what the hell is with all the bands who are now charging $40 a year to join their fan club, just got an email from u2 stating just that $40 bucks gets me chat with the band , premium tickets, yeah right
also some bands are going the way of say KISS charging $500 for package deals for concerts Motley crue is doing it also
with the $500 you get tickets two in the first 5 rows, t-shirt , picture , tour poster, pre show backstage
these bands are all rich as fuck i want to know who the hell the money is going to
hope the hip don't resort to this bribery
Ummm...accountants, real estate agents, private jets, shopping sprees, Viagra, palimony suits, drug habits, feeding the corporate machine...who knows.
The bottom line is that it alienates fans.
I like U2, always have. Bummer is, it seems like Bono's started to believe his own press. One two many political causes, limited edition iPods, or something.
I can't see The Hip going that route. Maybe it's wishful thinking but I really believe they're too grounded in reality. I think they'd rather do things like commission Tomsett to paint a goalie mask with the proceeds going to a worthy cause instead of into their pockets or team up with Waterkeepers and other NPOs, staying out of the limelight of political chicanery and instead making a big difference a little bit at a time.
I don't frequent U2 or KISS or Crue forums, but I suspect that far fewer of their fans have had the up close and personal conversations with their icons that many of us have had with ours. I mean, look at Gord's reaction to being inducted into the Hall of Fame; it was like he was more bewildered than anything else.
If you look up "keepin' it real" in the dictionary, it will say "See Tragically Hip, The".
We're the most fortunate fan-boys and fan-girls in the world!
~Scott
I am pretty pissed to with U2 charging $40 for the year. But I must admit I already paid for my membership. The only reason is I want access to get good seats for the upcoming tour. Tickets can be a bitch to get. I considered myself lucky to get good seats during their last tour without having to giving a kidney to a scalper.
So for me the 40 dollars now is alot less than paying a couple hundred or more to a scalper. At the same time, if this doesnt get me access to some half decent tickets, I will be really pissed.
In the end, we should be grateful the Hip haven't charged for the hipclub membership and most of us have had a chance to get great tickets to their shows.
Pearl Jam charges $15 U.S. for their fan club ($20 if you live outside of the States), but in my opinion it's worth it just for the super cool newsletters they send out. You also get their annual Christmas single (on vinyl), various members-only contests, and internet pre-sales for concerts. I was just checking out their website and here's how they explain the membership cost:
"Membership fees help to cover the cost of production, design and postage for the newsletters and Christmas singles. The fee for international members is $5 higher to cover international postage rates."
Makes perfect sense to me. If the Hip ever did something similar, I'd gladly fork over $20 a year.
We buy cds, dvds, merchandise, and concert tickets, and now money for memberships? I don't think I'd pay $40 for a membership....
The Rolling Stones charge $100 US for membership to their site.
cratch:
The hip don't have enough fans to do something like that.
tommygunn Wrote:The Rolling Stones charge $100 US for membership to their site.
cratch:
Holy crap, that's insane!
hock:
Tells you who the Stones' primary audience is.
Dinosaurs paying money to see fossils....
I paid $60 for a membership to the Metallica fan club and don't regret it one bit. For the $60 you get 4 full colour Metallica magazines per year, a fan club t-shirt, acess to the fan club site which has extra content that that the regular Metallica site doesn't have and a fan club members only board, discounted prices on online merchandise purchases, first chance at tickets (plus we got specially printed tickets from the club) and the chance to enter for exclusive shows (they did 4 warmup shows for the tour at The Filmore in S.F. and the only way to get in was to win tix thru the club) and meet and greets.
I would have been totally satisfied with paying the membership dues just to get the magazines, t-shirt, and great tickets to 4 shows (1st, 2nd, 4th & 5th row seats)... but when I found out that I won a meet & greet for the London show I was bouncing off the walls :jump I could pay the membership fee for the rest of my life and not receive anything and I would think that the experience of meeting Metallica would be worth a lifetime's worth of membership fees.
Metallica consistently loses money on it's fan club, but still continue to provide this to their fans. I will continue to be a Metallica Club member for as long as the band keeps going, and even if I don't get another chance to meet them, I will feel like I have got more than my money's worth.
I guess it would all depend on what they were willing to offer for the price of the membership, and how much you enjoy the band
jay420 Wrote:I paid $60 for a membership to the Metallica fan club and don't regret it one bit. For the $60 you get 4 full colour Metallica magazines per year, a fan club t-shirt, acess to the fan club site which has extra content that that the regular Metallica site doesn't have and a fan club members only board, discounted prices on online merchandise purchases, first chance at tickets (plus we got specially printed tickets from the club) and the chance to enter for exclusive shows (they did 4 warmup shows for the tour at The Filmore in S.F. and the only way to get in was to win tix thru the club) and meet and greets.
I would have been totally satisfied with paying the membership dues just to get the magazines, t-shirt, and great tickets to 4 shows (1st, 2nd, 4th & 5th row seats)... but when I found out that I won a meet & greet for the London show I was bouncing off the walls :jump I could pay the membership fee for the rest of my life and not receive anything and I would think that the experience of meeting Metallica would be worth a lifetime's worth of membership fees.
Metallica consistently loses money on it's fan club, but still continue to provide this to their fans. I will continue to be a Metallica Club member for as long as the band keeps going, and even if I don't get another chance to meet them, I will feel like I have got more than my money's worth.
Do you have proof that they're losing money? Somehow Metallica seems to be a band that is all about the money. They all but ruined their reputation by whining like babies over Napster and now they've gone from Hard Rock to Punk music. I don't think Metallica would do anything if there wasn't a little monetary gain involved.
tommygunn Wrote:The Rolling Stones charge $100 US for membership to their site.
are you serious?! what is so special about their fan club that people are paying $100 for? that is just insane to me
cratch:
o78 Wrote:tommygunn Wrote:The Rolling Stones charge $100 US for membership to their site.
are you serious?! what is so special about their fan club that people are paying $100 for? that is just insane to me cratch:
- one year membership
- full access to the member's only online fan club
- the Fan Community, Stones Archive and more.
- RollingStones.com email
- Official Rolling Stones Fan Club Exclusive DVD
- LICKS Commemorative Poster featuring the
Jeff Koons LICKS tour art
- special access to tickets should the band announce shows.
thats definitely not worth it for the stones