EnDoRpHn said:

I'm just gonna come right out here and say it: this site not only reminded me of how much I hated those individual websites, but also reinforced my understanding of why Prince got bored and moved on.

Let's be honest: everyone here hated almost every one of those sites, and with good reason. I was thinking I would list some of the threads here, but when I went and looked, there were so damn many that this post would take multiple pages in this thread.

Setting aside the issue of whether the subscriber-based sites (e.g., lotusflow3r.com, npgmusicclub.com, etc.) delivered on what was promised for their hefty membership fees (no, they did not), the user interface on almost everyone one of these just BITES.

I had forgotten how much I hated all of them until I tried -- foolishly -- a few days ago to find the LotuwFlow3r lyric booklet on that site. WTF is that? A miniature TV, about 3% of my total browser area, with lilliputian, diagonal versions of old Prince videos? A fake boombox that plays the same damn clip of a song, over and over again, no matter what you do to the controls?

Why anyone would ever want to create a showcase of those miserable things is beyond me. It's really an embarrassment to Prince. Fact is, he was sharp enough to get out ahead of the curve when he did (hell, I didn't even have a CD-ROM drive on my PC when he released Interactive), but on this like many other things, he just picked the wrong people to execute.

Anyone using the words "let's face it" or "let's be honest" should be banned from the Org immediately!

I don't know what's sadder: that Prince's estate behaves just as short-sighted as Prince when it comes to the Internet, or that "specialist" Sam Jennings doesn't seem to understand copyright law.

BartVanHemelen said:

I don't know what's sadder: that Prince's estate behaves just as short-sighted as Prince when it comes to the Internet, or that "specialist" Sam Jennings doesn't seem to understand copyright law.

What is your point. The Estate has the rights to control copyrighted material and images. We have viewed court documents that have already put a lawfirm in charge of this as the BET awards had to go the Estate for the right to use his pictures on the awards show.

The Estate may have money making plans and copyright infringement will have an effect on the revenue.

laurarichardson said:

BartVanHemelen said:

I don't know what's sadder: that Prince's estate behaves just as short-sighted as Prince when it comes to the Internet, or that "specialist" Sam Jennings doesn't seem to understand copyright law.

What is your point. The Estate has the rights to control copyrighted material and images. We have viewed court documents that have already put a lawfirm in charge of this as the BET awards had to go the Estate for the right to use his pictures on the awards show.

The Estate may have money making plans and copyright infringement will have an effect on the revenue.

.

Just because they have the right, doesn't mean they should behave like that. This archive should have already existed for ages, as a fan initiative. But because of Prince's backwards attitudes it didn't, and now again it doesn't.

.

Just because they might want to monetize this in the future? Yeah, because there's fucktons to be earned by presenting archived websites stripped of content like music and videos. Yeah, tons of websites earning massive sums by offering such a thing. The likes of Pornhub just wish they'd be in that business.

BartVanHemelen said:

laurarichardson said:

What is your point. The Estate has the rights to control copyrighted material and images. We have viewed court documents that have already put a lawfirm in charge of this as the BET awards had to go the Estate for the right to use his pictures on the awards show.

The Estate may have money making plans and copyright infringement will have an effect on the revenue.

.

Just because they have the right, doesn't mean they should behave like that. This archive should have already existed for ages, as a fan initiative. But because of Prince's backwards attitudes it didn't, and now again it doesn't.

.

Just because they might want to monetize this in the future? Yeah, because there's fucktons to be earned by presenting archived websites stripped of content like music and videos. Yeah, tons of websites earning massive sums by offering such a thing. The likes of Pornhub just wish they'd be in that business.

Bremer not only has a right, they have a legal obligation to safeguard the estate's assets. Fundamentally that means they have to assert control over them. You might do well to look up the term "work for hire" in a legal dictionary.

I'll go back to what I said earlier, if I were Prince, I would have been embarrassed by those sites and would have sh!tcanned them as well.

EnDoRpHn said:

BartVanHemelen said:

.

Just because they have the right, doesn't mean they should behave like that. This archive should have already existed for ages, as a fan initiative. But because of Prince's backwards attitudes it didn't, and now again it doesn't.

.

Just because they might want to monetize this in the future? Yeah, because there's fucktons to be earned by presenting archived websites stripped of content like music and videos. Yeah, tons of websites earning massive sums by offering such a thing. The likes of Pornhub just wish they'd be in that business.

Bremer not only has a right, they have a legal obligation to safeguard the estate's assets. Fundamentally that means they have to assert control over them.

.

Again: technically true, but NOT AN OBLIGATION. Plenty of artists allow massive leeway and even encourage fans.

.

I'll go back to what I said earlier, if I were Prince, I would have been embarrassed by those sites and would have sh!tcanned them as well.

.

Their quality aside (and yes, most of them were embarrassments), there still remains a historical value, plus some of them contained interesting information.

What a loss. I do hope it's back up soon.
For me, this was the best memorial we fans had and the fact that it's now been pulled down is disappointing to say the very least.

babynoz said:

I'm very surprised because who would put the site up without clearing it with the estate first? If they didn't, that's pretty dumb.

I hope he resolves the problem because it really was impressive work.

Someone angling for a job (that is, to gain more access) to do the same sort of site, archives, and more in conjuntion with the estate/legacy?

All done on purpose this way to be "reached out to." (again)

Hallelujiah for those among us who get this!

jumanji2016 said:

I'll admit that I'm a bit baffled that people in their 20s are attributing their unfamiliarity with Prince (the icon, not the music) on a lack of online presence. I mean the iTunes Music Store has only truly been relevant to the market for maybe about nine years---when the first iPhone was released. Prince was available on Spotify until he got his masters back two years ago. I was 16 when Musicology was released and I remember that project getting a LOT of press. Digital downloads and streaming just started surpassing CD sales last year. Are people referring to his more vintage material? (I'd say 1995 and prior.) If so, that's more understandable. Certain singles like 'Adore', 'I Wanna Be Your Lover', etc. never stopped playing on the radio. My mom didn't own any of Prince's albums and I JUST saw Purple Rain this year (I'm not a film person), but I've heard pop culture references about it since forever. I don't know, part of me thinks that not being privy to an icon because he wasn't on YouTube or other social media isn't reasonable to me. Music videos have been a vacant lot for years---so Prince's being unavailable until recent months shouldn't be a dealbreaker for notoriety. Twitter didn't gain momentum until 2009, YouTube gained momentum around 2006 or 2007. These platforms as marketing tools aren't really as old as people are making them out to me. Also, which individuals in the upper echelon of music over the age of 50 rely heavily on social media promotions anyway? Elton John, Bon Jovi, and U2 aren't on Instagram everyday to be known? Why did Prince need to be? Most legends maintain a level of 'reclusivity' to them. So, yes, I can understand not being privy to certain parts of his catalog---but not knowing of his existence at all? You would have to have been hiding under a box. The younger youth of today (I'm late 20s) seems to find obscure, mundane shit just fine. I know people are socialized differently, but I think the lack of knowledge for some people is more willful than just the result of restricted availability. I also think that Prince offset this restricted availability of his content by opening up his home to the general public and press with the numerous events that he hosted at Paisley Park...and he did so for YEARS. What other rockstar did or does that?

babynoz said:

I'm very surprised because who would put the site up without clearing it with the estate first? If they didn't, that's pretty dumb.

I hope he resolves the problem because it really was impressive work.

I agree.