Taylor Hicks "Early Works" Exclusive Deal or Elusive Deal with Target?

I beg to differ with some of the usual Taylor Hicks' bloggers encouraging folks to run not walk to the local Target for their copy of the Taylor Hicks' "Early Works" CD. Oh, and don't look on-line, Target doesn't have it for sale there either.

Before anyone wants to immediately label me as just spewing negativity or lies, man - I did a little research this morning. I pulled up Target on-line thinking, as I cued in "Taylor Hicks" in search, that one of those cute ads that some of the other bloggers had displayed on their sites would pop up with some sort of happy exclamation that yes, indeed the new Taylor Hicks compilation CD was actually ready for purchase.

Instead what I found, after hitting 'enter', this PAGE. So I stepped it up, went in a general search only to be directed to THIS PAGE. It is Target's on-line area that takes you into amazon.com which we know isn't selling "Early Works". Low and behold, no on-line marketing of Taylor Hicks on the Target sites. What has the Target reference spelled "Exclusive", been actually intended as "elusive"? That word is seeming to fit much better.

***Correction, (August 13) for some reason Canadians have this available on-line at amazon.ca. Not being Canadian, actually residing the opposite end of the U.S. from there, I did not investigate that outlet.*** So go ahead, order from the Canadians, eh?

My curiosity peaked now, and after grabbing another cup of Joe, I decided to pull out the cell phone. After all it does say in the gray print not all of Target's offerings are available on-line. (That first cup always encourages my reading comprehension.) My thought on this was though, since reportedly Taylor Hicks has penned this elusive 'exclusive deal' with Target you'd think interested parties could buy the new CD on-line through them. What do I know? Obviously jack.

I picked up the phone and called one of the largest Super Targets in Dallas. I mean this is a mega-Super Target, and not wanting to start at the middle I went to the top of the Target food chain, locally. I also asked to speak to the manager in the music department, man, I wasn't going to mess with a mere salesperson. Manager-Man came to the phone within a minute or two; I inquired as to whether he had that new Taylor Hicks' CD, "Early Works" in-store. The man paused and then said, "Who?"

I gave the guy the run down that his company had this exclusive deal to market Tayor Hicks' new CD, "Early Works", mentioned that Taylor Hicks had been on American Idol a while back. I'm sure this impressed him, he cleared his throat, said something to the effect that he did not know the name, and likely thought I'm a complete loser in my musical tastes. The guy said, "Hold on and I'll see what I can find out."

He returned to the phone and said, "Oh, we have a couple of them, I saw two." Being the Curious George that I am I asked can you tell me how many you received today? He looked it up in their magic Target computer machine and told me, "Two". I thought to myself as I hang up, 'two' what the hell kind of promotion sends in two lousy CD's for the first day of sales?

Not stopping with that mega-Super Target, I called another Target closer to me. That sales manager informed me they didn't have any, to check the Super Targets they might. This sales guy had no knowledge of this CD and apologetically added he wasn't familiar with 'that guy'.

So I thought, well this is Dallas, I'll go to Taylor Hicks' 'homeland'. I pulled up Targets in the Birmingham, Alabama area. Target in Fultondale told me they did not carry it, nor did he see it coming in on his list - he advised me to check the Birmingham area Super Targets. I called the Trussville SuperTarget next. A very polite sales girl and about three other people went into discussion about not knowing what I was asking for - I could hear them over the phone she had laid on the counter. Salesgirl returned with negative news, they did not have any in stock, had not received any nor was there any on the incoming list.

I hit the jackpot calling the Birmingham 280 Super Target, they had received 10 copies in stock and at the time I called, had three left, obvious some fans in the B'Ham area.

Here's the store with three left:
Birmingham 280 Corridor SuperTarget
4616 Highway 280 S
Birmingham, AL 35242
(205) 408-7687

None of the other stores had any copies in the B'Ham area.

So before you go walking, running, or drive in your car to your local Target, call first. Good luck with finding the "Early Works". Perhaps more will be on the way, I mean after all this is just the first day of offering the CD through this big Target promotion. There is always re-orders and you can call and just bug the crap out of those sales people who don't know who you're asking about - that is one grassroots way to get the man's name out.

"Elusive" Scott Matthews

The sun in sails, and this ain't right.
There's more to her than meets the eye.
She comes and goes at any time,
Back in my head at another time.

She's elusive and I'm awake,
You're finally real, there's nothing fake.
A mystery now to me and you,
Open my eyes and I'm next to you.
She said my destiny lies in the hands that set me free.