-Mentions Prince.org too!-

Prince uses Web to aim directly at hardcore fans
Chris Riemenschneider
Star Tribune

Published Jun 24, 2002
Prince defines the title of his current weeklong celebration, "Xenophobia," as the fear of outsiders. Fittingly, Friday's opening event at his Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen was aimed at insiders: fans who pay $100 a year to belong to his Internet music club.

The artist formerly known as The Artist is foremost among a number of high-profile musicians, from fading veterans such as David Bowie to contemporary stars including Dave Matthews, who are bypassing the conventional channels of the music business and marketing themselves directly to fans via the Web.

Prince's New Power Generation Music Club, online at http://www.npgmusicclub.com , exclusively sells his latest CDs and best concert seats. Only NPG members who bought a $250 pass are guaranteed entrance to his "Xenophobia" concerts, which continue through Thursday.

Many industry insiders and fans admire his efforts to work outside the corporate music world. They also wonder whether Prince, who hasn't had a Top 10 hit since 1994, might be further alienating mainstream audiences.

"If all he is doing is singing to the choir with [NPG], he can't really expect to generate a younger or wider audience," said Bob Merlis, former vice president of publicity at Warner Bros. Records, Prince's label for nearly two decades. "And if he doesn't keep the diehard fans happy, then he really might be in trouble."

E.M. Leonard, an NPG member from Des Moines, certainly wasn't pleased about waiting in line for three hours Friday outside Paisley Park.

"I wonder if he has become completely out of touch with working-class fans, thinking we can afford $250 and a week off work," he said.

Leonard had opted instead to buy a $110 ticket to a concert scheduled Friday at the Historic Orpheum Theatre. But that show, and another scheduled Wednesday, were moved late last week to Paisley, and Orpheum tickets were not being honored.

Still, plenty of passholders weren't complaining. "You learn to expect the unexpected from Prince, which sometimes can be a hassle but also keeps it interesting," said George Davis of Cincinnati.

On the independent fan site, Prince.org, many gripe about the expense of "Xenophobia" and glitches with NPG. "For the longest time, he's had a reputation of not being able to do anything right business-wise or fan-wise," said the site's cofounder, Ben Margolin. "It's actually gotten a little better" with the NPG club.

Perks set Prince apart

Internet music clubs are becoming commonplace. No longer are they just kitschy cliques that cater to teenage fanatics. Veteran acts such as Sting and Aerosmith have some of the most active online communities. Bowie was the first to heavily market his music online.

Most of these clubs, however, cost about $30 to join and do not offer the exclusive perks that Prince does. On his recent "One Nite Alone" tour, venues frequently were more than half-filled with NPG members, who often got to sit in on sound checks and question-and-answer sessions with Prince.

At a recent New York concert, celebrities including comedian Chris Rock were seated behind NPG members. Prince told spectators in the balcony: "You could be down here if you'd joined."

He won't disclose how many members his club has. Outsiders guess anywhere from 5,000 to 50,000. (Prince, who has kept the news media at bay since announcing his had become a Jehovah's Witness last year, declined to be interviewed, and he won't allow business associates to talk either.)

{{{About 1,000 "Xenophobia" passes were sold to members from around the world who are allowed to roam Paisley Park during the day and get to hear Prince and various guests perform each night. On Friday, fans sat in a studio with Prince record producer Femi Jiya to hear a new live CD, and paid $5 to pose for photos on the motorcycle from the movie "Graffiti Bridge."}}}

"Lots of artists are doing [ticket] pre-sales and other activities through their Internet club, but nobody is doing it to the extent that he is," said Gary Bongiovanni, editor of Pollstar, a concert trade publication.

Prince's approach to touring is unique in two ways: He often announces shows only two weeks in advance, partly to thwart ticket scalpers. Also, he avoids working with corporate giants such as Clear Channel.

"It all seems to be working well at the theater-size venues that he's playing in," Bongiovanni said, citing sellouts in most cities. "But I'm not sure if he could make it work in bigger venues."

Small sales, big profit?

Prince started opening up to fans when he closed himself off to the record-label conglomerates. Claiming mistreatment and unfair pay, he broke with Warner Bros. in 1995.

Subsequent one-album deals with EMI and Arista resulted in meager sales. Except for last year's "The Very Best of" collection -- which Prince denounced because he said it profited Warner and not him -- none of his albums in the past half-decade has gone gold (500,000 copies sold).

"The Rainbow Children," released in November with independent distribution from Best Buy-affiliated Redline Entertainment, earned scant radio play and has sold about 130,000, according to Nielsens/SoundScan. Prince's spokesperson would not say how many copies were sold online.

Merlis said Prince did make money from last year's hits CD, but agreed that he might earn more by releasing albums on his own.

"The hits had stopped coming for him, and there comes a certain point of diminishing returns for artists like Prince, when they get infinitely higher profits [by releasing CDs independently]," Merlis said.

Fans at Paisley Park over the weekend seemed to think Prince is on the right career path.

"The music industry is just interested in producing the next Britney Spears; it doesn't care about a real musician like Prince," said Jon Pickard, an NPG member from Reading, England. "That's fine, too. That means there's more of him for us who do care."

http://www.startribune.co...24821.html

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Looks like Warner Bros is paying attention.

"With Out Me"

Really hate the fact that i ain't there this year...
and hearing interesting reports about it.
Wonder if we'll get DETAILED reports like i sent out last year???

shouts go out 2: 2the9's / Salacious V / ButtaDee
the only people that truly keep it real on this site.

What a joke of a story. Prince doesn't allow his business associates to talk to the press? I have had three of his current close associates on my radio show in the last year. (Rhonda Smith, John Blackwell, and Larry Graham). Each guest was forthcoming with answers and never told me to not ask a specific question.

The press- Get It Right. And to Bob Merlis- Long live the independent musician. if the people want to come to the party, so be it. We don't cater to no one

Joe Kelley
"The Upper Room"
www.live365.com/stations/funk7

It's ridiculous that Mr.Leonard,an NPG club member states that he's not happy with the price of the 250.00 fee for the entire week but then coughs up 110.00 for one night.
I ain't even gonna do the math on that one...

thanks2joniandu said:

I am he.
I apologise to Prince and NPG. I feared what I stated being taken out of context and twisted. And it happened. I was kind of hesitant to speak with Reimenschneider. That is NOT a verbatim Quote from ME. 1st of all, I paid $100 per ticket...and never complained about it to the reporter. 2nd of all, I mentioned not only was there the $250, but also lost wages, $70 bucks a night (at least) hotel expenses, travel expenses, and food costs which DOES add up to a rather pricey vacation. 3rd of all, THAT comment was made in the context of a discussion about why I was kind of glad the celebration sold out. I WAS DEFINETLY going to go, and eat the costs, because I dig Prince!!! I mean WAY WAY dig him!. BUT, as I'd have gone into deep debt in order to attend, I was kinda glad to only have to shell out the $200 (I paid for muh lady's ticket, 'cause I am a gentleman after all) and 1 night's hotel stay for 2 rooms(we stayed in separate room as we ain't married, and I want a Godly relationship..for those who might criticize).

He (the reporter) was diggin' for reasons I might be dissatisfied with NPGMC. I stated that it wasn't perfect, and that I didn't think it was a terribly effective way to broaden one's audience, but as a Prince enthusiast since 1982, I was overall very satisfied with it, moreso with year one than year 2 so far (since I have yet to get ONA, and am just in a neighboring state) BUT ALSO, that I have COMPLETE faith that Prince will make good on his promises, and is not out to jip his fanbase. I mean he isn't STOOOPID afterall. My impatience I acknowledged as MY baggage not Prince's.

There is much more to this story, but let me just say that I now more FULLY understand Prince's aversion with the truth twisting media.

Prince, if you read this (which I doubt)...I got much love 4 you, and am sorry my words were twisted to paint an ill picture. I should have listened to my gut and ignored that guy. I even told him not to try to portray me as a player hatin' member. By the way (just in case for some ODD reason you DO read the .org) thanks for Friday night. My lady finally spilled the big phrase "I love you" during "Joy In Repetition" after being moved by the music to do so. SO NOW we have "OUR" SONG!!!

THAT is what it is about...RIGHT?!?!?!?

Additionally, I NEVER complained about the wait in line..actually, those of us in the short line to the left were having a BLAST! the passholder line was filled with downtroden faces. We KNEW we were LAST and just had fun with it.

Can anyone tell us what this Live CD is? Which tour?

see, that's why you always have to doubt the media.

quote from article:

"Also, he avoids working with corporate giants such as Clear Channel"


hmm wasn´t the Canadian leg of the tour "sponsored" by Clear Channel???
[This message was edited Tue Jun 25 1:01:03 PDT 2002 by talk2thejay]

Somewhat unfortunate quote Ben