Okay, I have read posts on these boards for months and never said a word. Some people just want to scream and shout about being mistreated, others are fairly happy, but when you get down to it, the NPGMC has been a shambles from start to finish.

"We are including a copy of ONA in with the ONA live set to make sure everyone gets a copy"

Am I the only one is stunned by this confession of incompetence ?

I am in danger of repeating myself here, but I have always thought from what I have seen of him, that Prince is morally a decent man. I dont know him, but he never struck me as false in the way that a lot of stars do, so here's my humble breakdown of what I would have had the club provide this year.

NPGMC Year 2 - February 2002 to February 2003

Initial Sign up - You pay your $100 - You receive through the post a few bits and pieces confirming your membership, maybe a one-off small magazine about where Prince is right now, what his plans are. It would take maybe an hour for Prince to put together an interview, and it would be a private, intimate thing to thank people for joining. Also, since he has his own studio, and is pretty damn gifted on any instrument you care to mention, how long would it take him to pick 12 of his back catalogue, say the old favourites, and play them acoustic for a single "join-up" CD ?

During the Year - Dont lace your advertising for the club with promises you don't intend to keep. Dont hide behind misinterpretation. Be clear ! If you say you are going to give people "Xenophobia", "The best of O+>", "ONA" and "Last December" you better be damn sure you will !

Feb-Jul - Send out ONA (MAYBE not a good idea to put tracks on there that were part of year 1 membership - that's gonna piss people off, unless it is a second FREE Cd that contains them)

Dont send people CDs as part of their membership that are CHEAPER in the shops !

Rainbow Children was collosal. If there are outakes, why not package them onto a CD and send it halfway through the year, unannounced, as a RainBow Children - The Lost Children (arf !) CD.

Finally, go and pick some stuff from the vault and send it to people for Christmas.

I do not know what the shipping costs are for sending all this stuff out, and maybe that is the consideration here. But again, I dont think it comes down to the money for most people, so long as they feel they are getting value for it.

Personally, if the club sends me the 4 listed CDs, plus some surprises, and makes me feel like I am part of something special, I will sign up again in a shot.

And if its not commercially viable for NPGMC to send out all these treats for $100, then work on what would be viable, but give MORE than you said you would, not less.

Peace

Fandango

He does not celebrate Christmas.

And I like your post, btw. If you make sense in just this one post, I bet you can make sense in some other people's post's as well.
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