Just in case you needed further proof that you, too, have all the skills necessary to run a giant multinational corporation: The CEO of Trans World Entertainment, Jim Litwak, says his chain of music stores — including FYE, Coconuts, and Wherehouse — will not be carrying the Scissor Sisters’ new CD, Ta-Dah, in response to lead singer Jake Shears’ complaint that, at nearly $20 a pop, the chain’s CD prices are too high.
Hang on, lemme see if I can get EW tossed off the chain’s newsstands: Hey Trans World Entertainment! Your mother wears combat boots! Your mother was a land turtle!
(Is it working? Is it working?)
That is incredibly petty of that exec to make an emotional decision like that. This CD rocks! They are hopefully on the cusp of something big in the US and I hope Transworld will suffer the consequences when fans go to other stores to buy their CDs!
i love that band! So gay!
Dear Mr Litwad:
The rise of the itunes was directly related to the price gauging of CDs. There aren’t any of your stores here in Dallas. I’m sure most brick and mortor music stores are in financial trouble including yours. I’m guessing the Scissor Sisters will be around longer than your stores.
PS Your mother was a price gouging land turtle.
Who in the world buys a CD for 18.99? Yesterday in the mail came one of those CD membership things where you get X number of CD’s for free but you have have to buy XX number of CD’s for the full price; are those memberships still around?
I bought Janet’s CD yesterday at Best Buy for 9.99. If for some reason I didn’t buy it at that price, I would have either waited to find it on the internet, secondhand, (secondspin.com) or downloaded the whole thing off Limewire.
Buying CD’s has really changed, some of these chains need to realize that.
Its about time artists complain about stores like FYE that charge DOUBLE their cost of the CD. I guess the question is – Who is stupid enough to buy a CD at FYE, when they know they can get it for half the price at Best Buy, Target, iTunes or whereever. Maybe more artists need to get on the bandwagon and voice their opinion about FYE, Coconuts, and Wherehouse. I have never shopped at these stores, and never will.
P.S, who are the Scissor Sisters? I hear they’re gay, I’m gay, does that mean I should be listening to them. What is their type of music, is it similar to Queen?
Anybody?
That exec is probably THRILLED to have found a reason not to carry the new CD from a flamboyant, openly gay artist. This is America, people! When did it become okay to punish someone for Freedom Of Speech?
is FYE run by a moron?!?! i used to work for Natinonal Record Mart, and they went bankrupt and closed up shop because they charged 19 for CD’s, and that was six years ago!!! you CANNOT charge that much for CD’s and get away with it.
Who goes to record stores anymore anyways? It’s all about iTunes, baby!
So insted of FYE getting $19.99 for a few of the Scissor Sisters CD they would have sold, they are getting nothing, and making consumers mad for having to go out and get it somewhere else. That’s excellent customer service.
I agree with like, all of you.
1) Who buys CDs anymore? (I haven”t even touched one in a year thanks to the iPod).
2) If you were to pick up a, whatumacallit, “compact disc,” who is going to pay nearly 20 bucks for it?
3) If you did pay $$$ to buy one of these music playing shiny discs, would you really go to a store that only sells them with like DVDs and stuff? Instead, you could go to Best Buy or Target or Wal-Mart and pick up a flat screen TV and a couple of T-shirts while you’re at it.
FYE needs the FYI that they will be going out of business soon (try and boycott that! what!)
Go buy it at Newbury Comics, if you’re in New England. It’s only $6.99 with their coupon from their e-club. It’s $8.95 on their website, http://www.newbury.com .
These stores are running themselves out of business. Who would even consider paying $18.99? I still like the experience of going into a record store and browsing for new music (such as at Tower or Virgin), but I find it hard to buy anything other than import singles unless it is something I really want and it’s no more than $13.99. Otherwise, I just go to Best Buy or Target the first week when a CD is on sale for $9.99 or buy it on iTunes. $10-$13 is a fair price but I guess even the threat of going out of business isn’t enough to make these record stores realize people aren’t going to pay more. Good for the Scissor Sisters. I may just go buy their CD (at Best Buy) in support.
p.s. Ed, the EW review of the new Scissor Sisters album “Ta-Dah” gives a pretty good idea of what their sound is like. And you don’t have to like them because some of their members are gay and you’re gay, but it helps (and how hot is Babydaddy! He’s the bear on the far right next to Ana Matronic.)
Wow, FYE. Way to be stupid! $19 is too way much for a CD. And don’t get me started on how much they charge for DVD’s! It’s even worse!
The only time I ever shopped at FYE was when it was the only place in my tiny college town to buy music aside from Wal-Mart and their sub-par collection. But now that we have a Best Buy and I can get the same CD’s for around $10, why would I go to FYE?