AC/DC, Earth Wind And Fire Next Up For Exclusivity Deals

Following the lead of such classic seventies bands as Journey and The Eagles, AC/DC and Earth Wind & Fire are joining the ranks of artists signing retail exclusivity deals for their next albums.

AC/DC’s next album, Black Ice, (due out in the Fall) will be the latest to be sold through an exclusive deal with mega-retailer Wal-Mart. AC/DC also plan to follow the Brendan O'Brien produced release with an American arena tour, the details of which will be announced soon.

Meanwhile Earth Wind & Fire, the pioneering funk-rockers whose string of hits in the seventies and eighties include “Shining Star,” “Lets Groove,” and “That’s The Way Of The World,” and who remain a top summer concert attraction on the outdoor circuit, are also planning to market their next record exclusively through a yet to be announced retailer.

Don’t be surprised if it isn’t also Wal-Mart.

Like The Eagles and Journey, EW&F are also handled by Azoff Management. According to Billboard Magazine, the set will also follow the model of Journey’s recent Wal-Mart exclusive, the bargain priced 3 CDRevelation album. EW&F's untitled as yet album, which they hope to release sometime next year, is also currently being planned as a 3 CD set. This will include a CD featuring new material, as well as a live CD and DVD.

"(Management) has done this twice with (the Eagles and Journey, both via Wal-Mart) and they've expressed interest in doing this with Earth, Wind & Fire," vocalist and founding member Phillip Bailey was quoted as saying. “We're still viable. Now, they're able to make really good deals and make more money for (the acts), so it's a pretty good day for us old guys."

In unrelated news, another group of artists including Nas, Mariah Carey, and Gavin Rossdale have signed to do a series of free shows in various cities including Seattle and New York pimping Samsung’s new Blackjack II mobile phone. In this age of rockers shilling for the man, can Neil Young himself singing “This Phone’s For You” be far behind?

God, forbid.