Posted on the Music Club Site.

Did not see any other story on this yet.

http://www.npgmusicclub.c...m-pt1.html

Freedom, Pt. 1: Retrospeculation
Speculating about the past is, 4 obvious reasons, a rather sterile xercise, especially when it’s used as an xcuse 2 indulge in unjustified nostalgia 4 things that never were.

“In retrospect,” some say, “Prince should have stayed with WB… He had enough artistic freedom under his contract… He would have continued 2 evolve as an artist and would have been able 2 continue using the logistics of a major record company 2 distribute and promote his art…” etc. etc.

Not Ready 4 It
Such speculation is all, of course, utter nonsense. Had it not been 4 Prince’s Emancipation, there would b no Rainbow Children, no One Nite Alone. Simply put, albums such as The Rainbow Children and One Nite Alone could never have come out on a major label.

A major label would never have granted Prince the artistic freedom he needed 2 create and release The Rainbow Children. The album had no singles or videos. It was not “promoted” thru any TV appearances. It was PRO-moted (i.e. given its forward movement) purely by the freedom that presided at its inception.

Compare that 2 Lovesexy in 1988. Prince never wanted 2 do a video 4 that album either. He also never wanted a single released — hence the CD with no tracking. The album was the creation of a unique artistic vision, and Prince was coerced by his label in2 treating it as a commodity 4 consumers. Videos were made, singles were pressed, charts were topped — but the whole process diluted the very essence of the album, and it was promptly deemed a “failure,” simply because the industry was not ready 4 this type of artistic approach.

A Losing Proposition
It still isn’t ready 4 it. In fact, the industry is now less ready than ever 4 this type of artistic approach. The commodification of music has continued at an unrelenting pace. 4 a long time now, the music and entertainment industry has been utterly unable 2 accommodate alternative, unique artistic visions. It has succeeded in implementing an artistic vaccuum which recycles the same tired musical ideas and sells them as “new,” because its sole purpose is 2 feed its upper structures and satisfy its “shareholders” — at the xpense of artists, art lovers, and art itself. Albums such as Lovesexy and The Rainbow Children r simply not happening in such a system. They cannot xist within it. And neither would the artistic vision behind them b able 2 survive in such an environment.

If Prince were still under contract, there would b no NPG Music Club. Record companies hate the thought of losing manufacturing rights, because that is how the fundamental swindle takes place. They get a big fat check the moment the CDs leave the plant — whereas artists get paid on product sold, not shipped. And CDs r sold thru various chains that have vastly inconsistent accounting practices, thereby making it all 2 easy 4 the record company 2 claim that the CD didn’t sell as much as it did, and withhold payment of what is due 2 the artist.

The whole system is designed so that the artist, the art, and the metaphysical phenomenon that art produces r always on the losing side, meanwhile fuelling the very system that entraps them. It works like a charm — 4 xecutives and big shareholders. Until the artists start leaving the system, that is. And art and music lovers with them.

When this starts happening, then record companies r scared and left scrambling. Because they know that, once this xodus reaches a critical mass — and it will, rather sooner than later — it’s OVER 4 them. The very thing that their entire system is built on is abandoning them. They can try 2 reinvent themselves as multinational “media conglomerates,” but they r not fooling anyone with an ear 4 music and a mind 4 art and soul.

Lest We Forget
No one should forget that this system xtends 2 live events as well. 4 many many years, it was a struggle 4 Prince’s most ardent admirers 2 get good seats — let alone the best seats. The reason 4 it was simple: b4 tickets even go on sale via ticket outlets, a portion of the best seats r usually already “reserved”. There is no need 2 xplain where or 2 whom these tickets go. Suffice 2 say that they do not go 2 those people who would enjoy them the most.

As well, the higher priced tickets r the ones that usually go 2 scalpers (who, needless 2 say, have their own place, rather comfortably, well within the system). And with the advent of auction sites, the tickets can now go systematically 2 the highest bidder — making the whole thing, in effect, an unbelievable racket. Indeed, whoever cooked up that scam should get a medal 4 one of the most profitable — and, unfortunately, perfectly legal — business ventures!

This is an xample of technological efficiency working against the interests of music makers and music lovers alike. The NPGMC, on the other hand, is a good xample of technology working 4 the benefit of those who make music and those who love music. The xisting system is effectively sidelined — and unsurprisingly quite irked! Promoters balk at the the idea of giving the best seats 2 NPGMC members. The moment that Prince, thru the grace of the NPGMC, wanted 2 take the best seats OFF the system and save them 4 the members, he was predictably met with Resistance.

The same issues xtend 2 the contents of these live events as well. U might remember the 1995 shows in Europe, when Prince played set lists that purposefully avoided the “greatest hits” 4mula and showcased many new songs and lesser known tracks. Back then, it didn’t work out as well as hoped. 2day, people cannot get enough of such shows! The difference? 2day, those who attend the shows r club members, and real music lovers.

More generally, during the 90s, Prince tried 2 xperiment within the system. He had 2 give the industry the chance 2 follow him. Instead, they tried at every turn 2 stifle him. And his output suffered, because his mind was in2 the future, and theirs was firmly in the past… Try listening 2 the O}+> album and The Rainbow Children back 2 back, and tell us on which u can hear the sound of freedom…

Dig If U Will The Picture
So, let’s “retrospeculate” 4 a moment or two… What if Prince had stayed within the system? What would he have done? Would he have written another movie score? Would he have written some songs 4 other people in the industry… But who?

Would he have got another rapper in his band? Or re-4med the Revolution? Revolutions cannot b re-4med — it would defy their very nature. Yet the whole industry is based on repeating the same things over and over, in a never-ending attempt 2 milk every single lucrative drop out of its “initial investment”.

Don’t get us wrong. There r no regrets about the past. But if u want the real story, don’t ask the industry. After the release of The Most Beautiful Girl in the World, Prince really wanted 2 release more music both within the system and thru his own imprint (NPG), effectively “flooding the market”. It didn’t work out, because the industry was afraid of “saturation” — which is rather perplexing when u think that saturation, in the 4m of abusive repetition of the same things over and over again, is xactly what the industry actually feeds on.

What Prince had in mind was, of course, a very different kind of “saturation” — one that effectively never happens, because, as witnessed 2day all over the Internet and beyond, the demand 4 new music is ever growing, the music consumer has an insatiable appetite 4 music — and there is no such thing as “2 much” good music.

A Sub-Xistence
2 many music creators and music lovers, the situation created by the commodification of music might seem hopeless. After all, over the last few decades, the industry has devoted all its energies 2 perfecting a system that xploits artists with absolute impunity and manipulates people in2 purchasing musical product of dubious quality, instead of trying 2 further their understanding and appreciation of art. And it has, 2 a large xtent, succeeded. The system feeds itself with the flesh and souls of struggling artists and churns out plastic, using a conveyor belt approach 2 music that is supported by ever more “efficient” manufacturing and distributing processes.

Putting “production values” ahead of authentic artistry and musicianship, this approach uses peer pressure as a promotional vehicle 4 the products of its artistically-challenged recipes 4 “success”. Young minds r easily fooled in2 thinking that what they r consuming is real food, when it actually is pure ear candy, with absolutely no nutritional value. Their un4med taste buds r dulled b4 they even get a chance 2 develop.

In a desperate attempt 2 stay “hip” and “cool”, older generations easily forget the little they have learned about art, and try 2 make xcuses — from technological prowess 2 pseudo post-modern theorizing — 4 the fact that they 2 want 2 indulge in the “guilty pleasure” of consuming the latest commercial entertainment products.

But this kind of food does not nourish the soul. It merely ensures subsistence, a lower 4m of xistence — in effect, a sub-xistence. And, like junk food, it will eventually make people sick. Ur soul can only take so much artistic deprivation and commercial overbloat b4 it switches itself off. By that time, u might find that it is 2 late 2 turn around and try 2 re-open ur mind.

U might find that u r now living in a world that is artistically and spiritually in the dark. A world that entropy has brought down 2 the lowest common level — somewhere in the middle, not 2 good, not 2 bad. Then what will u do?

2 Understand This, U Have 2 Go Back…
It’s not 2 late 2 open r eyes. In parallel 2 this entropic decline, an alternative has evolved. If u want 2 c how it started, just look back 4 a moment… but not in speculation. Instead, look at the facts.

Back in the early 80’s, the world began 2 notice that a new, different kind of music was coming from — of all places — Minneapolis. But did they notice what the music said? “Uptown — U can set ur mind free”… “Reproduction of the new breed leader/Stand up and organize!” Unbeknownst 2 most, the seeds of change were being sown.

From 1984, people remember Purple Rain, the album, the movie — but do they remember the liner notes, or the last frame of the movie credits? They both read: “May u live 2 c the Dawn”… Again, only a few took notice.

In 1988, a bold new album entitled Lovesexy begins with these words: “Welcome 2 the New Power Generation”. Two years later, the New Power Generation becomes the title of a song, and soon the name of Prince’s powerhouse new band. But it soon becomes even more than that — a unifying concept, a central notion, an alternative. A record label (NPG Records). A store (NPG Store)…

Then, in the first half of 1994, a different kind of TV show reaches an unsuspecting audience world-wide. In it, a beautiful woman, alone on a Saturday night, tired of being stuck in her “peanut butter cookie hell”, sees an ad in a magazine 4 a different kind of xperience. She sits down at her computer, logs in, and starts downloading… another world. A challenging new world of music, visuals, words and interaction. Sounds familiar?

The Beautiful Xperience… The NPG Music Club. As u can c, the solution 2 the problem was figured out a long time ago… The real world is just starting 2 catch up. R computer keyboards might not have a “COME” key yet — but the movement forward has begun.

Welcome 2 The Dawn
Had the industry allowed Prince’s vision 2 dictate the evolution of his art, he would have evolved in2 the NPG Music Club anyway, within the system. But that was never the case. The industry was going in a different direction, which had less and less 2 do with music and more and more 2 do with money — and emancipation was the only way.

Don’t b deceived by the “technical” appearance of the Club. Contrary 2 the industry’s heavy machinery, the NPG Music Club is an ORGANIC entity, one that runs with the Truth at its center and is self-sufficient. It is not “digital”, even tho it reaches its members by digital means. It is its organic nature that ensures its growth and success. It is its organic heart that makes it self-evident. It is its organic impetus, the fact that it connects its members 2 each other, and 2 the music, as whole human beings, that makes it the real solution, the real alternative 2 the collective hallucination currently known as the music industry.

The NPG Music Club just is. And no amount of speculation will change that fact. Those who have not yet joined r missing out on the best part… which is yet 2 come. When the Truth finally arrives 2 u, will u b lost on the other side? Will u still b alive?

* * *
[This message was edited Mon Oct 21 0:05:04 PDT 2002 by jseven]

High five to Prince/NPG Music Club.
Well written. Loved the past being discussed, the present relized and the future wide-open.

It is easy to moan about what is wrong with something. Yet no one offers solutions or congragulations.

I am personaly a member for the tickets and to get the best seats. The cd's to me are a bonus. I know I am in the minority but oh well.

Personaly, I think radio sucks nowadays.

With the Music Club as well, you know where your fans are, and how many you actually have. Those that join that is. Personaly, I don't think we will ever be satisified unless you are giving us a new cd or DVD collection every week.

I enjoyed the L.A. show and I promise the next time you put the mic in my face, this white man will moan (Woulda moaned the first time If i knew what in heaven you asked me. hehe blush)

Well , I guess this shuts people up about Year 3.

And the lifetime achievement award for best violin player goes to...

Holy Shit! God Prince I Totally agree with ya,but can ya Survive with your vision with your music with what is around Today? Of course Prince is the Best. Of Course he's been right and I always Knew it,but does anybody besides his Fans Listen or Care anymore? Can he Indeed survive? Prince is a true Artist in Every sense of the word,but he knows it as some of us know it that True Musicians just don't get Played. I Truly Love him for his Ideals and Values. He is Special and Different and not a Sell-Out Kiss Ass but I worry that he's Shortchanged. Terribly So. I Know he does things His way. I Know he's a Leader and Rebellious. And he's not Scared to take Chances. Boy is Prince Brave. I guess this is the real reason I Love him . He is truly a Man! And that's Damn SEXY!

But, uh... where are our friggin' CDs? You took my digital money to the digital bank. now gimme my digital music.

The only thing organic about the club are the poor saps that have to answer endless inquiries concearning bad service. And the answers are... digital.

"does anybody besides his Fans Listen or Care anymore? Can he Indeed survive?"-Natasha

The answer to that question is Prince doesn't worry if people understand or apprecitate his music outside of his fans/fams. He will always survive in his own way. We know the radio doesn't play him, we know the music industry wanted to change him, but the fact remains that Prince IS who HE wants to be. He has survived 23 years so far and IT AIN'T OVER!

I smell year 3 of the NPGMC approaching quickly, with this commentary as a reminder of where Prince has been,is at, and where hs is going.

squirrelgrease said:

Squirrel...please... The piece has some good points, not to say that I'm also eagerly waiting for the promised CD's...

It's just the tone of voice in whih you speak...

The club is build around a prolific man, who always was and will be a hard act to follow and will continue to surprise the people around him with unexpected change of directions...

If you feel the need to blame anyone, HE is the only one to!!


Positivity Y'all, He will come around one day!!!

i love music...

July,gotta tell ya . It smells like Bacon. Prince be making Bacon! It's Hot Stuff! Smells like, Smells like...S>>>E>>>X>>>!!! Making WHOO>>>PEEE!!! BABYYY!!!

Sorry if this has already been discussed, but do we know if these commentaries are written by Prince, Pierre Igot or someone else?

Natasha said:

Yes...

sweet lord... there's a commentary talking about "freedom" on the NPGMC with no mention of religion? thats part 2, probably.

they are right in this though. glad to see them acknowledge at least ONE of prince's past mistakes (the retarded "oversaturation" he was trying for). it never works.

sigh...

new-skool princebonix

princebonicx - too funny


talk talk talk, yak yak yak


where is the music? art etc.

His thoughts on how he envisioned Lovesexy were interesting. But THANK GOD he released those extended singles

These remarks are the same aspirations Prince has been spouting for almost 10 years now. It sounds great on paper, but when all is said and done, we are still continuosly getting screwed with his half baked business ventures.

Honeslty, this may sound insane, but Symbol album was more interesting to me than The Rainbow Children. Prince has all the freedom in the world now, but it seems all he wants to do is sit back and collect money from obsessed fans. When he absolutely has to, he goes through the motions and knocks out some hokey album in a weekend and touts it as the next best thing since Wonder Bread to get us all hyped. 2-3 years later its collecting dust on our shelves.

I remember people staunchly defending New Power Soul, rabidly defending Rave, and other albums when they were released. Many of these same people now admit they sucked in hindsight.

I don't agree with WB's business practices, but at the very least Prince had to take his job seriously under them. When he went into the studio, he had an obligation to make something worthwhile.

Gotta disagree. NPS and RAVE, admittedly, did not meet expectations. But with TRC, it was the opposite. Initially (at the celebration), I hated it. And then it slowly worked it's way into my top 5 of all time. I still love it and it keeps getting better, to me.

I too thought the comparison of the Rainbow Children with the 0(+> album wasn't a great one. . .I've always thought that the 0(+> album was remarkably non-commercial, and that he really went artistically wild, to my delight.

While I think that the Rainbow Children is musically, and sometimes emotionally, beautiful. . .well, it's hard for me to hear freedom from a man who has given his mind, body, and soul over to organized religion.

I did enjoy the thoughts on Lovesexy. The retrospective aspect is fun to read, and I don't think it 'sterile' at all. Very much worth thinking about where he's come from. Makes me even more curious about where he's going.

I understand the gripes about the club, and it's not like I haven't had some myself. But I'm still excited about it. It would be nice if he'd release this flood we keep hearin' about, but the overall experience has well been worth the bucks paid for me.

Doves,
Mel!ssa

This is the most interesting commentary yet, by a mile!

I would go so far as to say that this is Prince's most interesting expose of his own career so far. Many interesting points.

However, whilst I greatly admire the comments on the ethos of a music club, two things need to be present for it to work.

(a) The ideals behind the club - we have that and what an ideal it is.

(b) The practice. This commentary seemed to go on about how amazing the ideal is but forgot to mention how/if the practice of the club has borne out that ideal. Has it?

The biggest comfort from this commentary is that Prince truly seems to believe in the Club which means it looks set to continue for a while yet. Whatever criticism we might have, the club being just one of many passing phases does not seem to be one of them.

"How the people ever gonna know what
they want if you never give them what they need?"



"Let the baker bake the bread..."



"Get free...yeah"

utter nonsense

How ironic, coming from Prince & Co.

That was quite a good article.

I don't agree with the statement about the 'organic' nature of the club - that it connects the members and the music. That was true of year 1, but this year you wouldn't even know there was a club - it's just a 'preferred customer' kinda thing.

Hmm, interesting pint about the revolution, wasn't it Prince that wanted to reform and W & L wern't too keen on his concept?. Tom makes a great point about the xtended mixes and bsides. Otherwise a great article.

Interesting to hear Prince perceives "0(+>" in a negative light retrospectively.

Saxjedi said:

Would you agree that it's a hell of alot closer to being organic than the current industry standard?
the club is still trying new methods...experimenting...I don't think they said it was perfect right? I agree that year one was better than year 2, (for those of us who could download that is) so far...but lets wait and complain when year 2 is over eh?

I like this article...and I think it's a direct response to specific comments made here about how he shoulda stayed with WB or that he should go back. For me that article says way more than I ever thought he'd tell us.
Thanx man.

Shorty said:

People would not walk into a record store and gladly pay $25 for a CD that doesnt exist yet. With the club he can get people to do that.

Tom said:

Kinda takes a big leap in faith. NPGMC is obviously not for the cynical or overly anxious. This ain't yo' mama's music club!

if Prince ever loses His On Stage Talent as a Musician then He Should take up Comedy because He is good at being funny which is what most of His Commentary Reminds Me of.Symbol too Me was More Interesting than TRC because it was in Fun.while OverProduced&Desperate it still felt like Him unlike Now.anyway Prince Needs too Chill Out&Face the Cold Hard Facts everybody has there Moment&Dude has had His Big POP Star Time.what I Mean by that: it's cool too now Bitch&Moan but You Weren't when Warner Brothers&Your Payola Backers had your Records all over the Radio&Your Protege's Output.The People Made You&you still are stuck in a time Warp wraped in your Own World.maybe that is what Missy Elliott Was getting at in Her Video??No Major Label is going for a Artist too go without Editing.Prince seemed Free while on the WB Plantation if you ask me? nowadays you hear 99 Albums due&you are lucky too get 1??Prince has turned into a Door Too Door Salesman&Is too Blind too Even Reason with that.truth Be told on Prince: if the Guy couldn't still Rip up on Stage&whatnot the Paisley Park Gates would Be Closed.nobody buys those Albums Hardly anymore.nobody buys into the Persona anymore except Die-Hards&Fans from back when.Talk through your Music.

Great commentary - particularly its response to some of the "wish he'd go back to WB" comments that have been appearing on the org!
Factual and very nicely presented!