Dixie Chicks Kick Off Tour, Headed This Way Sept 14th at Staples

Black Listed by Right Wing Radio, Tour Sales Suffer Even As Album Sells Out

Criticism of Bush Jingoism Nets Blacklisting

Part of a New Series "Bard On Censorship"

``Monkeys on the barricades

Are warning us to back away

They form commissions trying to find

The next one they can crucify “

“Easy Silence,''

Dixie Chicks

SANTA BARBARA, CA - - Well it's official. The legendary Dixie Chicks , have won eight Grammy awards and notoriety for bashing Dubyuh, are on the road again.

They played in London a few nights ago, at Shephard's Bush, the “Scene of the Crime”, and are getting ready to kick off their US tour with a July concert in Detroit, despite marketing difficulties deriving from retaliatory censorship due to their criticisms of Dubyuh. The good news is that they are headed this way for a September 14th performance at Staples, and tickets are on sale now.

The Texas hotties' new album, "Taking the Long Way" (Sony/Columbia), sold 526,000 copies during its first seven days has been at number one and number two on the Billboard Country Charts for weeks and is climbing the charts in Canada, Australia and elsewhere. Working out of their new LA studio, they boast collaboration with Sheryl Crow, Keb Mo and Red Hot Chili Peppers' drummer Chad Smith. (Superliminal: Buy The Album, Support Th Chicks, Buy The Album...)

However, the "Accidents and Accusations Tour" has, paradoxically, not been selling well,especially in the Midwest and South. The Chicks drew flak last year when lead singer Natalie Maines criticized President Bush for Iraq war in Iraq while performing in London. Redneck DJ's around the country continue to pan them for their outspoken views.

Their most recent tour was the 2004 -" Vote For A Change Tour" with James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews, Pearl Jam and REM. They specifically hit swing voter states. They rose to prominence at the 1999 Lilith Fair, at which they were the only country act. They even sang the Star Spangled Banner for the Superbowl, but their fall from grace was swift as vindictive hyper patriots (pun intended) tagged them as ``Dixie Sluts'' and ``Saddam's Angels.''

The tour will be closely watched as a barometer of things to come.

“You Don't Need A Weatherman to Know Which Way the Wind Is Blowing” - Dylan

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The author, himself once-banned from Santa Barbara City College, is currently subject to administrative harassment for writing and performing “Snitches Burn In Hell” an ironic commentary on what he regards as “Vendido Culture” at SBCC.