I remember when a new Prince release was real exciting. I couldn't wait to go buy it. I'd be opening the discs pretty much before I'd left the shop to take a peek. Just reading the insert and looking at the pictures would do it for me. Then there would be the agonising trip home, having to wait those long minutes until I could hear these new songs.

I when I finally heard the album, wow. It was just a great experience. Getting to know the songs, listening to them over and over again. Talking to friends about the album, and taking in all the hype. Yes, a new Prince release used to be a real exciting experience. It just felt great.

Anyway, for those who haven't twigged where this is going, I finally recived my NEWS disc yesterday. I wasn't excited at all, infact I still haven't taken off the shrink wrap. And I probably won't get around to listening to it for a few days. Thats just the way I feel.

Now, I'm not saying that I won't think that NEWS is a good album. From the previews, its right up my street, and I'll probably love it, but the whole Prince experience for me is different now. The excitement has been replaced by the inevitible, and expected delay in receiveing my NPGMC order. And the hype that I used to share with other Prince fans has been replaced by the many "...Still haven't recived NEWS" forum threads, and other stories of woe.

I guess I just wanted to say 'Thank you NPGMC'.

gambool said:

I know exactly how you feel...i say Prince wake up and sign up with a record company.

Hmmm, to experiance new music by the man is still one of the biggest thrills for me !

And I've been around !!

I feel like this too, and I can see a few reasons why I lose my excitement for a new release.

One, in the Internet age there's just too much information. In the old days the only source of information I had was the guy behind the counter of the unknowledgable record shop. Looking for the new album would be a matter of checking once a week. But now, here we are hearing about a new album 24/7, where it's arriving and when, etc., and it just takes away from the mystery of it all.

Two, in the old days when the album was released by a third party there wasn't the idea of it coming directly from Prince. Therefore we couldn't get miffed at Prince personally if the record was delayed. Now, Prince is directly responsible for timing, so if we get angry then it's anger directly at the artist. It's difficult to be excited by the music when you're angry at the musician.

Three, maybe some of us have had our 'yearly' new album too many times, and the excitement has simply worn off? I've been anticipating new albums since 1992 (the symbol album, the first new album since I became a fan), and it's not easy to get hyped after ten years of this, even if the music is better than back then. Plenty of us have been doing this for over twenty years!

In terms of N.E.W.S., a lot of the hype was lost when I saw the packaging. It's just so impractical, something a high school student would come up with.

But to counter all these points, I love the new music. I'm just not hyped, that's all.
[This message was edited Wed Aug 6 1:46:00 PDT 2003 by sabaisabai]

Being a fan these days has become a job.

All this crying is based around the fact that Prince isnt on the charts and MTV anymore. For those of us who are intelligent enough to truly appreciate music that is worth listening to, the new directions that Prince has taken in the last few years are exciting.

There is a difference.

and what is described as "exciting" is so much kid stuff. "Talking to friends" and "taking in hype"??

LaMont said:

Aaawww, what's wrong with that? We as adults have so much serious garbage to deal with everyday so what's the harm in becoming like giggling little teenagers when P puts out some new stuff?!?

I am certainly not like I used to be, but neither is he.

I am still looking forward to the Vegas cD...

stymie said:

I remember when I loved my job.

I remember when SOTT was due to hit the wrecka stows, and the release date was announced in Rolling Stone, and I marked it on the calendar and my mom and I went out and got a copy and then went out to dinner to celebrate and rip the shrinkwrap open in the restaurant...it was a treat, a happening, a celebration. Yeah, I was a kid, but even as I got older it was a ritual to get the new Prince album on the day of release and listen to it ASAP in a cafe or out in the park. It was good.

Nowadays, I'm damned if I order a new Prince CD through the club because who knows what "wave" I'll be in, or what shipping mishaps will occur on the other end, and I'm damned if I wait for it to come out in the wrecka stow - the distribution of NEWS has been so dodgy, I don't even know where I'd go to find it.

Yeah, there's a bit of magic that seems to be gone. And to try to recapture that magic seems more work than it's worth anymore. I'll still get new Prince stuff ASAP, but the anticipation has certainly dulled. It's sad, but what can ya do.

LaMont said:

You missed the point of the thread. The thread isn't about 'appreciating music' but about the excitement of a new release, for whatever factors there are that make a new release exciting or not. Try to understand the topic before you imply your greater intelligence.

Dearest Lamont. Dr, Phil would like to ask you..."Yeah, and how much fun is it to be around you?

Some people walk around with a "screw face" all day, while others give warm smiles.

hell if i know. i missed the halcyon days of princedom due to my age and became a freek durin the sour times (i.e. the days of the 'cease and desist' letters)...from the looks of some of the testimonials here a lotta the magic and excitement is indeed gone.

Maybe Prince should hire Eileen Murton to run the club.

gambool said:

I heard she's no longer a fan and with good reason.Another person prince screwed over.

Marrk said:

Poor thing. There's a person who had genuine love for Prince's music only to get it f'd up by Prince's irrational business sense.

I say whenever a new mp3, or a new album is ready to roll, There is some excitment inside me.. but I must say it wasnt what it used to be in the past, but I feel it could be again.. I just think the way things are now, Im not that crazy about it... and yes, its stated above, bein a Prince fan is kindof like a job these days...

gambool said:

I remember those days gambool, I remeber them well and know the feeling. And I am sorry the enjoyment is spoiled by the club's failure of delivery. It could have been so much better...

it's STILL xciting (4 me)!

i still get excited but that excitement is quickly eclipsed by all the poor management of npgmc. the waiting, the checking of the post box everyday, the carelessness with which the releases are handled. its just too much trouble, honestly. when i was 15 and had no other worries, it was fun. now, a release date is announced and still, two months later, you are left waiting for a release. y'all remember the many dates that were given for newpowersoul...and then the product we were offered was "newpowersoul". so not worth the effort on that one.

yeah, i know what you're talking about. i still get excited when ttd has new releases, or tori amos, or madonna. i actually still go to midnite sales for tori...it would be nice to go to one of those for prince. when rave came out i went to virgin megastore with my friend and we bought it. then we went home and had some beers while listening to it for the first, second and third time. all of that is gone. and it shows.

It's also a matter of time and age... when I was a kid in late 80's I went mad for any new relase (album single, videos, even just magazines) about Prince. I used to take the train and go to other cities just to buy a 12" or a mag. I was 14 and mad.
now, 15 years later, I can say that Prince can still interest me a lot, but excitement has gone, especially after I was so disappointed with some releases (New power soul, Rave). I loved Rainbow, but since then I'm still waiting for a big shock from him. NEWS definitely wasn't

i understand every1's point about the xcitement of Prince & what have u. but as i got in2 Prince back in 1996 so i'm still a NEWBIE & i have the xcitement of a TeenAger when it comes 2 New Releases.

i feel like i don't appreciate much in Life & as of the past few weeks i've been on a RollerCoaster of Emotional Self Discovery & it's been gr8. things have got better with me & my wife & my family & sit back & say the day i don't have chills 2 Prince Music anymore is the day i give it up & sell EVERYTHING i own thats Prince Related.

& if that means havine my tat removed by Laser Surgery or somethin' so b it but i can't see or feel that happening.

so the Xcitment as it's been put is still there.

i love the music of Prince so much my wife & i started a Prince Yahoo! Group about him.

if any1's interrested 2 join us here's the Link:


http://groups.yahoo.com/g...loridaNPG/
[This message was edited Sun Aug 10 13:32:40 PDT 2003 by PurpleLove7]

I think I can relate to what you are saying. It's because there's not much hype anymore... I mean in the media or general public regarding Prince. The Prince fans are isolated now within the org itself or other fan clubs. But for the fans, it's still exciting to be a Prince fan, especially when there's a concert, gathering, or a party. His music is still very interesting to the fans and to ME.