Tommy Lee's Tommyland hits stores today. Tommy did something that many artists say they'll do but few actually go through with it: He released the album outside of the major record labels. It is a direct-to-retail CD that is distributed by Handleman, one of the country's largest wholesale distributors of audio and video product.

At his website Lee wrote, "I would like to personally thank all 4 major labels for having absolutely nothing to do with the recording, production and distribution of this record."

The feeling is probably mutual. Sales of his previous projects, Methods of Mayhem and his Never A Dull Moment solo album, may have forced him to take the indie route. Both were released by MCA and neither impressed anybody with their sales. Maybe it's no coincidence that a former MCA employee, Coolfer was told, is handling the sales and marketing for Tommyland.

Prediction: This project will flop and Handleman can expect a flood of returns in 90 days. Those returns will be the price of his artistic and financial freedom. If this album has even a sliver of hope it's because of the radio-ready -- and uncharacteristic -- title track. (Was that co-written by Desmond Child or what?) Elliot Spitzer's flogging of Sony BMG came at a bad time for Tommy. Now he'll have to get to radio purely on his own merits. Another sliver of hope -- one that I don't anticipate will help album sales much -- is the debut of his "Tommy Lee Goes to College" reality show on August 23rd.