I know this has been asked before but should i join the club?

It's been almost a month now since NPGMC 2003 opened but there doesn't seem to be a whole lot on offer yet excpet for being able to say that you're a member.

If i joined today what would i be getting? A heavily Moderated chat forum? Four videos that seem impossible to download?

I mean is the interactive experience alone worth $25?

Your thoughts please...

Nothing really. Just the knowledge you spent $25, joined and hopefully will enjoy future perks and products...

I like it.
I hear there will be concerts...
You could always wait a while longer.
Melody

derek, you'd be getting exactly what you said. unless you can't figure out how to get around the club's streaming-only policy and download the videos. otherwise you would just be able to watch them on the site.

plus, remember, 3 of the videos are gonna be on this dvd, whenever that comes out. and jam of the year at brixton is nice, but i mean TRUST ME y'ain't missin' NUTHIN'. maybe if he put the whole concert up - and even still, i mean that WAS the worst never-ending tour of his career (IMO), so it sure wouldn't be my first choice. how about one of the act I or act II shows? hell, edit the fuck out of it, it would still be better than jam of the year, shit.

whow knows, maybe we'll actually get something for our "donation", but if so, you'll hear about it, and you can always join then. i guess (?) i'm happy i joined b/c i was one of the lucky few who got the first reflection song, but so far $25 for 3 minutes isn't such a great deal.

but it's new prince music, and i'm a lifelong purple rock addict, so i'll pay anything apparently.

sigh.

derek said: If i joined today what would i be getting? A heavily Moderated chat forum? Four videos that seem impossible to download?

derek said:

Don't join. Yet. Wait and see what - if anything - changes on the site. You get better news and views on the org.

If you ask me, yes! join the club I like it...

Unless $25 is a problem, I say you may as well join. Initially, it's fun just to wander around the house and the novelty of that combined with the knowledge that anything new might appear at any moment (and let's hope it does) keeps you interested. And the music in the Reflection Room rotates so quickly, you wouldn't want to be missing out on a song that's only there for a short time.

With regards to the Forums/Chat, I find the forums strangely static. The only forum of any interest in my opinion is the Knowledge Forum. There's a few interesting threads started there, but the rest of the forums are seemingly devoid of actual discussion. The Members Connection forum is a good idea and is quite active, but consists mainly of 'How old are you', 'Where are you from' type threads, and they're nowhere near as good as the threads here, on the Org.

It's not so much the moderating, it's just I get the feeling that most people there are hoping that Prince will read the forums and see their 'positive' posts and invite them for a private chat, or something. And that's it's major downfall. It stops all discussion. There's an overly large population of people using Princebonics and 'shouting out' to all the 'famz' etc. Nothing wrong with that if it's honest, genuine and if they really use that style of writing generally, but I just get that feeling that they're only writing that way to impress Prince by speaking the same way as him and agreeing with everything he says/does. But that's just my opinion as a little bit of a cynic. It's entertaining to read some of these positivity obsessed posts, regardless. Don't get the wrong idea though, I would say that most people there are genuine and it's nice to see people being respectful and pleasant to each other - but some people really do take it a bit far. Also, you are always wary of what you're saying and how it will be construed by anybody 'official' and you really shouldn't have to feel that way on a discussion forum.

The chat, however, is okay so long as you follow the rules. I suppose that it's fair enough that they don't want cursing on the chat, and I suppose that personal insults are quite rightly not welcome (unless it's Ronan Keating in which case, apparently, you can call him a thief and everything). Also, it can be a little cliquey. But then again, when I chat, it's normally only to other Orgers so I suppose I'm doing the same.

But the chat and forums are only a small part of the site. For $25 you get nothing guaranteed, but the possibility of things happening at any point. I haven't missed the money at all and at this stage, if the site wasn't updated ever again this year, I'd be extremely annoyed but would still feel that I'd got my money's worth. I've paid more than $25(equivalent) on PC games that I've used much less than the NPGMC already.

I say join.

However, after all I've said, if you're on a slow internet connection, it might be a different story.

haystack, you are one of the most thoughtful, intelligent posters on the org (and so obviously that goes for the club as well!)...

thanks for being you.

love that avatar.

don't blame it on yer jockstrap, full o' jizz
mentality's so insane
i got a tech-9 too and it's called my brain
shoot another brother, not today
death from envy is the only way
i can tear shit up y'all, that's my style
these are the days of wild - hit me!

For me, it's a worthwhile $25 donation to my favorite musician/artist. I want to support him, give him whatever he needs, so that he finds further inspiration to create music.

If I could talk to him, I'd tell him that I don't expect or require expensive animation or complex interactive features to hold my interest or maintain my support. The Club site could offer far less flash, perhaps more news and insights about the artist and his work, and whatever music he's ready to let us hear. Of course the greatest Club benefit of all remains advanced purchase/access to live performances.

So I would say, yes, join if you support Prince, the musician and artist. Join with limited expectations. For me, it feels like a true donation - one I would happily make again.

Worth is real subjective so that's a question you'll have to figure outfor yourself. As far as the videos go, there's a bunch of posts here telling you to download them so it ain't that impossible. Personally, I expect more than what we've got so far in terms of new/previously unreleased music, but it's real early at this point so I'm willing to wait and see for now.

Mmmm...i think i might join as Prince is really the only artist that i would pay to join up on the internet.

I just wish he was more personal with his fans.

Regular updates or writings from himself, telling people what he's doing, what he's been thinking - you know, just stuff that makes him human!!

So many other artists do this on their websites and i think that while most them are pretty boring musically - the fact that they are personable makes that connection a lot stronger.

Anyways, gotta go and dust off my Visa card...see you in the Knowledge room...

you probably spent $25 this week on coffee. what's the biggie?

It seems that you already answered your own question.
It seems that you know what's going on, so you can make your own judgement.
If we tell you to join, and you'll get disappointed, will you blame us for convincing you?

derek: dont waste ur money.

wait til there is a concert down here

YEAH RIGHT!


or there is actual new MUSIC in the MUSIC CLUB

DonnieDarko said:

yeah but its $40au.
derek is in australia.

its alotta fuckin money 2 spend on a forum & chat room & 'rooms of reflection & knowledge'.

Hmmm... I'm a member and I enjoy the club.

But don't you join... please, no. No is my answer. Don't join.