. He has been rather quiet on this issue. If he were four square behind the chicks, he would have it out there out front. My suspicion is he sees millions costing his wife and him for sake of a temper tantrum....Pride is very deleterious.
Someone dangle some big macs in front of them to shut them up, please.
The dixie chicks are just another example of the success one can have with little or fading talent as long as you make enough left wing flatulence. Brings to mind that old hag, BS. There are enough moron lefities out there to keep them somewht afloat, until some other leftie darling comes along to divert the hive's attention.
Don't you get it? When Liberals lose, they call that a victory. (San Diego, Cunninghams seat) I predict another big victory this coming Nov.
You stupid little twit! It's patriotism that's motivated millions of men and women to fight and die for the rights that you so casually exercise and dismiss!
I could go on, but it would get me banned...
Mark
"A lot of pandering started going on, and you'd see soldiers and the American flag in every video. It became a sickening display of ultra-patriotism."
Cashed in? Am I understanding this right? Are these twits trying to take credit for patriotic songs & videos after March 2003? Full of themselves, much? I'm pretty sure this was about supporting the men & women of our military NOT about making a statement against THEM. What morons. I heard very few country artists say anything about them at all. On the other hand they had a lot to say about their fans & their peers. As far as Toby Keith goes, these idiots picked THAT fight. The big dog DOES bite doesn't he, girls? LOL. As far as country songs & videos go, they were supporting the troops & this country. That's called patriotism. But the twits don't believe in being patriotic. That doesn't make us wrong, it makes them a disgrace.
Nice hyperbolic spin, but these idiots haven't survived a thing. I heard Greensboro, NC is the latest "postponement". But maybe if all their shows are "postponed", they will have more time to work on that "Fifth Avenue elegance" LOL. Keep it comin' ladies. You're entertaining us for free.
If Bush was like Clinton, and the DixChicks attacked him, they'd be too busy fighting for their financial lives with the IRS and attending funerals of close associates.
A person would need that problem like a hole in the head.
ROFL. I guess Mane's fat ass is from eating to much foie gras then.
Translation: I despise freedom, human rights, democracy, and capitalism, and God and His absolute morality, and every thing else good that America stands for. Give me that good old communism, authoritarianism, humanism, atheism, and moral relativity every time. That way I can do whatever I want as long as it feels good.
Thanks very much to you both for saying so...after reading this thread, I can see I am not the only one who feels this strongly about the asinine mind set adoped by people like the Dixie Chicks.
The thing is...the Dixie Chicks think they got to where they did on the basis of talent alone. The fact is, it is the American way of life, American history and the structure and environment in the USA that has laid the road for them to get to where they did. Think they would have been a big hit in France or Syria?
Patriotism is the mindset of remembering that America helped you get to where you are, as did all the military people who fought and died to guarantee the freedom to travel that road to success.
Patriotism means always saying thank you to America and the people past and present for making our wonderful lives possible.
What a Great Quote!!! I never heard it before!
Assuming they had said anything that would have given him heartburn.
xarmydog, I wonder how Natalie's dad feels about all this. He's a very famous steel guitar player. He was one of two steelers on the Byrds "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" album. He produced all their earlier cds, but not this one. Hmmmm......
So you are saying that the current Dixie Chick crowd and fans are the ones who order Roast Duck with Mango Salsa.
Someone should post the picture of the cavemen from the Geiko commericals with a subtitle "Dixie Chick fans"
LOL. Can't have one of the Chicks saying, "I don't have much of an appetite, thank you".
That commercial kills me.
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