rdhull said:

Hot on Oceana's trail! rdhull, bendova

LaVisHh said:

She keeps saying Im leaving Im leaving while being rude about it and then comes back...how dumb.

Nate said:

I used to a be head cook at a few different restaurants in NY. It's rare i go out and actually enjoy the food served, esp in MN. The food is very bland here, most notably Italian restaurants, but I deal with it...i try to be constructive when i go out(or even quiet about my tastes), and frequent the better eateries when i can. If i wanted a refund on every meal i thought was crap, i'd never have to pay for my dinner.

Got to the soundchecks.
Didnt have to worry about concert tickets.
Got my downloads.
Got my 4 CDs...

If I was told in the 80s that this was possible - I wouldnt have believed it -

Very happy with the membership.
Def. Joining again

It's getting very tiresome, I agree.

Shorty said:

ditto

I will join again. I think, while it is an imperfect system, it has certinly brought out a new phase in Prince's career. When has he ever been this close with the audience? When have serious fans had a better chance at good seats? I can remember feeling lucky just to get in the building. ok, sometimes that is still the case, but it has become much easier to get tickets to shows. I love the music i've received and everything else. Some of these peeps just sound like spoiled brats who treat 100 bucks like it's all they've got. And if it is, they should be saving theire money, not giving it to Prince. But, that is none of my business. I just want to visit an Org where peeps seem to like Prince.
Now that this post is turning into another form of bitching, I will end it by saying If we are tired of the negativity and moaning let's just stop reading those posts. It may be hard to avoid bitching since it happens quite a lot here, but we can at least try.

ThePez said:

Well I think it is more realistic for people who didn't get what they were promissed to say that NPGMC is doing people wrong, than for those who DID get it to say that NPGMC is behaving perfectly fine to its costumers, and that everything is in order.

The majority of NPGMC's paying costumers DID NOT get what they were promissed and were mislead by the "great" deal NPGMC had published. I'm not sure what you mean when you say "negativity", because all these poor fans that were tricked by NPGMC are writing are their opinions about the matter and their JUSTIFIED complaints to NPGMC. What is this S*#@ about "stop being so negative"? don't you believe in freedome of speach? When one of NPGMC's workers posts a message saying how NPGMC is actually great and how he/she got their cd's... they're free to do so. but when someone dares telling the truth and the facts.. that is considered NEGATIVITY?!

I agree with Funkybrotha. They do have a case to complain but they are going overboard and not giving much consideration towards what may be going on at Paisly Park.

Personally, I am happy with the club and will rejoin next year.

i appreciate whatever i get - life has it's ups and downs and in the end, it all works out how it is suppose to

OK. I can't see how anybody has been "tricked" by the NPGMC. Here's what the 2002 package email said:

"As a 2002 member of the NPG Music Club, u will receive at least 4 NEW Prince CDs, just like ones offered in retail stores, that will b mailed 2 u directly thruout the year from Paisley Park"

sounds right on to me... I don't see any mention of "exclusive" music only to club members - in fact it states the exact opposite... next,

"The members-only retail section will b xploding in 2002 with new merchandise including new music, videos, instruments, and npg gear. And once again, u will b given members-only oppor2nities 2 get the best seats in the house on Prince's upcoming world-wide tour."

Ok, the retail section got bigger, but I wouldn't use the word "exploded"... and for those lucky to have Prince come to town, we did get the opportunity mentioned above. next,

"Prince & The NPG will take the stage all over the world in 2002 2 xplore new dimensions in music in a way u have never heard b4 from Prince. NPGMC 2002 Members will have the chance 2 b there every step of the way xperiencing the music up close and personal, with oppor2nities 4 soundcheck access and aftershow entrance as well."

got it, next,

"Plus the NPG Emale Mailing List will have all the latest newz first. The upcoming, improved NPG Chatroom will b THE place 2 chat with the NPG from time 2 time. And there will b special members-only oppor2nities at the Celebration 2002 in Paisley Park this June."

I think they have identified issues with the emale list and the chatroom never happened. Other than that, everything seems ok. next,

"The 2002 Package will b available 4 $100 and cover all of 2002. Members with months left on their old membership will be given options 4 renewing. Visit the site in mid-February 2 access the next xperience. Come and b a part of the 2002 NPG Music Club!"

There it is. I don't see anything wrong with what was promised and what was delivered. There were 4 cd's, concert opportunities, some new retail stuff. Ok the chatroom didn't materialize but is that what people are calling the BBB about? (who cares really - there's a chatroom here it and currently has about 8 people on it) or is it the fact that some packages are taking longer in the mail than others?

Stop the complaining! How easily we all forget...Without the club those of us that got front row tickets and access to the soundcheck MAY NOT HAVE EVEN BEEN ABLE TO GET TICKETS in some cities because they sold out so fast to the general public. And for those who didn't get a tour stop, well- that sucks, but the club did focus on the tour as being the main part of the club this year.

The Beatutiful Ones hurt U everytime.

I'm tired about people bitching about others bitching or rolling their gawddamn ugly ass eyes. Fans are very passionate about Prince and his music and members of the club paid for products that were mentioned in the tourbook and god knows where else. They didn't get what they paid for, so they complain which sounds reasonable to me.

This is not something that stands on its own, so unless you're willing to look at the entire history of Prince's online ventures and screw ups you're not getting the complete picture. Some folks are tired of being screwed and I think they have every right to be vocal about it even though I don't understand why they let it come this far in the first place.

IMO Prince has gotten more credit than he deserved and now it's catching up with him. NPGMC can dismiss the complaints as the usual bitching, but that would not be the smart thing to do. They should try to look at the situation as objectively as possible and try to determine what are valid complaints and which are not and try to come to a compromise. If they can't do that, then maybe the dissatisfied members and Prince & Co should be helped by an independant party.

NPGMC offers a service and if more than a certain percentage of the people is not satisfied with it, they should take a good look at how they run their business. Even if they could legally get away with certain things it will hurt business, no matter what they or a judge would think. Things need to change and fast if Prince wants to limit the damage this will do to his business or even think about regaining their trust.

TongueBox said:

joeycoco said:

Well, It's GREAT to see this thread.

I said this along time ago and people here Shot me Down saying we Needed to Complain! I said Prince would Always do the Right thing by his Fans. O.K. so I wanted it Intimate but I can Deal with what he Wants to Give Us. I Accept his Decision on things.

LaVisHh said:

Sorry LaV, but this sounds like the battered wife syndrome... "He hits me but I love him" ... When does it stop? What year? But as I mentioned earlier only time can tell (for those of us with the patience) and Prince should be lucky we give him this! Dont make him out to be the victim...

mrchristian said:

Agree!

LaVisHh said:

Tell me about it! The girl has a nose like a shepard. She follows me EVERYWHERE on the org

TheJoker said:

I love your positivity Johnny

ThePez said:

***

Agreed. I'm very happy with the NPGMC. That DOES NOT mean I'm deluded or an ass-kisser, it just means that I had reasonable expectations of the kind of service $100 can provide.

They delivered me with all 4 CD's promised (and in a luxury set) and with all the membership perks when he toured the UK. Considering I spent just £65 UK pounds I consider that good value. The box-set retails in the UK at £55. My membership has cost me just £10.

Besides I think it is important to support the Artists vision and I can really see where he is trying to go with this.

Ultimately, the NPGMC did not 'promise the world', but nevertheless some people expected it.

It is clear from reading most posts that very few have a legitimate reason to complain ... they just enjoy doing it.

I loved the concerts.
I loved the c.d.s
I LOVED Xenophobia.

I don't like how people are constantly complaining. A music club shouldn't rule over your lives!! Prince is cool. Let him do his thing, and let us that appreciate it be able to enjoy it(don't try to shut down the club with the BBB)!

PurpleElectricityVioletB said:

Mr7 said:

NPGMC should have two packages, one thats a normal price and is delivered in a week. The other one, specially for you delusional fanatics, can cost twice as much and take 10 months to arrive, if ever, and be nothing of what was described. Since you all seem to love it that way.

While everyone has the right to their
oppinion and the right to complain, I
think that ThePez makes a very good point.
And this guy:

Bren1 said:

I think if I were a member, it would
be like that for me.
You like Prince's music, you give him
$100 and for the year you get whatever
he gives you. Could he do it better?
Of course, but you know what?
As a non-member I:
-did not see the souncheck.
-got a seat in the back of the balcony
for ONA after sitting on the phone
at work for over an hour hoping
to get through before the show
would sell out.
-have not heard the ONA cd.
-will not hear ONA LIVE until 12-17.
-have never heard Rave In2 The Joy Fantastic
-etc.
That stuff sounds like fun to me.
Do I think I would be complaining?

chewymusic said:

Not having a go at you, but I liked your format, so;

As a MEMBER I:
-did not see the soundcheck, due to the NPGMC website being shite, constantly locking up and not allowing me to get as far as the checkout.
-didn't get to a concert at all after spending many hours on the website hoping to get a ticket before the pre-sale ended and ultimately failing (and after that, why the fuck should I buy an ordinary ticket just to see other members having a ball near the front?).
-HAVE heard the ONA cd, which is okay (nothing too amazing) but wait for a bit, it may possibly be included with the retail version of ONA Live, but if not, will inevitably end up for retail somewhere (much like Rave In2) or just download it from another source - the packaging is nothing to write home about, anyway.
-the way things are going, probably won't hear ONA Live until AFTER 17th December, my copy's not here yet.
-have never heard Rave In2, despite SOME (not all) Year 2 members getting it sent to them (why the inequality?)
-NPGMC Year 2 has been a totally pointless waste of time for me.
-People wonder why I'm complaining (and probably still will)

people who complain a lot must lead very boring lives. definitely nothing 2 complain about with the club -- no matter what, it's still better than what ANY other artist is doing, especially any one of merit.

if money fell from the sky, those same people would probably complain. What? no 100s? all i got were 20s!

concordance said:

check the profiles, see what i mean...

employees of NPGMC must not have anything better to do (like updating the site perhaps, or mailing our stuff out on time) instead they post garbage on here.

by the way, foofighters web site blows away npgmc, and its free. they posted more downloads in one week than npgmc posted in two years. they email us with concert presale information, they update the site regularly.

at Sianspheric's web site, i looked up band info, downloaded mp3s, got concert info, ordered some cds and they arrived in a week. Their site is free too.

I hear the BJork site is quite nice too.

there is plenty to complain about with the club, look around and you'll see.

Apparently 100 bucks is important to the club, especially when CDs are dirt cheap to make and postage to mail them is only a couple bucks, but its not supposed to be important to us.
[This message was edited Wed Dec 11 15:59:55 PST 2002 by Tom]
[This message was edited Wed Dec 11 16:02:05 PST 2002 by Tom]

I keep hearing NPGMC members complain they didn't get their moneys worth & how happy they were with year 1 with all the downloads. Well take ONAL into a used CD store & see how much they will give you for it. Don't know how much but they will offer you money. Now take those downloads you made & try the same thing. At least year 2 gave you a tangible item that has value. Year one gave you a lot on music that has absolutely no resale value.
I'm happy with year 2. Could be alot happier but I never had any illusions of exclusive music or 4 cds of new orginal music. No top talent musician is going to produce 4 full length cds of new music & not turn around & offer it to the general public at some point. Not gonna happen. Yet I saw many people here on the org that believed that was going to happen. Spend 10 months with unrealistic expectations and bitching & moaning is the inevitable result.