these fan sites exist to serve the fan community.

these fan sites celebrate the persona and artistry of prince, but these sites do not exist to serve prince.

because this is true, i think it's counterproductive of aaron to shut down HQ in reaction to a request from prince's camp.

(and i'm saying this as someone who has his fingers crossed that HQ will reopen soon.)

the end result is, the fan community suffers.

and these sites exist to serve the fan community.

the end result is, we all cower once again at the gravity of prince's ever-evolving rules and regulations regarding online behavior.

yet these sites do not exist to serve prince.

(and i'm saying this as someone who has been all too pleased to help out prince's camp with whatever they've needed with regards to the org, and i'm also saying this as someone who has acquired a great deal of patience for prince's demands (if i do say so myself, lol).)

i think aaron should reconsider his decision and re-open HQ. i think he should think long and hard about the focus of his site, and how best to serve the intended audience of an unofficial fan site.

i think there's a way to bridge the gap between prince's camp and a proudly independent fan site. i think there's a way to balance diplomacy and compromise with strong standards and firm boundaries. i think once you work that recipe out, it benefits the fans, it keeps our favorite purple people eater appeased, and everyone gets what they wants or at least they don't care as much about what they can't have.

i don't blame aaron for locking up HQ for good. i really don't. but i really hope he finds a way to bring it back, because it would make a lot of people happy.

and it's THOSE people who HQ - and the .org - serve.

squirrelgrease said:

It's normal for me.

funkteer said:

What are you even talking about?

Mars23 said:

made you look!

emm said:

almost made me look too but I resisted the void

That's it!!

Prince can officially go fuck himself. What Anxiety says is true, and IMO, he needs to concentrate on his shit site and leave the org alone.

Awww shit, there's gonna be a run at OWB!

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

So Supa...dear.... I just have to ask you then, if you say you come here for the "fan community" then why are you b*tching "harder" than those that actually come to this site to discuss Prince's music and other related stuff, over a decision by a site owner taking it upon himself to close the site for apparently his own reasons?

It is not like the HQ Administrator, came here on the org and actually explained why he closed it down without notifying members in advance. I think a lot of people are "jumping the gun" without hearing the facts directly from Aaron. I don't know Aaron, but I know he owned HQ. Secondly, I'm still trying to figure out why many here are putting the blame on Prince for Aaron's own decision to close HQ for a while out of frustration, as though Prince snapped his fingers and told him to close HQ. Carry on.
[Edited 1/30/09 18:54pm]

squirrelgrease said:

No actually the site is still viewable as it was earlier today. I bet all of you will be clicking into the lotus site tomorrow though, so you may as well get all your b*tching out now...mm'kay?
[Edited 1/30/09 19:03pm]

dothejump said:

prejudiced? naw ..calling a spade a spade ..

2elijah said:

I'm pissed because of the Climate PRince has created. The hostility is HIS DOING. Did Aaron overreact? Maybe and probably. But being that we all had to band together and the site owners had to get lawyers to address the whole PFU thing, I doubt him receiving a letter dictating orders to him is seen as something trivial.

If Prince wanted to he could target this site for stupid shit too. and then what? I wouldn't be able to argue with you!

Besides, the most sickeningly thing about all of this is Prince is griping about his fucking symbol image and as a JW he shouldn't even be celebrating, or using it because it's self idolotry!

Also, if he wants such strict control on his lotusflower project, why is he then handing out images and things knowing that takes it out of his control?! It's all so juvenile and stupid and the fact that we wouldn't be able to argue anymore, and sometimes agree, does piss me off

benni said:

LMBO! I'm not touching that one! [/quote]

i'm open 4 dialect

i'm open 4 change

i'm open 2 xpressing one's mind and thoughts without shackles

shame some want 2 still shackle the truth tho

why dont housequake and prince org join forces?

seems odd to me to have 2 different sites

but anyway, at least the quake does not kick me off for trying to be funny

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

First: But the PFU thing was almost 2 years ago....Jaysus!

Secondly, Aaron made the decision to close HQ and you should at least wait to see if he will make some type of full explanation why.

Thirdly, yes, it would be a great loss to you, if you would not get to argue with me, because I love it when you get mad and I ignore you for a while and then you beg to come back...okay, that last part was over-emphasized, but..yeah.

Fourthly (Fourthly?? Is that such a term? ) Anyway, Why is it a surprise to you that Prince protects his material? You've been a fan long enough to know how serious he takes his craft. Why act surprised and over-emotional all of a sudden? Dude, you're starting to sound a little like the Norman Bates character in Psycho with your rantings.

Fifthly (so what there's no such term as fifthly, I'm saying it anyway ) The symbol image is his..is it not trademarked?

Sixth - If the symbol is trademarked then permission should be requested from the owner of a trademark before using it right? Then you say he shouldn't be using the symbol because of his faith? Well, did you stop to think that, maybe that could be the reason why he doesn't want anyone using his symbol? Because could it be possible that he feels those using it, would use like a sign of worship to him which it apparently seems he doesn't want them to do? Was the symbol included in the banner that the fan created on HQ?

Seventh The lotusflower site is his, is it not? So whose to tell him what to do with it, if he is the owner? As far as the banners, apparently he was nice enough to have some trust in giving it to HQ to share, but it seems a different banner that was possibly similar to it created by a fan,could have possibly been mistaken to be part of the lotusflower site; at least according to what some members posted here (feel free to correct me), but both the original and fan created banners were placed on the "same" site (HQ).

Eighth....I think losing your hair over someone's decision to close down a site, is not worth getting crazy over. So shouldn't you be airing your b*tchiosity towards Aaron instead of Prince? Just sayin'.

Ninth - and...No, I don't drink koolaid, too much acid in it.

Tenth - Supa, dude....just calm your ass down and chill, it's not the end of the world, life goes on...besides you know darn well you'll be clicking into the P's site tomorrow to see if its' up ..so stop trippin'
[Edited 1/30/09 20:42pm]

Mars23 said:

It came back up. It was black, I tell you.

L4OATheOriginal said:

I think benni means when there was a site or something called "Love4One Another"

squirrelgrease said:

Okay, I just happen to click on it after you posted that, and it came up for me. I know last week, it was taking some time to load for others, maybe there was a glitch for a minute.
[Edited 1/30/09 19:52pm]

squirrelgrease said:

2the9s said:

Has anyone told Prince's people about MSDMD? Just spit-balling here.

luv4u said:

Thanks. I needed that. I felt like fucking Chicken Little for a minute...

squirrelgrease said:

we all get our urges, but dang.

Anxiety said:

that's hot...

pplrain said:

Damn straight! He appreciates his fans!

Anxiety said:

having thought about it for a while now I think that Aaron shouldn't have used the fan-made banner BUT I really can't see the harm it did... I think at the end of the day this is indeed the straw that broke the camels back - something so trivial..but I completely understand why aaron has had enough...I think it's a shame if HQ doesn't come back up cos it won't be just Prince that misses out - it is 'US' that really miss out - I've made some good friends and read a lot of cool things there..and here....and it'd be shame for that not to continue...

can you imagine, keeping this kind of dictatorship in the back of your mind, if LotusFlow3r has a message board like this, how absolutely crap it would be....there was very little freedom of speech at NPGMC, and I think Prince is even more paranoid nowdays...
the other thing to keep in mind, if he does this now to HQ, don't believe for a second that he won't do the same here at the org...

Prince didn't close HQ down, no, but because of the control-freak-bullying tendencies towards his fan-base over the years he's worn down more than just aaron....

we must understand that to Prince, it seems, a fan is a bad thing...how does that make you, a fan, feel? (not a fanatic BTW)

Sure I'll still get the albums - hell maybe I will pay for them, after all he didn't tell HQ to close in so many words....but I won't close my eyes like some here and pretend Prince isn't what he is....a bully...."Do as I say, not as I do' ....

Prince is like a fictional character to me - the reality isn't anywhere near as cool as the image he projects...
[Edited 1/30/09 20:37pm]

Anxiety said:

That was beautiful man!

japanrocks said:

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

I don't get why people think it would be ok to take an official image, even after being given some by Prince, manipulate it into something else and then post it as the header on their site and not expect a backlash. Especially given the history... Even among the fans, it caused confusion as to whether it was official or not. The issue could be something like Prince not liking the design and since it was made of parts from his site, wouldn't want people to think it was something of his.


I love HQ and could definitely continue to love it without a snazzy header. Just put the site name there, so it emphasizes it's own identity and be done with all bs the header has caused them.

Prince has always said to the "Fansites" that operated using his images...etc...that there are a set of rules to follow. Those are his requests and its always been that way. I really hope the fun is restored back into the music. I think added with the pressures happening in the world right now (financial and whatnot), people are already pissed off from jump. It's not gonna take much to push people over the edge and jump to decisions.

When the work you do no longer is fun and becomes a task rather than a joy, its time for all parties to walk away with their self-respect. That can be said to those on both sides of the fence.

I am no longer shocked or appalled by anything that happens on the Princeternet. I'm all out of moral outrage. What I had left over from 1997 got used up in 2007.

This is just the way it is. And ever will be.....

It truly is a strange relationship that we hold onto.