I know that we've all got different opinions on the NPGMC and whether we've been treated fairly or not, but the one universal thing that everybody must agree on is that Prince has unintentionally created a club that, instead of bringing the fans together, has torn them into two. There does seem to be an either 'For' or 'Against' bias towards it, and regardless of what we all think about the Club, it's such a shame that it's become such a centrepiece of controversy.

It's no good one person saying 'You're wrong for complaining about what the club's offered' or 'You're stupid for thinking that the club is good value'. The fact is that some people are happy with it and some people are unhappy with it. And it's the fact that a rather large number of people ARE unhappy with it that should be a concern for all of us.
Will Prince stop the NPGMC? I certainly hope not. I would, however, like to see proof that he's accepted that many members are unhappy and will try to make amends - regardless of whether he (or other members) thinks some members are right to complain or not. After all, it will be him who will be losing people's $$$ next year and I would have thought that no business, or indeed Artist, would want people to feel unhappy by the way they've been treated by their enterprise.
As a personal point of view, I feel that if he sent the Xenophobia studio album to 2002 members during January, there would be a lot of people here who's opinion of the club would rise hugely (it would definitely work for me), and the people who ARE happy with the club would be even more so (I could be wrong).
Even so, regardless of opinions (including mine) it's a shame that the club membership has come to this.
I'm not looking for controversy here (though I may get it), I'm just hoping that others agree with me that the situation re: NPGMC isn't what any of us want.

Maybe I'm just fed up with fighting the battle.

I certainly won't be joining NPGMC next year from day one. I'll wait until I hear the (hopefully) good results on the Org and then contemplate joining - after all, I'm a huge fan of Prince and have been since 1985, and the music still rocks! I'm just not sure about the NPGMC...

Haystack said:

jeezus, so what? Dont join..more for us that know how to get what the club offers

Satisfied or not, I've seen quite a lot of fuel thrown into the fire of people who were merely expressing dissatisfaction and wanted improvements, to people who aren't in the club wanting it shut down.

We all want improvements in every aspect of our lives. It's unfortunate that instead of unifying, so many chose to condemn, attack, and to degrade each other, even chosing to do this to the club out in public - sorta embarrassing to have all the dirty laundry everywhere. I always thought we were above all that.

It seems to me that we have our own issues to deal with.

I have a fear. It is not founded on much, but I'm concerned nonetheless.

My fear is that Prince is trying, or at least very willing, to alienate most of the thinking members of his fanbase. With his divisive lyrics, his rejection/modification of his old music, and his less than stellar business practices, I have to wonder if he is trying to pare us down to a little, loyal flock for him to do his Work on.

Probably more likely, he is just out of touch to some degree or another. I asked him at the Vancouver soundcheck if he cared what we wanted (I didn't mean to sound so blunt, but I was talking to PRINCE, cut me some slack, ok? ;> ). He kind of looked at me like he was offended, but he answered, and didn't say "yes". He said, "I think I have a pretty good idea of what you want." Not in a snide way at all; I think he really meant just that. He thinks he knows what the majority of us want. I'm just not sure he's RIGHT about that!

I do think that the NPGMC needs to do things very, very differently, don't get me wrong. And if my aforementioned fear turns out to be right, I won't be in that flock. But for now, he intrigues me, and I want to see what he's going to do. I would love it if others would try to have a more open attitude about the whole thing as well, rather than getting nasty about it.

Doves,
Mel!ssa
[This message was edited Mon Dec 16 16:42:52 PST 2002 by tackam]

What a huge difference this year as compared to the ending of year one of the Music Club!I believe Prince does care about what we want. Remember at the beginning of the ONA tour when members were'nt getting the promised seats? Well he jumped right in and got things fixed. When he remembers what it's like to be a fan and not the artist that's when most of us are happy. He did try a change from the monthly downloads because there were quite a few people complaining about that format. If he would just show some sympathy when people complain about there dissapointment in the club and what they percieve to be a waste of 100.00...Calling it an experiment is not what people want to hear when they shell out there hard earned money...I can see the situation from both sides and hopefully Prince comes to a nice solution...No, he won't make everyone happy but he can do more to show his love/gratitude for our support...People just want to know that he's listening...Listen to the lyrics of Money Don't Matter 2nite...He sounds like the one who has no respect for money...

BLACKMF said:

"More" what, you git? You think they're going to send you double the amount of music when the club is reduced in its membership to you and half a dozen other sheep? FACE once again talks out of his ass.
[This message was edited Tue Dec 17 1:38:21 PST 2002 by mediadarling]

BLACKMF said:

why don't you just go away for once and for all with your selfish selfcentered stinking ass comments all the time.
~Haystack makes a lot of sense

you on the other hand ECXLUSIVELY talk SHIT.

LaVisHh said:

I am afraid that many people see the most complainers in the wrong way with allegations of trying to "shutting down" and such. i think that's all nonsense.

But the problem is that the npgmc has done everything to hide their dirty laundry.

that's exactly the problem because the relationship between the club and the members who didn't get what they were promised gets divide when the npgmc/prince doesn't do nor say anything to make it better. some people refuse to let themselves be treated that way. If the npgmc keeps on refusing to deal with them in a proper, respectfull and honest way, the dirty laundry will get out it in the open. It's their own fault, I wish some more people would finally see and admit to that, because it's crystal clear.

The divide between fans is because there is just way too many fanatics, like that Face figure, who think that prince can do absolutely no wrong and are clearly wishing for other fans to leave the club so they can have "more" , ... now THAT is selfish.
Some fanatics are just totally blind. That is what causing this divide between the fans,.

-
[This message was edited Tue Dec 17 2:21:22 PST 2002 by Abrazo]