imo your statement is indeed the most heartfelt. I will make no further comments on this subject matter. Thank you so very much for it has touched me deeply.

There's not enough coffee in the world for me this morning.

i dislike the man but like the music.

Huh? IMO, an artist's songs are a reflection of who he is as a person. So your statement confuses me. If you dig the songs, how can you *not* dig the person behind them?

They don't here me though.

Any time there is a problem, people need to point the finger and assess fault. On one side you have people who would blame Prince for every thing including the birth of octuplets to a girl with 6 kids already... and you have those who treat Prince as a God who must be cleansed in purified waters and fed sacrificial lambs else we bring forth his wrath.

But the truth is always in the middle and is where common sense dwells.

Think what you may of HQ.com... but the administration there has always pushed the envelope and were never apologetic about it choosing instead to accept the consequences of their actions because they felt it was better for themselves and the fans who supported them. Prince has always been a controlling bitch... period. The two parties have bumped heads... and this time Aaron said fuck it game over.

Last note.... there is a huge difference between fans posting graphics in threads which use in part other images, thereby turning them into new works of art... vs. using 'specific' imagery as a fixed part of a web site. One is fair usage and all Prince really can do is moan if he doesn't like it... the other 'can' cross into misleading representation and/or could come into direct conflict with Prince's similar interest... ie his on website, which apparently was the issue here.

Prince.org comes across as more a pure fan site... Housequake.com was about fans... but in its slick presentation always came across as something more 'official'. Prince choose to deal with them like a business whose existence he didn't want compromising his own plans. Using lotusflow3r.com inspired imagery in it's header ran the risk of clouding other Prince fan's... the 80-90% who don't use the fans sites regularly... perception of which site was official. And that... the Prince we know...could not allow. So he tried to control them in what ever legal way he could. Aaron did not have tto shut the site down... he did it likely because he got frustrated and/or to make a statement.

I talk politics all over the internet but I have a certain affection for the Org's P&R. As long as Ben let's me (Or Prince gets jealous that even with his what 5th or 6th site now, more folks STILL prefer to hang out here and shuts it down too!) I'll keep coming!

i dislike the man but like the music.

Huh? IMO, an artist's songs are a reflection of who he is as a person. So your statement confuses me. If you dig the songs, how can you *not* dig the person behind them?

Huh? IMO, an artist's songs are a reflection of who he is as a person. So your statement confuses me. If you dig the songs, how can you *not* dig the person behind them?

Huh? IMO, an artist's songs are a reflection of who he is as a person. So your statement confuses me. If you dig the songs, how can you *not* dig the person behind them?

well well housepuke has spit the dummy outta the pram cause Prince and co told them they didnt like a certain thing, after reading all the posts how people are not going to spend a penny on prince's music - GET A GRIP its a website nothing more nothing less. You dont like prince fine dont buy his music but for gods sake its not the end of the world.

It was all okay when Prince was offering things like tickets to the book launch etc through HQ a site he apparently hates so much.

i can *not* dig the person because of how he continues to conduct his personal life and how he treats his fans. my opinion. you are entitled to yours.

you didn't answer which box you think i belong in. am i entitled to be on this site or not?

i can *not* dig the person because of how he continues to conduct his personal life and how he treats his fans. my opinion. you are entitled to yours.

you didn't answer which box you think i belong in. am i entitled to be on this site or not?

Oh please. I didn't even name manes when I said that. If it applies to you, then so be it. If not, then keep the party movin'.

Love Prince. I save that for someone I know personally but don't say someone shouldn't post here because you don't agree with them. That leads to an us v. them mentality as well.

And Supa has no clique.

The music IS the person, though. It is born out of their heart and mind. I guess I just can't see how you can separate the man from his music.

I'm not saying you've got to LOVE the artist (or the music) blindly, as Vendetta1 and others have accused me and other P supporters of doing. I'll admit Prince is FAR from being able to "do no wrong." However I feel if the respect isn't there on your part for Prince as a human being, then the best thing to do is cut your losses and move on.

The org is a site for Prince fans. If you're no longer a fan, you shouldn't be here. Go create your own "Prince fans from 1976 up to 2009" forum and post there. Don't berate others who continue to love him because you no longer do (I'm speaking more to Supa and his clique here.)

To answer your question, No, I do not think you should be here. But as long as you speak constructively and do not promote the "us vs. them" agenda that some do, I've got no beef with you being here.

i appreciate your response but fortunately this site and housequake are public sites and open to all - something that we can thank aaron and ben margolin for... not princeypoo. (where the hell would we be without those two? )

perhaps you could take your own advice and start up your own site for strictly "true" fans... but wait. it's hard to run a site like this. it takes MONEY and good equipment and a high tolerance for bullshit. and what happens when prince's crew starts strong-arming you and threatening to sue you till your bankrupt? will you still sing his praises as a human being? if not will your appreciation for his music suddenly evaporate? of course not.
neighbor. i've traveled long distances to meet other prince fans (yes, i consider myself a fan since ummm... i am a fan of the music ) but i guess a trip to SD isn't going to be in the works anytime soon since you've suggested i "cut my losses" oh well. guess i'll just have to plan on meeting up with vendetta and supa instead

sometimes i think it can be said that art can transcend the person who crafts it. for example, i think woody allen is a miserable human being, but i think he's written and directed some great movies. i think his art is bigger than he is as a person. it's a gift, i guess, to be a channel of creativity like that.

And that is the reason why I will never abandon his work pre-body snatch.

There's not enough coffee in the world for me this morning.

I would love to meet you.