From Rollingstone.com

Prince is bored and needs to get married and have some babies before he turns 70, kick the bucket and leaves all his money to his greedy lawyers. As far as his music, I can take it or leave it. Real life is more important to me, not some music cd from a man who sounds unhappy.




As you may have read, as part of their copyright crusade, Prince’s legal staff recently demanded that all images of the Purple One be removed from specific fan Web pages. Several sites banded together to form Prince Fans United, there was a brief pause in the action and now … a diss track.
In response, Prince registered the Web domain name “Princefamsunited.com” and posted a seven-minute funk jam called “PFUnk,” alerting fans to its presence on fan site message boards. The song makes no secret of its target: “The only reason you say my name is to get your fifteen seconds of fame, nobody’s even sure what you do,” Prince sings. “I don’t care what people may say, I ain’t gonna let it ruin my day.” Toward the end, Prince tells his fans, in his famed helium-like “Camille” voice, “I love all y’all, don’t you ever mess with me no more,” before taking out all his anger on his guitar. Prince goes as far as calling one person, likely a member of the PFU, “a big fat punk,” and threatens someone called “Weemolicious” by singing “Look here Weemolicious, you and your boyfriend, lemme tell you somethin’ right now, you run up on me again with words or otherwise, I’mma knock both you punks out.” He also sings that he wants digital music to “disappear.”

How did the fans, and the PFU, take to the diss track? With open arms and, surprisingly, dropped jaws. As one poster on the Housequake.com board said, echoing the general response, “It really is head and shoulders above anything on [Planet Earth] or 3121.” Another poster thought they discovered an unearthed B-side from 1987, if not for the topical lyrics. Even the union that gets the brunt of Prince’s bile, the PFU, celebrated the track they helped inspire.

Still, the question remains: Why did Prince’s team target specific Web sites and ask for photos of everything from Prince-inspired tattoos to album-cover images to be removed? Could it be that the sites penalized were bootlegging and file sharing concerts, or diverting traffic from Prince’s official site, 3121.com? Avera denies both claims, saying there’s no file sharing on the boards, and that all the sites route traffic to 3121.com when possible. The sites in question claim they were singled out because they operate message boards that are sometimes critical of the star. Prince does have a history of unleashing his purple wrath on online boards: He terminated the NPG Music Club’s message board, an official paid service for diehard fans, shortly after the release of 2001’s Musicology. “I signed in one day, everything was fine,” Karen Avera, spokesperson for PFU and Housequake moderator, said. “The next day I went and everything was gone. No warning.” Avera speculates negative reactions to the album on the board — which is similar to some of the fan criticism Prince’s Planet Earth received just a few months ago — was to blame.

The fan sites say they have always cooperated with the Paisley Park lawyers — that is, until now. When fan photos of Prince’s London concert marathon started surfacing on message boards, the lawyers asked that the photos be removed and replaced with shots provided by Prince-hired photographers. The fan sites gladly replaced the pictures. Now, however, the lawyers are demanding those photos be taken down. To date, Housequake.com has not removed the images, and since the site is based in Holland, Avera is unsure of whether the cease-and-desist letters are within their jurisdiction.

When Rolling Stone talked to John Giocobbi, the Managing Director of copyright protection agency Web Sheriff, regarding Prince’s battle with YouTube, Giocobbi said, “Prince has always been a very independently minded artist and kind of bold and pioneering in a way. It goes back largely to the kind of promise he had with Warner Bros., when he lost the right to use his own name and then he became The Artist Formerly Known As. And once he recovered his scars from that battle, he was a lot more savvy as a result of that too. And he’s a lot more kind of protective about his rights.” When asked whether the Web Sheriff is just going after illegal bootlegging of Prince videos, Giocobbi admitted that, “In essence we’re going after everything, which is why it’s kind of pioneering.”

As far as Avera is concerned, those message boards are going nowhere. “Oh, we’re going to keep the message boards,” Avera promises, “because the boards go far beyond just talking about Prince’s music. It’s a connection where a lot of people worldwide have come together to talk and make friendships.” Despite feeling unappreciated, and the threat of a looming lawsuit, Avera swears that she, and the PFU, will remain Prince fans. “With everything that’s going on, we continue to listen to his music. We’ll continue to buy his music, because we appreciate his music.”

NO, why? because I am able to separate myself from a situation that really has no bearing on my real life.

I agree with Mr.Nelson because its his right. If it wasn't, it would be that big of a deal to those whose oppose him in this "battle".

hollywooddove said:

Prince thinks he can order images to be taken down that do not belong to him. Furthermore, he thinks it's ok to threathen fans with jail and hefty fines over this.
I'm simply saying that it's time to go to court and find out, and yeah it might cost us a bit of money, so what. What we'll win is freedom and clarity, as well as setting the precedent that the "industry" can not control everything.

m3taverse said:

Rhondab said:

in a way i agree too, with court a decision can finally be made instead of everyone arguing back and forth and we can finally move on....maybe.

4bjb said:

Can you please take you laced kool-aid somewhere else? Thanks

Im a fan and never talk junk about someone who has inspired my life in so many ways.

I know Im one of the po people hes talking about but he says he loves me anyway.

I'll never b rich enough to b the fan I wish I could b but I can say Ive seen a true master musician in my lifetime!

janecarol said:

Good for you. So you never criticize your loved ones, even when they need it?



Now this is the type of brainwashed cultish stuff Prince has cultivated in his "fams." You are certainly poor if your worth exists in the eyes of Prince loving you "anyway."



You'll never be rich enough to be the fan you wish to be? What does the amount of money you have have to do with being a fan? I dont have enough money to buy his perfume either....nor do I wish to.....nor do I think Im any less of a fan because of it. Nor did I agree with Prince when he used to call out the NPGMC members in the front row of the concert and then guilt trip everyone else in the venue for being "so far away." We're in the nosebleed section because we're normal people who can't afford your expensive clubs and tickets, Prince. That dosnt mean we're less devoted. In fact this entire discussion of devotion is making me sick. If Im not devoted to Prince come hell or high water, so what? At the end of the day, he's just a singer. And I have my own life: marriage, studies, and problems to deal with. Prince takes his seat in the back. Love his music, but I think he has serious problems if he thinks PFUnk is going to make us cry.

Nep2nes said:

I hope it doesnt make u cry! Man so harsh! I dont have to explain myself to u or anybody else. Im a fan plain and simple! My Family is whats most important to me but I can say, that my life would have not been the same without the music. I am rich when it comes to my family. Just how many shows have u seen and how much money have u spent? U have no clue about me or what Im all about. But I can tell alot about u just by ur statements. Ive seen him 5 times and only twice, was in the front row and it wasnt that expensive. When I joined the club it was only 25 dollars. I know it was alot more before but that was before. And no I dont criticize people. I never judge, that day is coming, IMO I shouldnt worry about what u think but I feel he has a right to do what he wants with his stuff. I actually did read psalms 3121. Have u? I wish u luck with ur problems and hope they work out for u. I find music helps me get thru alot of turmoil, and not only Prince music. My mind is alot broader than u think. As for the statement of being in a cult or brainwashed I just laugh.lol Again Peace and Love to u.

janecarol said:

Yes he can do what he likes with his own stuff, its when his "representatives" start telling people what to do with THEIR stuff, as they are now, that people get rightly annoyed

Markland said:

Im trying to read and understand both sides, I get a little bothered when someone quotes me as if Im some dummy. I dont like arguing so this is the last Im saying on this. I probly should have just let it roll but I've not been having the greatest day. Yall should listen to the American Ganster soundtrack, Mr. Hamilton is pretty dang cool. And from NC like me. lol Peace and Love

Does anyone know who “Weemolicious” is?

I love this org., but I am about to become black balled I fear.

First of all, go here and read

http://fairuse.stanford.e...9/9-a.html

It's an easy read, so read it all.

The question is, does the org cross the line of fair use of images and content? Well, I don't know. Let's look. Would I have ever came here in the first place if it were not called prince dot org? No. It was the name of it that drew me here, and so it was his name that did this. His images and his words sells magazines and cd's.

When this happens, circulations make revenue simply based on his work. Many times he does not get paid for it. Well, fair use of copyright law creates a safe haven for publications to use limited amounts of his image in their magazines.


The four factors judges consider are:

the purpose and character of your use
the nature of the copyrighted work
the amount and substantiality of the portion taken, and
the effect of the use upon the potential market.
http://fairuse.stanford.e...9/9-b.html


Does the org abuse any of these principles?
I believe that purpose and character are okay here,
I think the nature of the copyrighted work is also okay here,
I do, however think that the amount of content, and in that, the amount of images and such, could be in question, simply because OF
the effect of the use on the potential market.


If you are an artist, and you have ever had someone else make money off of your labor or gain recognition for your work, then you would understand how hurt feelings, anger, and law suits are so prevailant in this business.

janecarol said:

Glad you had a good day

I think part of the problem understanding everything thats going/gone in is the issue has become fudged with all sorts of side discussions and the original points have been lost

Also there is a great deal of information not yet in the public domain like legal documents

I have not seen anyone take issue with the artists point about having control over his own intellectual property

Its the demands to take down the princefansunited website and the demands to remove photographs that the people who took them own the rights to that oversteps boundaries

janecarol said:

Yes he can do what he likes with his own stuff, its when his "representatives" start telling people what to do with THEIR stuff, as they are now, that people get rightly annoyed

There are naive fans actually praising the song, not realizing Prince is giving them a backhanded compliment. That's your idol letting you know how he really feels about you.
[Edited 11/9/07 16:30pm]

janecarol said:

Good for you. So you never criticize your loved ones, even when they need it?



Now this is the type of brainwashed cultish stuff Prince has cultivated in his "fams." You are certainly poor if your worth exists in the eyes of Prince loving you "anyway."



You'll never be rich enough to be the fan you wish to be? What does the amount of money you have have to do with being a fan? I dont have enough money to buy his perfume either....nor do I wish to.....nor do I think Im any less of a fan because of it. Nor did I agree with Prince when he used to call out the NPGMC members in the front row of the concert and then guilt trip everyone else in the venue for being "so far away." We're in the nosebleed section because we're normal people who can't afford your expensive clubs and tickets, Prince. That dosnt mean we're less devoted. In fact this entire discussion of devotion is making me sick. If Im not devoted to Prince come hell or high water, so what? At the end of the day, he's just a singer. And I have my own life: marriage, studies, and problems to deal with. Prince takes his seat in the back. Love his music, but I think he has serious problems if he thinks PFUnk is going to make us cry.

This is all a part of his Napoleon complex.....


Napoleon complex is a colloquial term describing a type of inferiority complex which is said to affect some people who are physically short. The term is also used more generally to describe people who are driven by a perceived handicap to overcompensate in other aspects of their lives. This term is also known as Napoleon syndrome and Small Man syndrome.
[Edited 11/15/07 10:05am]