High NPGMC

This year's Celebration at Paisley Park in June is shaping up 2 b the best yet. And this year we r looking 4ward 2 having a MEMBERS ONLY Celebration, with all of r closest friends here with us. But 2 make it work, we will need the Members 2 support it. So we ask u, if this year's Celebration is Members Only and features Prince headlining every single night of this week long xperience, how much would u pay 2 b a part of this history-making event? Let us know at UTellUs@npgonlineltd.com.

Love4oneanother,
The NPG Music Club

I think the NPGMC is a good idea and there's often a lot of unneccessay whining about it but I can see a problem here, if the Celebration is going to be strictly "MEMBERS ONLY" as this seems to suggest, what about those non-members who have allready made travel plans, booked time off of work, plane tickets hotel rooms etc. Looks like this would force them into joining the club and I bet that pisses some people off. Oh well good marketing strategy I guess.

Wreckastow said:

I am up for MEMBERS ONLY. Yeah non members make plans and all that BUT as an NPG member I probably wont even get to go either because to many people already have booked up all the hotels. So what does that membership do for me? I am a member. But then a non member can attend. Well hell what is the use of being a member? Sounchecks and afterparties where we still have to wait in line as we did for the concert. I think they NPGMC needs to bump up membership price and do some organizing. I am sure if the NON members are real true fans they will fork out membership fee's if it is really worth it to them.

Being a member, I may be predjudiced, but I would like the idea of members only. However, I think it would be more interesting if tickets were available to everyone.
My issue is, the e-mail asked us members how much we would be willing to pay to attend. My answer was that, we paid $100 this year and have yet to receive anything. yes we can purchase tickets a day in advance, but at the same price. Last year, we received discounted entrances to some of the funtctions and monthly music. My answer to them was that i would like to pay no more than $20 or so. I would hate to pay $100 for membership, then turn around and pay $100 for the celebration just like anybody else.

Anyway, thats just my 2 cents...

why not pay like last year? $70.
I don't mind rounding it up to a $100, but I don't think it should cost more than that.
Also, a whole week with just Prince? I mean I love the man, and it would be very fun, but come on...I'd like to see something different every day. why not bring some funky artists like you did last time? make this celebration famous all around the world by bringing some respected artists that Prince could jam with?

I know $100.00 US may not be that much money to some of you, but it sure is to me. I have been working diligently for the last three years buying virtually NO OTHER MUSIC except for Prince's to bring my collection up to par. Especially with his CDs going out of print so often, I knew I had to buy some of the rarities while I could still afford them. And when I say bring my collection up to par, I'm talking about buying his mainstream releases, videos, some singles with bonus stuff, and no bootlegs whatsoever.

As a university student, I am already $6,500.00 in debt (having maxed out my student loan), working 30-40 hours per work to pay my bills, spending 30 hours per week in classes, and scraping together what few hours I have left to do my homework. I HAVE NO MONEY. I have not purchased any new piece of clothing since July. All of my money is gone. I do not have $100.00 US to spare.

I think it's a shame that you say that true fans should cough up the dough, if they really are true fans, because sometimes we just can't afford it. Now granted, I won't be at the Celebration either, and anyone spending $100s of bucks on flights, food, tickets and hotel rooms shouldn't have much of a beef coughing up the little bit extra for that extra service, but sometimes being a fan costs more money than a fan has, is all I'm saying.

rebecca2 said:

If Prince lets people sign up to be NPG Music Club members At Paisley Park it may be a good way to get more members in the club. And a good way to fill up Paisley Park that week.

I do think Prince should also have a new artists each night as well.... There are lots of Cool Jazz musicians that are up and coming that would love a chance to Perform with Prince at Paisley Park .....

Prince could set up computers at the front Door of Paisley so peeps can sign up to be NPGMC members

I like private personal treatment. I think they should have a 2 weekends out of the month guest invite. During non tour months and have private one on one guests. I say they have a suite for the guest includind food and the member gets to just hang around for the weekend and prince can show them what goes on, check out the studio's maybe watch reheasings. Hey for a weekend one on one I would pay a pretty penny. A couple thousand myself. Hey I dont like big crowds. But sometimes gotta deal with um. I dont mind crowds but not at such small places.

Total disgrace.
This is what I sent to NPGMC:

It's a shame that you seem to give the most priviledges to those with the most money. Surely, you must know what the Bible says about rich people. I think it should be open to all, with an entrance fee per concert, and scrap the members only stuff. Its like a we're better than you because we're richer..
I am from the UK and am tempted in visiting but if its going to be so exclusive then i won't.
Ben aka Freaker

My opinion might be different if I have already attended a concert and a soundcheck, but as a member who has received nothing for his money, I'm really just tired of all of this members only, give us more money garbage. In Prince's mind, the true fans are the ones that pay more and travel great distances. Well, this Prince fan has a life of his own and a mortgage.

Gimme my One Nite Alone CD!!!!

Freaker said:

How is it a disgrace? When you pay more, you get more. Just like everything else in life. You pay more you fly first class instead of coach. You pay more, you drive a Caddy instead of a Cavalier. Prince is showing those that are supporting him that they can get something extra.

Besides, a little exclusivity is what clubs are all about.
This is how most clubs operate. Special privileges for its members. And I don't see anything wrong with it.

It just seems that Prince is alienating those fans who can't afford membership to his club, or who are unwilling to cough up money on the basis of a promise. After paying $100 to join the club, I think members should be given free entry to the event, with non-members paying for the week. And what about all of the casual fans who may have wanted to attend? To organise an event only for die-hard fans seems to be a bad move and not one I support.

doeineffect said:

I totally agree with you man. Hey you get what you pay for! And us who can afford it should not have to suffer for those who cannot. That just life! Thats called business.

It's a pity that some of you only tokenly believe what Prince sings about.Its a pity that his music club is not emulating his message.How is this Radcial?
All I can say to you is read the Bible
"Those that are last shall come first, those that are first shall come last"

Freaker said:

...umm...they didn't set a price...they asked a question...

Although I cannot go to the celebration I emailed the NPGMC and suggested that $150.00 would be a reasonable price.

If he is going to headline most nights then you really cant complain. Thats only just over $20 a day. These things dont run themselves and there is staff to be paid etc.

Dont forget, he has no record company backing. The Club is his way of making a dollar. If you cant afford it, dont go.

I cannot understand why anyone who is not a club member would fork out all that money to attend anyway. If you can afford to pay airfares, accomodation etc then why not join. If you wont join then why would Prince want you there?

Prince can never satisfy everybody, Theres always someone crying, complaining about something. What people dont understand is he is self employed, There are bills, people and alot of other expences he has to pay. Hey Iam totally ok with him making his money and at the same time him giving back to us, by letting us into sound checks having celebrations, great seats at concerts, etc ,The problem is people are getting spoiled and expect more from him, Its unfortunant some people cant afford to attend these things but that is life,
Thats like asking someone to paint your house for free because you dont have the money, Yea Right, it has to be a win win, And if you dont think its a win win dont join.

Well, personally, like I said I don't care about any of this celebration or concert stuff. So he just happens to skip over my state on his tour, it doesn't bother me. My point is, get that first CD out so that those members who haven't seen any benefits yet don't feel like they wasted their money on nothing. It's time to let the funk out of the bag.

Blah blah blah. I can't really afford it either so I'm not going. It's that simple. I'm sure there are people in other countries who cannot afford a cross continental trip that are members. Are they not true fans?

Anyway, yes, that is too bad for us who cannot afford to go. I just think it's weird for you guys to say you get what you pay for. I pay nothing for the Prince.Org site, and I get EMOURMOUS amounts of enjoyment from it. GO FIGURE.

So your just waiting for the music, thats cool, I know this year its taking awhile to get it out but I am sure it will come. Last year there was alot of free Music, Video downloads and not to metion a copy of the remix Rave CD. To me having all those down loads and the cd was way worth the $100.00. The funny thing alot of you people cry about paying for unreleased music from prince but yet the same people go out give alot more money to other people for bootlegs.

The club seems to be well worth the $100 to me, I just don't think its such a good idea to make the Celebration a members only event. It's a great opportunity to show potential new fans Prince at his best. Also would members be able to bring guests? I think giving members a discount or priority is fine but I hope others are able to attend to.

Freaker said:

It'll cost you about £1000 to go!
It only costs about £70 to join and you get 4 CD's too! What's so exclusive about that ?

The discussion was much better on the other thread:

http://www.prince.org/msg...&tid=12777

[color=blue] oh yeah, the price. PRINCE IS PRICELESS as we all agree to or wouldnt be here..., it's hard to put a price on that...BUT, if it IS ALL MEMBERS ONLY, it should be less, as a perk. either way, members pay less, non members more. i'd say as a member 75.00-150.00 weekly pass and if theres to be a ONE NITE ALONE CONCERT, hopefully yes, and hopefully at paisley, another 100.00. if there's to be non members, i'd say 200.00 weekly pass and 150.00 for a ONA concert. daily passes should also be an option, at the clubs discretion for members and non. {/color]

rebecca2 said:

Rebecca2, dont take this as an insult, but if u feel that way, why didnt u take princes personal treatment of you at the concert, when the sand dollar broke, to go talk to him one on one. you had an opportunity for lots less than 4 figures. i guess we dont always make the smartest decisions at the time though.

I just have a few words of caution: the more exclusive you become, the more your chances are of having stagnant ideas, decreased growth, increased alienation & increased potential for backlash.

Prince can do whatever he wants because it's his 'show.' However, you can sometimes be exclusive to the point that you're ODF ("out der flappin") and find yourself in a very small circle of what is only you and your "mirrors."

Translation: most disorganised yet.



Here's a novel idea: stop wasting time and money on these stupid "exclusive" events and start planning a worldwide tour that's actually WORLDWIDE (i.e. including Europe, Japan, Australia, etc.) so that ALL fans have the opportunity to see Prince in action, and not just a priviledged few that can afford it. (And while you're at it, stop demanding $150 for tickets, because that's just greedy.) Preferably before just about everyone has forgotten who you are.

BartVanHemelen said:

Why do you care Bart? Surely you're not planning to attend a show if/when he goes to Europe. You said the ONA tour was "pretentious and boring."



[This message was edited Mon Apr 22 17:07:23 PDT 2002 by Ifsixwuz9]
[This message was edited Mon Apr 22 17:07:54 PDT 2002 by Ifsixwuz9]