Interestingly, also think of this:
in 1983 and 1993 Prince didn't release anything himself. Maybe he takes 03s as gap years.
My guess is he's having a break but recording a studio album which will go out at the end of the year like TRC.
I think the club is scrapped for attracting too many fanatics and also it was badly run and too expensive and i think he got sick of all the responsibility of it.

I think that, due to the controversy, Prince is giving the NPGMusicClub a bit of a break. I'm sure that it will return, but not for a while.

Hopefully he's working out how to make it good for EVERYBODY, so that not many people complain.

I think that the _3 thing is just a co-incidence. At least I hope so. I'd like to see some new studio things this year.

Yeah and just think of the albums he came back with in the '-4 years: Purple Rain and Come... It would b nice to think that 04 would bring something along the same quality lines as those... there's always hope...

unless you count xpectation, which came out right at the strike of 2003...

Hey I never thought of this before but you're right. He has taken the "3" years off (as far as releasing material is concerned).

However he has always been working away furiously and subsequently the "4" years have seen quantity and quality work released:

1984 = Purple Rain album + b-sides + Purple Rain film + numerous outtakes

1994 = Come (released) + Gold Experience (not released until 95) + Beautiful Experience Film + numerous outtakes + NPG's Exodus album (released in 95 though)

Could it be that 2003 will be quiet and then BANG we get a mega album etc

Fingers crossed