This is the most recent eamil from the NPGMC:

BOOTLEGGERS R NOT FANS. THEY SELL UNAUTHORIZED STOLEN PROPERTY 2 FANS. There r
numerous posts throut Paisley Park that in4m guests of their policies regarding
illegally recording the events that r staged there. This policy applies as well
2 PRINCE and the NPG concerts thruout the world. MESSAGE 2 BOOTLEGGERS: LEAVE UR
RECORDING EQUIPMENT AT HOME. ILLEGAL REPRODUCTION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY IS
PROHIBITED. PEACE


OK, but I'm thinking where are my 3 remaining NPGMC cds at. Wouldn't that be a more important email to receive at this time of the year; it's almost October.

i agree with the NPGMC. How can an artist be free if u don't let him? If your friends stole stuff from your house every time you invited them over, or taped your private phone conversations and then posted them on the internet, would you still be calling that person a friend? Not. Please people, respect an artist and they will respect u back a thousand times. Peace

well the NPGMC club is a separate issue and yeah, it sucks knowing the bootleggers got the tracks before the members did.

bur prince has every right to control distribution of his intellectual property. this is one email from MPGMC i agree with heartily

....
[This message was edited Thu Oct 10 8:58:53 PDT 2002 by katt]

I'd first like to say, as a musician myself, that bootlegging of commercial material rubs me raw. No one should take away a persons right to make all the money they can from their product.

But,

The only place I have seen these recordings is on the web, for download, for free, and I would like to point out a few things.

First, the band Metallic, which I personally have little interest in, has for years allowed there fans to freely record their concerts. It has not hurt their ability tho earn a living, and has more than likely enhanced it.

Second, a Prince fan will buy anything put out from Prince regardless of whether they have a bootleg of it or not. Tell me I’m wrong.

Third, we, the members of the NPGMC, have invested our hard earned money up front for the perceived privilege of being treated to more than the public. Yes we received special treatment for the concerts and I appreciate this, and cherish the memory of a VERY special night, but as the old saying goes, if we were getting what we need at home we wouldn’t have to look for it elsewhere.

Bottom line, we treated him with respect by investing up front, now it’s time for him to step up and return the favor and send out the cd’s promised to us, the fans that have had his back thru it all.

Just my opinion

Peace
[This message was edited Sat Sep 28 7:16:04 PDT 2002 by tg2k]

Imagine all the great shows we would miss without bootlegs? Fuck Prince and his silly ass.

Think of this:

I attend a concert or listen to a song.

That song is in my head.

I "play back" that song/performance in my head over and over and over and over.

Sometimes, I even alter that song in my head.

What is the difference if I have that song/performance on cd/tape?

The moment Prince allows music to touch my ears, it is no longer his. This is the TRUTH.

If an artist does not want anybody to touch his music, then he should record and engineer by himself, alone, and never release anything to anybody. Then he should burn the tapes so that nobody will ever hear those songs.

Dauphin said:

I think the fact that you put "play back" in inverted commas (quotes) answers your own question.