Did I miss something?

http://biz.yahoo.com/prne...150_1.html

Press Release
Source: NPG Music Club

NEW YORK, March 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Membership has its privileges indeed. This week musical superstar Prince announced plans 4 his biggest tour in six years. But if you want the best seats in the house, want to avoid the surcharges of ticket brokers plus receive a free copy of his upcoming new album, you have to join the club ... Prince's own NPG Music Club. New members are being accepted at www.NPGMusicClub.com and the lifetime membership is only $25.

Fans of Prince have always received special benefits and the artist has been way ahead of the competition in the digital world. In the Club's first year, members received several unreleased MP3 downloads and videos, in addition to pre-sales on all Prince concerts. In the years that followed, members received exclusive and unreleased CDs, plus special access to after parties, surprise gigs, and pre-show sound checks at each concert. Members also received free copies of the 3-CD box set One Nite Alone ... Live, and they were invited to the famous Paisley Park for a 7-day concert experience.

More breakthrough announcements for NPGMusicClub.com are on the horizon. In the meantime, Prince will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 15th. The launch of the tour on March 29 also coincides with the release of Prince's new CD, "Musicology."

Xpertlover said:

No, the downloads are .77 per song for non members .99. People attending a concert should receive a free copy according to Prince at his pressconference.

Maybe those dowloads are vault songs? This press release says it pretty clear: Members get a free copy of the new CD>

MendesCity said:

it could mean members who buy tickets to the concert.

MendesCity said:

In another shocking announcement Prince promised that everyone who bought a concert ticket to one of his shows on this tour will get a copy of the new album, "because those people have been with me for a long time -- it's a thank you for them." He then went on to say that the goal of this tour is ultimately "to bring live music back" to generations who don't have a fundamental understanding of it. In that vein, he expressed gratitude at having the opportunity to play at this year's Grammy ceremony, "It was a chance to show a new generation what we do."

See: http://www.prince.org/msg/7/81936

I don't mean to be negative, but this article seems to be mis-quoting much from the press conference. When was it said that $25 was a "lifetime" membership? Its always been annual. Second up, he never said music club members would get the disc for free, he said he was hoping he could set it up that every person who attended his concert got the CD for free (and he didn't say it would happen, just that he wanted to do something like that).

JediMaster said:

it wasn't an article, it was an NPGMC press release. And at the end of the last year, the club said the memberships would not expire. So the press release either means that members who buy tickets or people who join the club will get the CD free.

Well, if Prince is indeed NOT planning on giving every concert-goer a free copy of Musicology, he should put out another press release to counter the information that is currently being spread by the media. I've seen NUMEROUS references to Prince saying at the press conference that everyone who buys a concert ticket gets the album free.

I've also seen the ads (in L.A. and PA, among other places) that PROMISE IN PRINT "a free copy of Prince's latest CD" - so I don't think that it's exactly fair to say that the article is mis-quoting anything.

Besides, as I've said for years now, Prince has NO RIGHT to EVER complain about being misquoted...it's his damn fault for not allowing tape recorders and notepads or whatever the fuck. Wasn't there a camera there though?

I mean, he DID promise a copy of the CD right? Does anyone else have the feeling that this is gonna backfire when he doesn't deliver on this promise?

Logistically speaking, isn't Prince going to take a big loss on this? I don't know if he meant every concert or not but if he gives everyone who attends every concert a free cd won't that be hundreds of thousands of free cd's. I think we should put this promise next to his statement that he hopes all record labels will release Musicology. Never going to happen.

rialb said:

Why would he take a loss - he grossed between $45-$85 on every ticket sold. Spending $1 or less to give everyone a free CD isn't going to cut to that gross too much. I'd expect a CD in a sleeve like the ONA CDs.

JediMaster said:

It said so on the NPGMC site three days ago - when I joined.

Yup, NPGMC membership lasts "as long as the site exists".