When U go to NPGMC , I saw this :
"
Each 2002 member will receive at least 4 new Prince CDs in the mail from Paisley Park b4 the end of 2002.
"

Where's the word exclusive ?
Averyone is tellin' that members get EXCLUSIVE cd's , not available in stores . But look at the NPGMC site , there's nothing mentioned about exclusive cd's . In that case ONA LIVE are indeed 3 cd's , on this moment they're 3 NEW cd's . Add ONA with it and a member gets 4 cd's a year .
The site says also that members will get downloads , as far as i remember, 1+1+1=3 and silicon are downloadable .
So , actually NPGMC is not lying to us .

They 're only not offering much to the people who paid to be a member . Ok, there's the fact that members had the soundcheck and the party , but they had to pay for it .

Why does Prince not let us download concerts or avi's from the shows ?

PRINCE PLAYING A EXCLUSIVE MEMBER CONCERT BROADCASTED ON HIS MEMBERSITE , THAT WOULD BE COOL , BUT APPARENTLY THE SERVERS IN PAISLEY PARK OR WHEREEVER THEY ARE ARE NOT CAPABLE TO SURVIVE A LOT OF LOGINS . REMEMBER NPGMC BEING EXTREMELY SLOW OR CRASHING WHEN THERE WERE PRESALES .

In defense of those who have used the word exclusive, the join page has been changed many times throughout the year. What you see now, is not what it used to say. Some members saved and/or printed out that page when they joined.

As for me, the understanding was we get the music first, as members.

This is the original email I received in February 02. It doesn't mention exclusive CDs'. I don't think anything from the club has ever said that the CD's would be exclusive.


High NPGMC,

Year 1 of the NPG Music Club has now drawn 2 a close. The past 12 editions of the NPGMC have given u an unprecedented amount of new music straight from Paisley Park. And we send a heartfelt thank u 2 everyone who joined in this xperience.

But the time 4 downloading has come 2 a close. It's a new year and we would now like 2 offer all r members "The 2002 Package" of the NPG Music Club - New CDs, New Tours, New Xperiences.

As a 2002 member of the NPG Music Club, u will receive at least 4 NEW Prince CDs, just like ones offered in retail stores, that will b mailed 2 u directly thruout the year from Paisley Park. The members-only retail section will b xploding in 2002 with new merchandise including new music, videos, instruments, and npg gear. And once again, u will b given members-only oppor2nities 2 get the best seats in the house on Prince's upcoming world-wide tour.

Prince & The NPG will take the stage all over the world in 2002 2 xplore new dimensions in music in a way u have never heard b4 from Prince. NPGMC 2002 Members will have the chance 2 b there every step of the way xperiencing the music up close and personal, with oppor2nities 4 soundcheck access and aftershow entrance as well.

Plus the NPG Emale Mailing List will have all the latest newz first. The upcoming, improved NPG Chatroom will b THE place 2 chat with the NPG from time 2 time. And there will b special members-only oppor2nities at the Celebration 2002 in Paisley Park this June.

The 2002 Package will b available 4 $100 and cover all of 2002. Members with months left on their old membership will be given options 4 renewing. Visit the site in mid-February 2 access the next xperience. Come and b a part of the 2002 NPG Music Club!

Love4oneanother,
The NPG Music Club 2002

TheEnglishGent said:

Thank you for the repost... "4 new prince cds, just like ones offered in retail stores" LOL couldn't be clearer than that.
[This message was edited Wed Nov 27 4:45:28 PST 2002 by NuPwrSoul]

Just a legal note.

Each and every time a website service makes changes to its agreement, in most cases they give you 30 days notice for major changes and on pay services (unless they reserve the right to make any change without notice) it should post the date and time it was last changed.

NPGMC was generously using the word "exclusive" many times in the past year.

So.. (for those that have screen captures)

Define exclusive

Below is a link to the actual NPG Music Club Membership Agreement. What people, including myself, are referring to with words like exclusive, or first dibs, is what was on the join page at the time of joining, not what anyone got by email or otherwise. I thought I would post this agreement just to show you exactly what it says.

http://www.npgmusicclub.c...PLAY.TERMS

I am not an attorney, but I believe this is what we agreed to when we joined, and that the join page which most of us read (the one that has changed MANY TIMES), thinking that was what we agreed to, is not binding.

Anyone out there with knowledge of Internet commerce? Now I'm curious.

Well the fact that they removed it..doesn't protect them in any way. Let me explain.

You can ask for a copy of the original agreement, and even screen captures of the website when you signed up and NPGMC must supply them to you or the court or they are guilty of something called EXTRINSIC fraud

Extrinsic Fraud are fraudulent acts which keep a person from obtaining information about his/her rights to enforce a contract. This also includes removing words or misleading an ignorant person about the right to sue.

So be happy Enjoy the CDs. Its all good music.

If you're not happy.. and have issues about the word "exclusive" don't get angry or panic.

Savannah said:

Well then...
Let's ask them for a copy of the original agreement.
But how do we know it's original (it's all digital...)?
Anyone remember (other) things that were in there but aren't now?

udo

I notice that the terms in the agreement at the link given are only about the duties of the members. They make no reference to the duties of the club itself. Does this mean I spent $100 on absolutely nothing? (or at least with absolutely no guarantees that I would get anything).

Al (bat400)

TheEnglishGent said:

So, has anyone chatted with members of the NPG from time to time this year?

And I'd hardly call the retail section "explosive." I think I heard a small "pop," though.

"The Club is solely responsible for making all products and/or services that you are entitled by your membership available to you."

This kind of conflicts a great deal with their usual response "all releases are up to Prince."

and...

"The 2002 Package will b available 4 $100 and cover all of 2002."

So there are only 10 months in a year?
[This message was edited Wed Nov 27 4:02:08 PST 2002 by mediadarling]

Shoobey doobey dooo.. heres what u can do..

1. Your Live Set arrives...are there new songs? is this an exclusive when its already in the record stores.. decide

2. If you feel the answer is NO,then you can write to NPGMC. Give them 4 business days to respond to short specific questions you may have, tell them if that they do not answer, you are going to write to the BBB and the press.

3. If NPGMC sends back an email that doesn't address your specific question, inquiry as to why they haven't answered and explain you are considering getting a refund.

4. If NPGMC doesn't answer at all, contact the hosting company of the website (as well as #3)

4. Email a copy of the letter to the BBB http://www.mnd.bbb.org

5. In 5 days you'll get a letter from the BBB.
5a Then you can contact your credit card company.
5b Contact the press about this matter if you want pressure on NPGMC to change things in year 3 at opinion@startribune.com

Then just enjoy the music through other distribution channels No more headaches, fuss, no bitching, no more complaining.

Savannah said:

How would you recommend we present this matter to our credit company? What information needs to be included & what can they do if we've already given NPGMC our $?

mediadarling said:

I don't recommend demanding a refund just yet. Give NPGMC a fair chance. But if you insist, just explain your situation truthfuly to any major credit card and mention the bad rating with the BBB... they are trying to mediate and handle many cases with NPGMC right now And you didn't give NPGMC your $, you paid for a distribution service that is ending in December and perhaps hasn't met the expectations you were led to believe from the website, tourbook or misleading press release.

The ONA seems like a waste of money because it is full of old tracks. I was going 2 buy the set in the music shops but what I have seen from the tracks listing, I do not think I will buy it. If it was full of new music it would have been different.

I have been a prince fan for over 15 years but over the last two years I do not understand what is going wrong with him and his club.

I would have thought he would have made new music for his fans.

When I log onto the Members Retail section it says:

Premium is Exclusive.

That is where I found the word Exclusive.

To whom it may concern...

If i were Prince i would say: Fuck U all (or Funk U all)!!. Go find another artist who makes this kinda music on this kinda scale. I would send the world big fat middle finger.

Sorry to all the people who aren't acting like spoiled childish kids who are never satisfied, but to those who are: I bet that when he would come to visit you on your birthday and would play a private gig, u would complain that he didn't play all the songs you liked and he didn't wanted to sign all you beautifull napkins...bastard!

Just do yourself a favour...unsubscribe and go find another hobby.

Criticism is ok, but this kinda nagging is one of the biggest reasons why there is so much trouble in the world.
[This message was edited Thu Nov 28 2:21:38 PST 2002 by potser]

?
[This message was edited Tue Jun 10 8:47:50 PDT 2003 by IstenSzek]

potser said:

Let me explain the backend of this funny fiasco.

___ ___ ___ ___ ___
P could Charge __7.77 for a month
P could Charge _15.99 for each disk
P could Charge _77.00 for a year
P chose2Charge 100.00 for 10 months
___ ___ ___ ___ ___

That sounds like a "PREMIUM" service for $10 a month. If you live in areas where Prince would never tour.. you can only take advantage of the CDs and thus you pay NPG RECORDS $80 for 8 months of nothing. This is a club isn't it? A member of the club is looking to enjoy the service right? Only an imbecile wouldn't complain.

Little Richard said it best "A little bit of something beats a whole lot o' nothing" But should that little bit of something be for a whopping $100 ten month wait ?

So the bottom line is that P failed to be honest and say up front.. "Give me $100 and you'll see whats behind curtain number 2 at the end of the membership" instead it appears that he learned chinese and said "Fu*k U!

I'm beginning 2 see why P hides behind so many bodyguards

mediadarling said:

That was Prince trying to light a fart over a Xenophobia candle.

Veronica said:

New music? Haven't seen much of that since Dad passed away. Hmmm.. kinda makes u wonder.

savannah forgive me for being blunt but you sound xactly like CJ to me right now. even the link to the Strib

usually i agree with the points you make, in fact i think we've high fived each other on the way the club is sometimes handled but in this case i disagree

i'm happy with what i got. i admit i wasn't exactly satisfied with the way the NPGMC disregarded our requests for specific information, but then again it's been a busy year for prince. and, because i enjoy surprise packages in the mail i'm not holding a grudge because imo the NPGMC fulfilled its contract with us. and they did so on time. (i live in mpls so mine arrived 11/26).
plus, they gave us 5 CDs, not 4.

and this is just my opinion but personally i don't care if the discs are xclusive or not. prince's stuff is bootlegged so much in this day and age it's become a grey area anyhow. i bet we would have received a copy of Xenophobia if someone hadn't ripped prince off on that and pissed him off too.

LaVisHh said:

this is a Better UnderStanding of that word: Xclusive. just thought we'd get somethin' a Tad bit DIFFERENT from every1 else...

MORE MUSIC!!!

XxAxX said:

that's all your personal experience... now... X. If you look it from a more objective viewpoint and list all that went wrong this year aginst what went right... the NPG "musicplant" is not growing.
and you are very generous of your interpretations of their stated obligations. More generous than any lawyer could ever truly get. You don't care whether they are excluisve or not. or whether cd's means albums or just blank cdr's.

udo said:

udo
heres
the
exclusive
person
to
ask

Jesica H
Rep
NPGMC
jhughes@blackwell-law.com

thanks
Tom