I don't mind the slim pickin's on the LPU package; all I ask for is a new fanclub CD that I can buy at Newbury Comics 6 months later.
I don't think the Summits themselves cost that much at all. only thing i think is unfair is that the summits are in locations where not everyone can go to. even in the US.
Sure it's a bit frustrating for some to no longer get a CD automatically and have to pay extra for it, but as long as we keep getting an album full of rare demos every year I'm not going to bitch. Sure I'll GREATLY miss the old LPU boards/site, but as far as I understand it was getting far too costly to run the fan club in it's previous state. So many people think that the LPU makes a lot of money but that's really not true, a lot of the cost of membership (in the past) went into producing the items and shipping them as well as 'operational costs' (paying Sparkart, who LP are no longer working with) with a very negligible amount of profit for the band actually being made. Not only that, people were starting to care less about the items in the package (calling the shoelaces/ear bud covers etc useless or stupid), and were only interested in the CD...which was becoming a waste of time to produce due to people leaking it as soon as they got it in their hands. Go on YouTube now and type in LPUX, I guarantee you that you'll hear the entire CD. With the internet, nothing is exclusive anymore and that's likely why the focus of the fan club has changed. As Mike has said, with the new LPU it's more about special events/being closer to the band...than merchandise and CDs, and judging by the amazing summits, the NYC release show, the lazer show as well as the improved M&Gs, I'd say LPUX has completely justified it's sticker price. How else is the band supposed to pay for these large events? If you answer "out of pocket", then you're being a fool. Things like this cost a LOT of money (no the summits are NOT cheap), and raising the price/removing "waste" is the only way to keep the LPU running and operating from year to year. This isn't 2001 anymore, and things had to change. It's regrettable but it's how things are. *EDIT* Another thing, I've seen bands/artists charge 80-100 for a fanclub and not offer anything even remotely close to what LPUX has offered us thus far. I don't think some of you realize how good we have it with LPU. Hardly any fanclub out there offers an exclusive CD full of demos every year, or as many opportunities to meet the artist as LPUX has offered in just it's first few months. A lot of fanclubs offer maybe a t-shirt and "membership card", as well as access to a fanclub site but that's it. Hell Evanescence's fanclub charged more than LPU for a while, and they didn't even have a CD. I think getting what we've got over the years spoiled us a bit, because LPUX is still better than 70% of most fanclubs out there today.
This! I keep trying to explain to people as to why it would have to cost so much for the fanclub, and all the responses I get are "ZOMG THE BAND HAZ SOLD OUT!" and other shit like that, and they act like LP is holding a gun to their head and saying that we have to join the club to begin with . I'm not saying I really like the prices, but it's not like LPUHQ had much of a choice, though, they could have been a lot more timely than they are now.
And for the uninitiated, I'm going to translate this statement. Quit your bitching. You don't have to pay, so stop whining and stop getting your panties in a bunch. Wah wah cry some more, it's not the end of the world. I mean seriously, it adds up to like $6 a month. And you don't even know what LPUX has in store seeing as it hasn't launched yet. Jesus Christ, you act like Linkin Park owes YOU something personally. Just sayin'.
You guys know that the boards are still running, right? http://forums.lpunderground.production.sparkart.net If you can't log on immediately, click on someone's name at the bottom and THEN log on. You should be good to go. May take a few tries, but it'll work. Once there, bookmark your userpanel and you wont' have to log on again.
Minus quit being mean. You made me cry. I wah wah-ed. And Chester Owes me for that parking ticket he got before they made it big. So yeah, they owe me. Well, atleast BBB does because it was initially his fault. Old reference
lol The music industry has heard your case and has decided to stop selling music entirely. All CD stores and iTunes will now close. Linkin Park has decided to stop making music too since nobody appreciates it and now does toothpaste commercials instead. It's like you guys don't remember the time when they made the NY show password so easy to guess it was cracked, or when they pulled their email for 5 MONTHS offline without telling anyone it would be offline for near that long, or when a support ticket would go unnoticed for a year or more. The list goes on, and you all seem so trusting of something that doesn't have a reputation of trustworthiness. Now that the LPU has stopped focusing on merchandise for everyone and now focusing on the 2% of fans near a large tour-stop city, needless to say I will probably not be renewing this year.... the probably is a tiny sliver of hope that they can recover from this train wreck they've caused in the last few months. Maybe it's not as obvious to those people outside of the LPU, but from the inside of it, it's extremely obvious that they're pretty terrible at keeping people informed (ie, the LPA and LPlive received more direct information from HQ than the LPU itself, and I know for a fact the vast minority of LPUers read ANY board at all, leaving more than one person confused to why their email just dissappeared last week) and terrible at keeping things running smoothly (I have not seen ONE apology or news update regarding when the rest of the website will go live).. and one post implied they didn't know what they were doing at all, setting the price point before deciding what content was going into the LPU. I could stand this when I received merchandise, cause at LEAST I had SOMETHING when they totally quacked up, but now by making it expensive they should change their tune a bit, here. They haven't said (still! since August!) a legitimate, quantifiable justification (not just "It'll be awesome!") why they have quadrupled the price. If it's most of it is going to the summits and M&G, then it's a case of most people paying that 2% to have fun, and the other 98% get table scraps. And if it's the case, then the LPU isn't $60. It's $60 + $80 concert tickets + however in travel and lodging fees + the hopes that you WIN the chance to see them. There has to be something substantial that $60 wins by itself, that any member is guaranteed to have. Since they haven't said what this is yet after four months of waiting for news, then they should expect complaining, and they deserve complaining, on top of paying 4 times as much to use software 1/4th as good. Linkin Park quit ustream because of spam,but they moved the LPU to a public forum where there's more spam.... The logic here does not add up. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt and maybe there's some private (though still maybe that NING garbage) forum for LPUers to visit eventually. A chat is confirmed... but what's the software like??? Arguably, all these problems stem from their idiotic habit of keeping EVERYTHING a secret and ignoring problems where they exist, maybe when everything is revealed it will stop being a train wreck. But right now, it's definitely a train wreck, and people have a right to complain, especially since the LPU chat and MB (the latter is only up due to Hax skillz) were taken down BEFORE they put the replacement site up. It would be tragic for the LPU to join the group of other overpriced fan clubs designed to grub money from gullible fans.
LOL nice one Kathy And they did mention on SEVERAL occasions as to why it was taking forever for the Support replies: Support was overwhelmed and couldn't keep up. I also posted this in my LPU FAQ thread on the LPU forum, and also added this note too, from LPU MB Mods/admin... "If the information provided is not helpful; DO NOT COMPLAIN ABOUT THE LACK OF ASSISTANCE THE MODS AND HELPERS HAVE PROVIDED. We have nothing to do with what LPUHQ does or does not do with your package(s) or your money. We do not get paid (at all) to make sure your issue gets taken care of in a snap. Any information provided by either a moderator or helper is to assist you in the many ways that LPU support is at the moment lacking." so, to a degree, you actually have no right to complain as this was explained before, you just had to look. I do feel you on this one though. They could have done a better job at keeping us updated on what is going on. However, LPUers were warned at least a month in advance that the LPU site as we knew it was going to be shut down. They should not have had to specifically state this would include email, as it was not listed as an LPUX feature and was part of the old LPU site.... common sense comes into play here. And if people do not read the boards at all, that is their mistake - there is not enough time to go through all the areas of the site and post the same shit in multiple locations .... and frankly, I believe that most LPUers DO read at least a little of the boards, enough that they would have seen the notice that the site was going to go down. Actually, it does... again, the LPU will have a members-only section, so the spam will be reduced. Also, be patient. Change takes time. Yes I agree that they maybe should have started doing this switch over sooner and/or should have left the old LPU site up until all of the LPUX features were created, however we do not know what all is involved in the process, so we just have to trust - even if you feel they do not deserve it - that they know what they are doing I'm not sure of the specs of the software on the chat, but it is provided by Livestream, so, if that helps. Also, again, be patient. Chat just went live on 13 December 2010 @ about 5pm Eastern, as I am sure you know know - if your Twitter is what I think it is This is the one part where I agree 100% with what you have written Why do you think that I have tried to do the FAQs I'm still working on doing that for LPUX however, I have new red-tape to go through being a moderator now on LP.com Please note, all of these comments that I have written are based on my personal views, and not based on my being a moderator at LP.com, I'd have said the same thing if I wasn't a mod. If I learn anything new tomorrow during the conference call I have with the other LP.com staff (including Adam) I will let you all know