Moving on...

All being as it should, NPGMC year 2 should be ending at the close of next month. That means, if Prince intends for there to be a Year 3, an announcement should be merely weeks away. Hence, this seems a good juncture to assess with a cool and level head Year 2 and look ahead with suggestions for Year 3.

What should we have expected?

The promises for year 2 were relatively simple: 4 CDs and preferential seating for concerts. Other bells and whistles, such as lyrics and downloads, were mentioned as speculative enticements but not really as part of the central deal. And it looks as if the club will deliver on these core promises. ONA and ONA...Live will make up 4 CDs whilst Prince has toured extensively, giving countless fans the chance to see him close and personal - a dream for many.

So has the club been worthwhile? Has it lived up to reasonable expectations? The starting point is what we should reasonably expect when we join the club. This point has been debated throughout 2002. However, unlike year 1, the Club has made its core promises simple: 4 CDs and preferential concert seating.

That instantly sends out the first warning: by the nature of touring, Prince cannot tour everywhere. So, your benefit from the Club will depend on your geographical location; something to take into account when deciding whether to join, and not something to blame Prince for if he doesn't tour near you.

For the CDs, sending out four will instantly satisfy that contractual obligation. However, in order to follow the ethos of the Club as being a collective of people with a common cause, this alone is not enough. More factors, such as exclusivity, quality, packaging, and perhaps regularity, are important to satisfy Prince's ideals for the NPGMC.

Delivering in a practical way

This is where, despite the rhetoric of the latest NPGMC commentary, year 2's performance is debatable. ONA, the first CD, came at a good time but disappointed fans who already owned half the music from year 1. Hence, the CD receive a mixed reception. Unfortunately, the other 3 CDs have not yet materialised, leaving a large gap of time between them and the first CD. This again arguably destroys the feel of a club as being a continuous experience throughout the year. Without an active community feel, the club is reduced to being a mere mailing service. Moreover, ONA...Live is not likely to be exclusive to club members, adding further to accusations of an unsatisfactory service. Lastly, it could be argued that the 4 CDs, with their reused material from year 1 and live versions of already existing songs, have not contained much original material and therefore do not live up to the Club's possible potential.

The Club has offered a number of extras, but for various reasons it would be a mistake to count them as worthy of the $100 fee. Many extras are merely copied from year one, a poor decision. The other extras, such as photos or the chance to buy certain merchandise, are really ones which were offered free in previous years and therefore appear to be offered only to members just to attempt to justify the 'extras' claim. Again, not worth any of the fee.

So, the success of the Club this year has been mixed. A piano album and a live album have been requested by fans for years, so a success there, but Prince could arguably have given so much more still. Unlike in year 1, this year's Club has seemed mostly silent throughout the year, destroying the feel of what the Club should be about. The concert offerings have been great for fans who were able to take advantage of this offer, but really the Club's benefits should be more than enough without the preferential seating offer because after all, many fans cannot take advantage of this. It would thus be unfair to make such an offer a central part of the Club - it should be an extra. It should be noted, however, that there is the chance of five or more CDs being sent, so a truly satisfactory judgement on the club must be withheld until the end of the year.

Good intentions are not enough

Whilst, year 2 has much going for it, my opinion is that it has not been too successful in achieving its aims. The latest NPGMC commentary contained good points about the ideal of the Club but is wrong on keys points: the Club cannot justify its existence and ethos just through its existence alone. It must fulfill its ideals in a practical pragmatic way, meaning a quality service for its customers. Simply, the Club could and should have been much better, although it has had commendable points.

Suggestions for year 3

However, it is pointless and stupid just to complain (if that is your line) without suggesting alternatives. After all, the Club is very much still an experiment. Let me start the ball rolling with this by making a few suggestions. In my opinion, the Club should be a mixture of years 1 and 2.

Firstly, NONE of the extras from the previous years (save for preferential seating) should be offered. This will save the Club from appearing to cut corners and being cheapskate.

In my opinion, year one was less satisfying insofaras it offered songs as standalones without placing them in an album context. Songs always mean more when juxtaposed with others in a meaningful way. So year three should continue with mailing CDs of quality material. There should be a promise to mail them at regular intervals or to compensate the customer if they are not (through, for example, extra downloadable files). Four CDs should be offered again.

However, in order to keep the Club feeling active and dynamic, a minimum number of songs/files should be promised for download every month. I would suggest two songs a month might be a reasonable number. The downloads should also be chosen so that at the end of the year they fit together to make an album (even if similar to the sporadic feel of CB).

These suggestions would mean the Club would be constantly updating whilst offering music of a high quality on a physical medium, which is always preferred over the digital alternative. They would also make convince the fans that the NPGMC is constantly thinking of them instead of forgetting about them for large chunks of the year.

Final thoughts

In theory, the NPGMC is a great idea and Prince could so easily make it highly satisfying. However, he must realise that ideals and rhetoric must be realised in a practical way for those ideals to mean anything. Prince cannot expect his fans to put up with the way he naturally thinks, which is highly changeable and unpredictable, when it comes to running a club. He will either have to promise things he can realistically deliver in a satisfying way (such as regularly mailed quality CDs) or forget about the Club. Hopefully, he will do the former and deliver what every NPGMC member knows he can.

this is very well written...however i think the year ends in february cos technically that's when we joined...and the first year began in february...

but i would recommend sending this to them..seriously...i think you raise some valid points without ever getting 'mean' or whatever...they should read it at least...

Prince cannot tour everywhere...this is true. Still the US, Europe, Japan, and rumored Australia is quite an accomplishment.

The Year ends on Dec31st per the website and emails with the NPGMC.

Of course, why they haven't started the "Re-sign up now!" blitz is beyond me.

What went wrong with 2002:

Every aspect of what was offered was marred with problems and troubles.

To finish off the year, he should - Drop the "ONA" Live 3CD set. Put out a Greatest Hits live set instead. The public is going to be more willing to buy another live set in a few years if they have something awsome to go on. I'm positive that a set like that would draw investors and the distributors would cream thier pants.

Give the ONA Live CD set to Club Members to fulfill thier 2002 membership.

What should happen in 2003:

Offer an exclusive 3CD - 28 song set for the 2003 membership. Make it a combo of: CD1 - 7 Live Songs, 7 Alternate Versions of earlier songs, CD2 - 7 Remixes, and 7 new songs, and CD-3 7 LARGE DVD quality Concert Vids.

Offer the ability for the membership to vote for thier favorite of each.

Create a sweet "tourbook" style book full of pics from previous celebrations and thier concerts. Include that with the membership.

Continue to offer preferred seating. Continue to preregister for the Celebration.

DO THAT...and you will have a satisfied membership, you will have something to offer that other artists are already starting to get hip to, and with a Greatest Hits Live album, you'll get your name back in people's mouths, and possibly more members.

Hmmm... well thought in places but a bit tame and to be honest holding back a bit. A bit of gritty honesty needed?
Here's my thoughts:

1) and foremost: There should be a club in 2003.

2) no downloads. please. (songs anyway)

3) how about Prince take a year off. Travel chill and take time out to look around and write some decent stuff.
He seems always mingled up in his plans or his current 'chip on his shoulder'; he never has time to stop and take it all in.
Therefore no demands for Prince to make new music in 2003 or infact tour.

4) Receiving EXCLUSIVE CDs / stuff will make people join BUT you (PRINCE) have gotta get out in2 the music-listening public domain again. Perhaps release a single in year or 2. People will hear it and it will b good and it will entice them to look at the club. The general public don't know much about you and heard even less of your music recently.

5) If u r going to release stuff to members how about before u go on your break u mix and sort out some tracks from your vault to release. I stay away from bootlegs so anything that isn't released I don't have. If u r a bootlegger u shouldn't mind getting the vault songs as U ain't paid PRINCE zip for the bootlegs u have... u r just ripping him off.

6) Think about the quality of the stuff u r putting out.

7) It's difficult deciding what to do but Mr. Nelson and the NPGMC has my sympathy and patience... but these things are finite and dont last 4 ever.

8) If I got 4 Albums worth of Vault stuff for $100 / £70 I would think thats a bit of a rip-off.. $25 each! So either the costs go down or the number of albums goes up.

9) Like the bro' said at the start of this thread there are many good ideas at play but sometimes they don't work or haven't been put in2 effect.

Let me give u an example.
3 of my friends wanted to see Prince live. But when I called up the NPGMC site and it showed $100 / £70 a ticket all of them said no.
£70 for a concert ticket is just offensive. In the end I didnt even buy my tickets from NPGMC cuz the price was £45 from the actual concert venue.
In the end one of my 3 friends decided to pay £45 with me and he was very disappointed with the concert. I enjoyed the concert but it wasn't anything outstanding and if I had paid £70 I would have been very bitter.

8) Don't release one version of something to the general public and another to NPGMC members. EXCLUSIVE means more joiners.

I really hope that the negativity that is often communicated here by a few, doesn't discourage Prince from continuing with the music club and the benefits it has offered. I for one would hate to see the music club go back to the downloads. I am not as technologically inclined as perhaps the rest of some of you and I much prefer to have his creations on CD. Overall I've been pleased with the music club.
I did not join the club with an idea that by doing so I should feel justified to make demands / requests or whatever you might term this. I truely think that due to Prince's own demands / schedule that he imposes on himself daily as he spends countless hours creating music, rehearsing and delivering performances (like no other artist does), managing, generating ideas for marketing, etc, etc has created such a high standard that he has spoiled his fan base and their appetites have become insatiable. While this is good from the perspective that people are interested and ready for what comes next, it at times, takes on a negative aura when it becomes more than just excited anticipation and turns to complaining or whining about one's glass being half empty so to speak.
There are other music or fan clubs out there where you can pay for membership and get preferred seating. These range anywhere from $35 for basic membership (with no promise of CDS I might add) to near $500 to get seats in the first three rows and a backstage pass (but still no promise of any CDs).
The NPGMC commentary is correct when it references that for years some of Prince's best supporters could never get good seats. In fact, sometimes his best supporters couldn't get seats at all due to the hassles with the ticketing and the scalpers. I'm glad this hassle is over. Sure, things are not perfect - but neither is life. There is always room for improvement, but I think it can be frustrating and hurtful to an artist who gives so much of himself to only hear grumbling.
We need to stop focusing on what we "want" and appreciate what we have and the opportunities we have been given.
Universal Love,
AnimalKingdom

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4) Receiving EXCLUSIVE CDs / stuff will make people join BUT you (PRINCE) have gotta get out in2 the music-listening public domain again. Perhaps release a single in year or 2. People will hear it and it will b good and it will entice them to look at the club. The general public don't know much about you and heard even less of your music recently.
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Prince _is_ trying to get back into the public with releases like TRC and this new Live Set. TRC has been well received by critics. If he really wants to get back into the public, he needs something like a Live set, just not this one. A definitive set of his Greatest hits. I mean, Kiss, U Got the Look, Gett Off, Do Me Baby, Purple Rain. And to really go balls out, accompany it with a DVD of said performances. This set could be put together by the Summer. This would be the set that would sell.


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8) If I got 4 Albums worth of Vault stuff for $100 / £70 I would think thats a bit of a rip-off.. $25 each! So either the costs go down or the number of albums goes up.
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How about, 3CDs, a DVD, and a tourbook?


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Let me give u an example.
3 of my friends wanted to see Prince live. But when I called up the NPGMC site and it showed $100 / £70 a ticket all of them said no.
£70 for a concert ticket is just offensive. In the end I didnt even buy my tickets from NPGMC cuz the price was £45 from the actual concert venue.
In the end one of my 3 friends decided to pay £45 with me and he was very disappointed with the concert. I enjoyed the concert but it wasn't anything outstanding and if I had paid £70 I would have been very bitter.
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Exactly why a release like ONA: Live is not going to be a big seller. Seriously...Prince needs to show that he is still marketable if he wants a reliable distributor who will can offer a good deal.

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8) Don't release one version of something to the general public and another to NPGMC members. EXCLUSIVE means more joiners.
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I couldn't agree with this more. His music isn't made just for Fans. His music is made for EVERYBODY.


- Cheers

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AnimalKingdom said: I did not join the club with an idea that by doing so I should feel justified to make demands / requests or whatever you might term this.
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I joined to club to support Prince in his endevour to work ouside of the system. I want Prince to have an effective machine that caters to his workload and provides for those who support him. I want Prince to establish an effective business model that will cause other artists to take a peak and say, "Interesting...". I feel justified to make any SUGGESTIONS and offer any OPINIONS I may have as I am a person of free will with the protected freedom of speech.

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I truely think that due to Prince's own demands / schedule that he imposes on himself daily as he spends countless hours creating music, rehearsing and delivering performances (like no other artist does), managing, generating ideas for marketing, etc, etc has created such a high standard that he has spoiled his fan base and their appetites have become insatiable. While this is good from the perspective that people are interested and ready for what comes next, it at times, takes on a negative aura when it becomes more than just excited anticipation and turns to complaining or whining about one's glass being half empty so to speak.
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Who else will speak of these things? Do you think that evolution just comes about without any interaction from the environment in which an organism (or in this case, an organization) resides? A business needs people who are critical and come with solutions to perceived problems.

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The NPGMC commentary is correct when it references that for years some of Prince's best supporters could never get good seats. In fact, sometimes his best supporters couldn't get seats at all due to the hassles with the ticketing and the scalpers.
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Let me tell you this: Prince's "best" supporters ALWAYS found a way to visit multiple shows, stayed out early for that great place in line, and was willing to drop dough on scalpers to get great seats to a concert. Think of it this way: I go to one show: $100 for the membership, $125 for the ticket. That's $225 dollars that I would be able to offer a scalper, and I guarantee that I'd land within the first 10 rows, just like any NPGMC member. The fact of the matter is, I probably could have paid $40 and gotten a good seat in the front of the mezzanine and gotten the same great show.

- Cheers

PRINCE - Take some time off. Be inspired and write some more amazing songs and produce an album as strong as TRC (but please, no voiceover - IMHO)

However, to keep us all happy, keep the club going. Promise us 4-5 CDs made up of vault material. These could be made ready at beginning of the year and just released periodically. Throw in a couple of special treats throughout the year (a few downloads perhaps) and MOST people will be very happy with their $100 worth (well I will).

Vault CDs should have between 12 and 15 songs each and be grouped by era, for example:

The Vault - 1978-1982 Prince
The Vault - 1983-1986 Prince and the Revolution
The Vault - 1987-1990 Prince
The Vault - 1991-1993 Prince and the NPG
The Vault - 1994-1999 O+>

Well I'd just love that!
[This message was edited Fri Nov 8 9:39:08 PST 2002 by jaypotton]
[This message was edited Fri Nov 8 9:39:49 PST 2002 by jaypotton]