Mike Shinoda on The Vocal Minority and Members vs. Non-Members

I've been a member twice. I think it was 4 and 8...But when LPUX came out, I didn't have the cash. When I looked at the package, I realized that I could buy a LP shirt for cheaper than the costs, and sadly they never really come to my state, so I really had no use for the membership. I don't think anyone is superior for spending money when I don't have it. Quite frankly, if there are LPU members that feel superior because they're part of a fanclub can go shove it.

I agree with Kathy on how rocky LPUX was, and how it felt like a gamble paying that money to join, but some people didn't think it was a gamble. I mean, seriously, who pays $60 just because something says LP on it? If it felt like a gamble, then you shouldn't have done it!

But Mike definitely has a point. It was very well written. The sad part is, he shouldn't have been necessary.

 

It's hard to dislike a smart guy like Mike Shinoda.

 

I agree with Mike 1000%. He is god, seriously. When is he never wrong? Oh, wait, what about album release dates? LOL

In all seriousness though, nobody can except any fan club to be 100% perfect. Let's face it, it's run by the band themselves, and of course there can be complications. But this fan club is probably the best for the $$ right now. Not only that, how can they complain that they don't get as many things as LPU members? As a non-member (I might join for LPU11), I find that completely reasonable. If they're paying, of course they should get more benefits.

Us LP fans like to complain a lot. I feel bad for the band.

 

Thanks broeh. My posts read even weirder when you imagine me as a walrus in a muumuu.

 

Someone should tell Mike that most of the sane fans, both ATS haters and lovers, are mostly on the LPA and he should probably ignore all the other message boards anyway.......

 

basically everyone should love LP and not be a hater
HOLLA!

 

Just my two cents...

I appreciate Mike taking the time to address this issue, but I don't like how he early on alludes to the idea there is no financial favoritism involved regarding the classification of the fan base. That's a lie. Obviously the LPU is about making money first, as with any business. Requiring an LPU membership to get into a meet and greet is nothing more than a business model created to earn money. It's no different than Gamestop and their pre-order bonuses. Yes, there's a "give-and-take" transaction going on, but that in no way nullifies that management would rather appeal to the paying individuals over the others. Even if every penny earned through LPU goes back into running LPU, those in charge would rather have more to work with than less.

The problem I have with Mike's post is it views the fans in just black and white: Those who won't pay and those who can; just two sides of a very large spectrum. He ignores the middle ground. Mike's percentage regarding Facebook users to registered LPU members doesn't take into consideration the amount of people who have access to Facebook, but either don't have the money to pay for a membership or simply have no use for one, maybe because they don't need the merch or the band doesn't perform where they live. Again, this is middle ground, and I feel it doesn't get addressed because it has no impact on the financial situation in question (can't lose what you never had).

And while Mike somewhat has a point comparing the situation to paying for clothes, gardening and relationships, the problem is the repercussions only come once you've already committed the act. If you never enter the clothing store, you can't shoplift. If you don't plant the seeds, you have no responsibilities to maintain them. If you never initiate a relationship, there is no loss because the connection never existed to begin with. If the desire to buy clothes, garden or love exists, the individual must first take action to putting one of those situations into effect before "give and take" come into play. His example is more comparable to existing LPU members being unhappy with their subscriptions than those that don't want to pay for one in the first place. There are no damaging repercussions to never having been an LPU member and not wanting to pay to be one. It'd had been better if Mike simply compared the situation to window shopping.

None of his reasoning is wrong though. The LPU is an easy way to gauge fans. If the LPU can't earn money, it can't survive and their current business model is in place to try and keep it alive. But it's wrong to tell the fans financial favoritism doesn't exist simply because you don't like the entitled spoiled brats crying about what they can't have for free. Those that pay extra do deserve something special, but trying to justify it by stating the obvious is hardly doing anything except saying a lot without really saying anything.

 

@kaeton you have a point

 

Mike: "We make no money from LPU. Every dollar of money spent on LPU goes directly back into the organization. Case closed."

I think it's not necessarily a lie. I think what Mike intended to say was that they don't generate huge profits from LPU--just enough to cover the cost (services and finished products).


And about Mike "saying a lot without really saying anything," he simply refuted the allegation that they ignore the "non-LPU" members. The rest of what he said are simply putting things within a context.

Mike (unnecessarily) reacting to a random tweet by a random dude is proof enough that he gives a sh*t about those non-LPU fans.

 

Another excellent blog post from Mike. Just because you're not a member of the LPU doesn't make you any less of a fan. Its just a shame its always the negative feedback thats always heard and not the positive. Thats the way the world goes I'm afraid.

 

I was happy to see this. I really agree with him. I used to be part of LPU but I never felt like a bigger fan than anyone. The reason I stopped was because LPUX was so expensive. It wasn't worth the money. I really liked being in LPU though. And I don't feel any less of a fan now that I'm not in it. I mean I was in it for the cool stuff mostly. I thought it was worth the money. Although, now I'm not so sure but I still would like the shirt and CD and stuff so I'd join if I could.

 

You make very good points Keaton, but I think what Mike was trying to get across was lost a bit in his "essay." Simply put, the band themselves don't take preference over paying and non paying fans. They like them all, because they are fans. It seems like Mike was just trying to say that he doesn't hold the paying members of LPUX in any higher regard than the fans who aren't members.

 

Reading this post and thread inspired me...

...to write my own review on Amazon.com for A Thousand Suns. I decided I can't let the vocal minority drown out what was a great album.

I gave it 4/5 stars and here is my review.

I bought this album the day that it came out. Well actually, I downloaded it when it leaked then went out and bought it. But I must say that I was skeptical to say the least after MTM. Unlike most fans I wasn't pining for LP to return the roots of their first two albums. I loved (and still do) Hybrid Theory. It was my first truly favorite album but I was done with that type of sound by the time MTM came out in 2007. I certainly thought that Linkin Park painted themselves into a corner of re-writing the same songs over and over again after an emotional, energetic, sometimes beautiful, though formulaic debut in HT and a brilliant experimental remix album in Reanimation. There were a few bright moments on MTM which included Leave Out All the Rest, In Pieces and Bleed it Out but for the most part I thought it was an average album where Linkin Park wasn't sure what they wanted to be.

A Thousand Suns is, in my opinion, Linkin Park finally beginning to capture the potential they showed with Hybrid Theory and Reanimation. After listening to those two albums I always thought Linkin Park's destiny would be to be a constantly shifting, genreless band (rather than the nu-metalers they debuted as) that while not being the best at any of the musical elements they work with (rock, hip hop, electronica) were adept enough at all 3 and creative enough at melding them to put out quality music. A Thousand Suns is Linkin Park's light bulb moment. I won't go as far as MTV did in calling it their Kid A, but in that regard I think it will be Linkin Park realizing all that they can and hopefully will be.

 

True but fun to poke him from time to time. *chuckles*