mattmcbr said:

What if sabaisabai were Ben Affleck and people did want his wedding photos? (No offense sabai ) Would that make it ok for someone to give them out without his authorization?

Ben and J-Lo

True...but only two of those (ONA and Xpectation)...were original. And they probably could've been combined to fit on one disc. We still get material, but admit it...it's nothing like we thought it'd be when he would go on and on about how much stuff he was waiting to release...but WB wouldn't let him.

Now's your chance, Prince. Flood the market. Or was WB right about that as well?

See, this is my problem. The fact that Prince says "He doesn't need anymore fans, he needs more friends" or something along that line and you consider that realistic? If you've never communicated with the man on a personal level, how can you expect respect from him.

And since you bring up respect, ponder on this. Prince since his freedom has made his attempts to comply with fans requests. The fans asked for an acoustic album, he eventually released The Truth. Fans asked for vault material he eventually released Crystal Ball. Fans asked for a piano album, he eventually released One Nite Alone. Fans asked for a live album, he eventually released One Nite Alone Live. Fans asked for a jazz album, he suprised everyone with Xpection, soundchecks and N.E.W.S. But in return, while he's trying to grant all the requests he's met with oppostion from all of his so-called "friends" who complain about quantity, quality, and genres of music he creates. As a man, do you think you could please 50,000 people at one time? Do you think he feels respected by his so called "friends" 100 percent of the time as an artist?

I said this in another post. If you don't expect his crazy business practices by now, then you deserve to feel let down. It baffles me that the folks who have been "burned" so many times signed up for the club once again to be let down in some fashion.

Correct me if I'm wrong but Prince has never asked for anything from a fan before this. Now despite the very few freebies here and there (i.e. The War, Days of Wild single, and downloads) Prince has tried to compensate for his short comings. And the one time he ask the fans to give up something free of charge, so-called friends get offended. BTW, I have about half of the things on that list and he's not getting jack from me because that's my freedom of choice. But I can empathize with his cause, even though it wasn't presented in the best fashion. This may be your first public complaint. But since Prince doesn't know you personally, why would you take it so personally.

See, this is my problem. The fact that Prince says "He doesn't need anymore fans, he needs more friends" or something along that line and you consider that realistic? If you've never communicated with the man on a personal level, how can you expect respect from him.

And since you bring up respect, ponder on this. Prince since his freedom has made his attempts to comply with fans requests. The fans asked for an acoustic album, he eventually released The Truth. Fans asked for vault material he eventually released Crystal Ball. Fans asked for a piano album, he eventually released One Nite Alone. Fans asked for a live album, he eventually released One Nite Alone Live. Fans asked for a jazz album, he suprised everyone with Xpection, soundchecks and N.E.W.S. But in return, while he's trying to grant all the requests he's met with oppostion from all of his so-called "friends" who complain about quantity, quality, and genres of music he creates. As a man, do you think you could please 50,000 people at one time? Do you think he feels respected by his so called "friends" 100 percent of the time as an artist?

I said this in another post. If you don't expect his crazy business practices by now, then you deserve to feel let down. It baffles me that the folks who have been "burned" so many times signed up for the club once again to be let down in some fashion.

Correct me if I'm wrong but Prince has never asked for anything from a fan before this. Now despite the very few freebies here and there (i.e. The War, Days of Wild single, and downloads) Prince has tried to compensate for his short comings. And the one time he ask the fans to give up something free of charge, so-called friends get offended. BTW, I have about half of the things on that list and he's not getting jack from me because that's my freedom of choice. But I can empathize with his cause, even though it wasn't presented in the best fashion. This may be your first public complaint. But since Prince doesn't know you personally, why would you take it so personally.

First off, I don't consider myself his friend...I was being sarcastic.

Second, Prince has made no attempts to comply with his fans...he releases "what he wants, when he wants" according to those who disagree with my post.

Third...when did I say I signed up for this year's club? I've said it before...I won't join this year unless he tours. The $25 is worth the better seats to me. His concerts are pretty much the only thing worth spending money on anymore...except the preaching.

Fourth...sending Prince CD's would be like sending Bill Gates a new computer.

Fifth...we hate on the org just to piss you people off. Seems to be working. To borrow one of their phrases..."if you don't like it, don't read it."

Matt,
Prince ain't all that. For all his grandstanding, he's just a guy who's got a talent, who happens to need to share that talent. I know I've benefitted from listening to this guys stuff. I've even spent money on it because I think that what I get from it is worth it. But it's his art, and he has an absolute right to do with it what he pleases.

I've already gotten my moneys' worth. I don't need any thanks.

mattmcbr, if you choose to follow Prince, that is your choice. Prince does not need to comply with, take responsibility for or provide thanks to his fans for the choices they make. If you like the music, that's cool, but Prince really doesn't owe you anything at all.

Matthew, that was amazing.

You'd have to be missing some serious heart and soul to walk away from that letter without feeling something.

Bravo.

Bravo,Matt!! Your letter sums up what most of us are feeling.

Speak for yourself. Not all of us are whiners.


You win this weeks' award for "Post of the Week"

See, this is my problem. The fact that Prince says "He doesn't need anymore fans, he needs more friends" or something along that line and you consider that realistic? If you've never communicated with the man on a personal level, how can you expect respect from him.

And since you bring up respect, ponder on this. Prince since his freedom has made his attempts to comply with fans requests. The fans asked for an acoustic album, he eventually released The Truth. Fans asked for vault material he eventually released Crystal Ball. Fans asked for a piano album, he eventually released One Nite Alone. Fans asked for a live album, he eventually released One Nite Alone Live. Fans asked for a jazz album, he suprised everyone with Xpection, soundchecks and N.E.W.S. But in return, while he's trying to grant all the requests he's met with oppostion from all of his so-called "friends" who complain about quantity, quality, and genres of music he creates. As a man, do you think you could please 50,000 people at one time? Do you think he feels respected by his so called "friends" 100 percent of the time as an artist?

I said this in another post. If you don't expect his crazy business practices by now, then you deserve to feel let down. It baffles me that the folks who have been "burned" so many times signed up for the club once again to be let down in some fashion.

Correct me if I'm wrong but Prince has never asked for anything from a fan before this. Now despite the very few freebies here and there (i.e. The War, Days of Wild single, and downloads) Prince has tried to compensate for his short comings. And the one time he ask the fans to give up something free of charge, so-called friends get offended. BTW, I have about half of the things on that list and he's not getting jack from me because that's my freedom of choice. But I can empathize with his cause, even though it wasn't presented in the best fashion. This may be your first public complaint. But since Prince doesn't know you personally, why would you take it so personally.

Dear Mr. Nelson,

You don't know me, but I feel like you should. I'm 27 years old...white...male...and more than a little pissed. I don't feel that you owe me anything...other than respect. And asking me to send you things that I have purchased with my own money is not respecting me. Most of those releases you are asking for in your latest club e-mail were widely available in record stores...how were we to know they were "unofficial?" And why has it taken you this long to notice? As for bootlegs, just keep reading and I'll let you know how to end those once and for all...

Other than my family, the one thing that has been in my life longer than anything else is your music...almost 20 of my 27 years. The first album I ever purchased was "Purple Rain," and I was hooked immediately. Your music has literally been the soundtrack to my life...from my childhood, to adolescence, to college, and now to adulthood. Often, I remember things that have happened in my life through association with some of your songs. My first kiss ("Kiss")...my first school dance ("U Got The Look")...the death of my father ("Sometimes It Snows In April")...my first sexual experience ("Gett Off")...the first song I danced to with the woman who would become my wife ("1999"). All of these profound life experiences have been supplemented by your music. It seems as if it has always been there for me...like a friend who's always willing to talk.

Throughout my life, I have spent what I could afford...and in some cases more...on you and your music. It is literally in the thousands of dollars. And why that may not seem like much to someone like you, it is a considerable amount not only to myself but also to countless others who are also lifelong supporters of you and your music.

Perhaps you don't realize the lengths some of your fans...and yes I will be referring to them as fans...go to for you and your music. Let's start with your concerts. No one can obviously make it to every city, but your recent tour was pretty expansive. However, for those who did not live in or around those cities, it is not convenient to just pick up and drive a few hundred miles to see you (a) on a weeknight, (b) on short notice and (c) at $125 a pop. Yet more people than you know did this for you. Sometimes more than once.

Now let's move on to...yes...bootlegs. Make no mistake about it...I could care less who gets my money when I purchase a bootleg. I am not doing it to take money out of your pocket, nor to put it in the pockets of bootleggers. What I care about is the music. And if you can't provide it in a timely manner...if at all...I will look elsewhere for it. I literally want to hear everything you record...even if it's not up to your...or even my standards. The biggest problem I have with your bootleg request is this...it could have all been avoided.

For years, we waited patiently while you "freed" yourself from Warner Brothers so you could "free the music." Yet here we are almost seven years after the fact, and we now get less music than when you were with WB. I feel weird giving life advice to a 45 year old, but here's a little tip...it's OK to admit when you're wrong. Maybe leaving WB wasn't such a good idea afterall. And that's fine...but be strong enough to admit that. Don't forget...you were the one who signed the contract...and you knew what was involved when you did. So why act so surprised about the conditions of it? That never made sense to me...you sounded like the spoiled athletes of today..."holding out" for more money even though they have years left on their current deals. All of this while many Americans struggle every day to pay their bills and feed their children. Amazing...

And yet we still have heard only a fraction of your legendary "vault" material...why is that? Those songs, more than any other thing, are what us lifelong fans want to hear most. Why not start releasing these songs a few at a time to your club members? It can't be that hard to print up a few thousand CD's and charge us for them. It's money waiting to be made. Actually, let me take that back...apparently printing up a few thousand CD's for your fans and shipping them is difficult for you...i.e..."Crystal Ball" and "n.e.w.s."

It's also OK to admit that the name change fiasco not only wasn't a good idea, but also that it was for contractual purposes...not "spiritual" as you would've had us believe when you first announced it. You said so yourself at the press conference you held to announce your were now "Prince" again. Let me let you in on a little secret...it has never been easy to your fan. Especially being a white male. I've been called "gay," "weird," and countless other names for supporting your music...yet I stood by it. Throw in the name change, and it was damn near impossible. After that, I had a hard time trying to turn anyone else on to your music, and it seems like the public at large felt the same way. Again...it's OK to admit your mistake.

The same thing goes for the Arista deal...your great "comeback" attempt. Here's another secret...fans like myself don't care if you're ever "on top" again. We want you to make challenging, groundbreaking music...not flavor-of-the-moment pop tunes. Yet when the whole Rave project fizzled, all you could do was blame Clive Davis and Arista. Have you seen Clive's track record the past five years...funny how you were his only true "failed" project. I saw a stat the other day where his new label has several acts in the album charts already...and it's a brand new label.

And all I will say about your Jehovah Witness conversion is this...most of your fans are not of this faith, and we don't need to be preached to about "theocratic order" or any other JW ideal on record or in concert. You are entitled to your beliefs, but don't expect us as fans to blindly follow those beliefs. If we wanted to be witnessed to, we would go to church...not your concerts. It is very uncomfortable to be at your concert when you start talking about spirituality...and that's for a lifelong fan like me. I can't imaging what it would be like for a newbie...

So I have a proposition for you. I want you to think about what all the fans like myself have done for you and your lifestyle the past 20 years. Think about where you would be without us...the ones that have stood by you through thick and thin, high and low, weird and weirder. Think about the number of people who show up at your studio on a days notice in hopes of a live performance. Think about the fans who followed you from city to city on your last tour, and the sacrifices they made to do so. Think about the way you live, the houses you own, the cars you drive...and remember that none of that would've been possible without us.

Finished? Good...now figure out a way to thank us. Simply post a message on your website...tell us at your concerts (and no..."thank you and goodnight" doesn't count)...do something for us instead of yourself for a change. Look at what other artists are doing with their online clubs for their fans...and then do better than that. You, more than any other artist, have the resources (outtakes, demos, shear talent) to do it...just make it happen. Put a webcam in your studio so we can watch you create music...release the vault material (without remixes of songs we already have)...release CD's and DVD's of your FULL concerts...every show. Trust me...more than a few of us would buy it all. Or better yet...make them all available for download...that's what an online music club is all about, right?

That would be a nice first step in stopping the bootlegging, don't you think?

Sincerely,

Matthew McBride

You know you got it right Matt. I feel the same way. I have posted almost the same comments a few times. I think a lot of people have.


BUT THERE'S ONE PROBLEM YOU PEOPLE CAN'T SEEM TO GRASP...

Prince does NOT care about anyone. All he cares about is Prince. The whole "Slave" thing written on his cheek for years. Poor goo, didn't get what he wanted. Do you notice when something goes wrong with Prince, it's NEVER Prince's fault? It's Wendy & Lisa's fault, WB's fault, it's Clives' fault, it's radio's fault. Blah, blah, blah, blah. I'm sick of it.

Now the ONLY people he's got left is his fans. And he want's us to give up our HARD-EARNED collectables and BOOTLEGS? Remember the comment on his website? Let me remind you. I wrote about this when it came out too.

"Imagine a 12 disc set of Prince- A Celebration. Oh that's right you bought the bootleg..."

I'm paraphrasing here, but that's what it said.

Yes Prince I did buy the boot, and you know what? Yours NEVER CAME OUT!!!

THAT'S WHY WE BUY OR DOWNLOAD THE BOOTS, WE ALWAYS HAVE AND ALWAYS WILL. UNTIL YOU GET IT RIGHT!!!

Don't get me wrong. I ALWAYS purchase your officially released material. IF I can download the bootleg from the Hub, or Kazaa, you better believe I will. I don't mind ripping them off.

I mean if your so pissed about bootlegs, why don't you take down Sabotage??? I know why, because YOU KNOW that they can deliver a great looking package faster, better, and more reliable the NPG can!!! Plus they keep your FANS interested in you. If all of us had to wait this long for something from you and all we got was this SUBPAR jam material called N.E.W.S., you would not have the fans you do now.

You NEED to start listening Prince...But you won't. Because I'm sure that if we leave, it will be OUR fault, not YOURS...

Peace!
Chookalana

Dear Mr. Nelson,

You don't know me, but I feel like you should. I'm 27 years old...white...male...and more than a little pissed. I don't feel that you owe me anything...other than respect. And asking me to send you things that I have purchased with my own money is not respecting me. Most of those releases you are asking for in your latest club e-mail were widely available in record stores...how were we to know they were "unofficial?" And why has it taken you this long to notice? As for bootlegs, just keep reading and I'll let you know how to end those once and for all...

Other than my family, the one thing that has been in my life longer than anything else is your music...almost 20 of my 27 years. The first album I ever purchased was "Purple Rain," and I was hooked immediately. Your music has literally been the soundtrack to my life...from my childhood, to adolescence, to college, and now to adulthood. Often, I remember things that have happened in my life through association with some of your songs. My first kiss ("Kiss")...my first school dance ("U Got The Look")...the death of my father ("Sometimes It Snows In April")...my first sexual experience ("Gett Off")...the first song I danced to with the woman who would become my wife ("1999"). All of these profound life experiences have been supplemented by your music. It seems as if it has always been there for me...like a friend who's always willing to talk.

Throughout my life, I have spent what I could afford...and in some cases more...on you and your music. It is literally in the thousands of dollars. And why that may not seem like much to someone like you, it is a considerable amount not only to myself but also to countless others who are also lifelong supporters of you and your music.

Perhaps you don't realize the lengths some of your fans...and yes I will be referring to them as fans...go to for you and your music. Let's start with your concerts. No one can obviously make it to every city, but your recent tour was pretty expansive. However, for those who did not live in or around those cities, it is not convenient to just pick up and drive a few hundred miles to see you (a) on a weeknight, (b) on short notice and (c) at $125 a pop. Yet more people than you know did this for you. Sometimes more than once.

Now let's move on to...yes...bootlegs. Make no mistake about it...I could care less who gets my money when I purchase a bootleg. I am not doing it to take money out of your pocket, nor to put it in the pockets of bootleggers. What I care about is the music. And if you can't provide it in a timely manner...if at all...I will look elsewhere for it. I literally want to hear everything you record...even if it's not up to your...or even my standards. The biggest problem I have with your bootleg request is this...it could have all been avoided.

For years, we waited patiently while you "freed" yourself from Warner Brothers so you could "free the music." Yet here we are almost seven years after the fact, and we now get less music than when you were with WB. I feel weird giving life advice to a 45 year old, but here's a little tip...it's OK to admit when you're wrong. Maybe leaving WB wasn't such a good idea afterall. And that's fine...but be strong enough to admit that. Don't forget...you were the one who signed the contract...and you knew what was involved when you did. So why act so surprised about the conditions of it? That never made sense to me...you sounded like the spoiled athletes of today..."holding out" for more money even though they have years left on their current deals. All of this while many Americans struggle every day to pay their bills and feed their children. Amazing...

And yet we still have heard only a fraction of your legendary "vault" material...why is that? Those songs, more than any other thing, are what us lifelong fans want to hear most. Why not start releasing these songs a few at a time to your club members? It can't be that hard to print up a few thousand CD's and charge us for them. It's money waiting to be made. Actually, let me take that back...apparently printing up a few thousand CD's for your fans and shipping them is difficult for you...i.e..."Crystal Ball" and "n.e.w.s."

It's also OK to admit that the name change fiasco not only wasn't a good idea, but also that it was for contractual purposes...not "spiritual" as you would've had us believe when you first announced it. You said so yourself at the press conference you held to announce your were now "Prince" again. Let me let you in on a little secret...it has never been easy to your fan. Especially being a white male. I've been called "gay," "weird," and countless other names for supporting your music...yet I stood by it. Throw in the name change, and it was damn near impossible. After that, I had a hard time trying to turn anyone else on to your music, and it seems like the public at large felt the same way. Again...it's OK to admit your mistake.

The same thing goes for the Arista deal...your great "comeback" attempt. Here's another secret...fans like myself don't care if you're ever "on top" again. We want you to make challenging, groundbreaking music...not flavor-of-the-moment pop tunes. Yet when the whole Rave project fizzled, all you could do was blame Clive Davis and Arista. Have you seen Clive's track record the past five years...funny how you were his only true "failed" project. I saw a stat the other day where his new label has several acts in the album charts already...and it's a brand new label.

And all I will say about your Jehovah Witness conversion is this...most of your fans are not of this faith, and we don't need to be preached to about "theocratic order" or any other JW ideal on record or in concert. You are entitled to your beliefs, but don't expect us as fans to blindly follow those beliefs. If we wanted to be witnessed to, we would go to church...not your concerts. It is very uncomfortable to be at your concert when you start talking about spirituality...and that's for a lifelong fan like me. I can't imaging what it would be like for a newbie...

So I have a proposition for you. I want you to think about what all the fans like myself have done for you and your lifestyle the past 20 years. Think about where you would be without us...the ones that have stood by you through thick and thin, high and low, weird and weirder. Think about the number of people who show up at your studio on a days notice in hopes of a live performance. Think about the fans who followed you from city to city on your last tour, and the sacrifices they made to do so. Think about the way you live, the houses you own, the cars you drive...and remember that none of that would've been possible without us.

Finished? Good...now figure out a way to thank us. Simply post a message on your website...tell us at your concerts (and no..."thank you and goodnight" doesn't count)...do something for us instead of yourself for a change. Look at what other artists are doing with their online clubs for their fans...and then do better than that. You, more than any other artist, have the resources (outtakes, demos, shear talent) to do it...just make it happen. Put a webcam in your studio so we can watch you create music...release the vault material (without remixes of songs we already have)...release CD's and DVD's of your FULL concerts...every show. Trust me...more than a few of us would buy it all. Or better yet...make them all available for download...that's what an online music club is all about, right?

That would be a nice first step in stopping the bootlegging, don't you think?

Sincerely,

Matthew McBride

A Reply to DEAR Prince...(very Long) by MATTMCBR

Prince is a profound soul who GENIUS allows him to release his music at will and change his mind on a whim. As a fan I have never complained about his lack of output, having a friend who growing up was as devout a MJ fan as I was/am a Prince fan, Prince has released consistently an album a year since 1978 with only a few exceptional years, which he, if I remember correctly, had released a double LP the previous year (1983, 1993).
Princes output should have been stifled a couple of times back then, for quality control, but me being the fan that I was/am was always wanting more, a drug in a sense Prince tunes were. From my becoming a fan in 1986, I enjoyed six years of original music from, at the time, the most powerful force in music and one of great genius’ in art compared to Mozart and Hemingway. Hmmph!!! Now there’s an enigma of sorts, imagine what must have gone on in the cosmic way of things to come up with that pairing or even comparison.
Imagine being a Hendrix fan, and loving all that wonderrificle guitar playing and have your music icon be around for less than 5 years (I Looovve HENDRIX, but now talk about releasing the same music over again and again just in different packages) , or how about in modern times having to wait for a Santana CD, good but most people can make a hit LP if they include a few hundred of the current music it crowd on their CD. All except for Prince, who when he did it just seemed out of place. It just didn’t work for him because he was always by himself or even when he was with other people around him he was still by himself because most of them seemed like clones of himself (the Revolution, The Time, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Lovesexy band, The Family, Vanity 6, Appolonia 6, Sheila E., NPG, Jill Jones, Taja Seville, Sheena Easton, Martika, damn the list goes on and on).
I said it before and I’ll say it again I LOVE PRINCE MUSIC, 90% of it anyway, he is the only musician/entertainer who I could literally listen to his entire LP and come away feeling inspired. But I am, as a fan that spans 3 decades, ready for the next step of the pRiNcEly Parade, and it don’t have to be anything I expected either. Prince live your life, have babies, start a real record company, produce real talents, not just girls u are bangin’ and have a good time doin’ it.
Life is short and Prince has made his contribution to mine thru his music, and I would like to THANK HIM. And you guys should really be a little nicer, I know deep down u do really want to see Prince be on top again, come on don’t u really? But come on for GODS sake is the output really that slow? Or are u Really that bored with your life?

Matt don't get mad.
Look I'm not on U in particular, I kinda meant all of us as fans.
As for the WB comment I myself often have wondered if it was the right move and have constantly come up with the answer as "NO!" it was a crazy move. It was like leaving a company that your 401K is heavily invested in and U can't take the money with U. In this case the masters that he has argued about for the past 5-7 years.
Once again this is Prince's life and career and he can it "f-ck up" as much as he wants, I for one can enjoy my rewards for my investment when ever I turn on my CD player or DVD player or VCR or Tape deck or even Record player, and if I don't want to be a part of it anymore I can lock the music up and stop buying more.