Paid Fan Access

[MixGrafix]

I know that Opeth does not have a vip area of their website for their fans, but I am looking for a little feedback on a project that I am working on.

Bands for the most part want to keep in touch with their fan base, and since the beginning of time the fan club has been the link to with the band and the fans, getting more fans to sign up for the fan club generates more income for the band as a whole.

I think there are two main reasons most people do not join "paid fan clubs" is the fact that most fans:

1) Are too young to have a credit card or checking account of their own

2) The parents do not want to put their credit card or checking account numbers online

And that comes down to this point.

If you are a fan of a band to the point where you would join a paid fan club, and had the option to purchase a pre-paid membership at a merchandise booth at a concert or a retail outlet where you got a "FanPass" to the bands fan club web site on a cd, as well as a t-shirt, stickers, etc for the same price as a t-shirt only, would you buy that package? The cd has a one time use code that integrates with the website so it cannot be duplicated. The band then can send you special offer via email, host live chats, etc.

Would this entice you to purchase a fan club membership?

If not, what would?

 

[Khayman666]

If the cost were to include a (decent) t-shirt, then yes, probably. Unless it was like the Maiden online FC, where you have to pay something like 20 quid just to read journals, see pics and post in the forum. All of which were free just a couple of years ago (that was, I believe, right before Nicko had a look at the forum... )

 

[Seance]

I'm not sure anything would draw me into paying for a fan club membership. There's only so much a band can offer, especially a smaller/less financially sound band.

I guess the biggest thing to entice people would be to periodically send out fan club CDs (Dream Theater supposedly send out a lot of these, or did - I don't think their fan club exists anymore, but they always had things like fanclub Christmas CDs). If you're a band, I think it's common sense to expect that you'll be able to draw more people into this kind of thing by giving them more of what you expect from a band: music. Outtakes, live recordings, studio/recording session paraphenalia. Things like deals on t-shirts are a bit lame, I think. You can always get a t-shirt.

 

[MixGrafix]

I'm not sure anything would draw me into paying for a fan club membership. There's only so much a band can offer, especially a smaller/less financially sound band.

I guess the biggest thing to entice people would be to periodically send out fan club CDs (Dream Theater supposedly send out a lot of these, or did - I don't think their fan club exists anymore, but they always had things like fanclub Christmas CDs). If you're a band, I think it's common sense to expect that you'll be able to draw more people into this kind of thing by giving them more of what you expect from a band: music. Outtakes, live recordings, studio/recording session paraphenalia. Things like deals on t-shirts are a bit lame, I think. You can always get a t-shirt.

....private meet-n-greets for fans only, photo sessions, private online chats, etc?

 

[soundave]

If the cost were to include a (decent) t-shirt, then yes, probably. Unless it was like the Maiden online FC, where you have to pay something like 20 quid just to read journals, see pics and post in the forum. All of which were free just a couple of years ago (that was, I believe, right before Nicko had a look at the forum... )

Still have a bad taste in my mouth about that. Just one in a long list of money-grubbing tactics by them (inspired by Rod?). One of my faves, but the paid FC really turned me off. Especially for what it "offered".

 

[Kenneth R.]

Nothing could make me pay for pre-paid tickets, exclusive fanclub merch and news, or better seats. To the richest go the spoils?

I don't think a band's greatest fans are those that blow the most money on their merch. I think a band's greatest fans are the people who, when attending a concert or listening to their record, strive to connect and feel what the band felt when writing or performing that piece. To understand. Not to consume.

I would never, ever buy into any fan club kind of thing, and I have a special hatred in my heart reserved for bands who sell premium seating & meet-and-greet experiences for a higher price. It's a blatant way of saying "We are a business, not people. You must pay to talk to us, and you must pay to sit in the front. Getting there 10 hours early and braving the elements outside the venue counts for shit, and so does everything about you except your wallet. You are nothing more than customers now."

Fuck that shit.

 

[soundave]

^ FTW. I also forgot to say fuck that shit.

 

[MixGrafix]

Nothing could make me pay for pre-paid tickets, exclusive fanclub merch and news, or better seats. To the richest go the spoils?

I don't think a band's greatest fans are those that blow the most money on their merch. I think a band's greatest fans are the people who, when attending a concert or listening to their record, strive to connect and feel what the band felt when writing or performing that piece. To understand. Not to consume.

I would never, ever buy into any fan club kind of thing, and I have a special hatred in my heart reserved for bands who sell premium seating & meet-and-greet experiences for a higher price. It's a blatant way of saying "We are a business, not people. You must pay to talk to us, and you must pay to sit in the front. Getting there 10 hours early and braving the elements outside the venue counts for shit, and so does everything about you except your wallet. You are nothing more than customers now."

Fuck that shit.

Kenneth

I respect your opinion, and I know you are a very intelligent person.

But band is a business, and we are customers of them each time we purchase a cd, a ticket to a concert, a t-shirt, etc, and without income bands cease to exist. Bands do not make money on their records like they did in the pre-internet era, and need alternate revenue streams to keep the band (and their livelihood) going. Touring and merchandise are the main income generators, and this is a perk for the fans, and a way to connect with them for the same price as buying a t-shirt at a show.

I am a musician, and I know about the purity of the music, the connection to the songs, and the feeling you get when you finally "get" an artist, so do not think that I am a greedy bastard or anything like that. I want to create more revenue for them, making their lives better, while at the same time connecting the band with the fans so we feel closer to them.

People here take capitalism as a bad thing, when it is the very thing that drives the music industry as a whole. I am working on this project for a band now that is on a major us tour, and it was eye awakening how much the bands get paid for there music, and portion of the ticket sales. For example, each member of the band was getting about $0.35 per album sold. So if they sell 1,000,000 albums, each member pockets a whopping $35,000.00 before tax.. roughly $24,000.00 after. And that is a band that sells a million records... how many bands out there do that with internet music sharing nowadays. Sell 100,000 records, and make a whopping $2400.00 bucks. Woo hoo.

And to the statement about to the rich come the spoils.... that is just human nature. When I used to own a scuba diving store, whenever a client complained about the price of something, I always said, "No Cash, No Splash."

 

[outerone]

Metallica has a really great fan club, granted they are a hudge scale band. I remember when I was in high school and I was part of their fan club. The gave away all kinds of good stuff to members, the magazine was amazing (for a fan), little extra stuff here and there and then my favorite was the fan cans. About once a year you could buy an exclusive fan package,with special video footage, studio recording extras, shirts and other memorebilia. The club also had specials, like fans would get private access to shows or you were supposedly guaranteed to meet the band once (the band wasnt touring much in my area when I was a member so I never experinced this). The list goes on for their fan club.

I would pay a little extra dough to receive some special Opeth videos, rehersal recordings, special pics or shirts. And It would be nice to have access to tickets before they go on sale to the general public (for Metallica that worked cause tickets usually sold out in 2 seconds). Plus maybe meet the band in a fan club meeting.

So if the band was somethign really special to me like Opeth is, I would love to receive some extra special stuff for a little extra cash. Mainly some cool video footage.

 

[outerone]

But if the question is just special access online for some cash.... HELL NO!

 

[MixGrafix]

But if the question is just special access online for some cash.... HELL NO!

I agree. Depending on what input the band wanted to put into it, I would not pay to have access to a forum, but true online fan interaction, maybe dinner with Opeth before a gig (like I did in Fort Lauderdale), video clips.

 

[Kenneth R.]

^ FTW. I also forgot to say fuck that shit.

We are so buds.

MixGrafix: I understand it's a business. It doesn't have to be JUST a business, and the business should never take the spotlight. Let me paint you a vivid picture (hypothetically):

My bros and I stand outside the Underworld in Camden for 6 hours before the show. We are the first idiots there. It's about 45F outside, and we're wearing t-shirts and jeans because once you get inside, you know it gets hot quick. Nobody wants to carry around jackets or lose precious time with the coat check either. So, 6 hours pass telling jokes, fucking around, having a good time, getting psyched up. A line starts to form behind us as others show up, and now it's fuckin massive. Around the building. But we're still in the front. Our suffering is sweet because it not only was well enjoyed, but it implies that we'll probably be front row center at the barrier. Well, along come some fuckers who hardly know the band just a few minutes before doors open. They walk right up to the front, flash shiny passes, and get let in. All cause they paid more for some primo package. When we finally get in, guess what? The front is all cordoned off, and those lame-ass cunts are standing there, disinterested. The gig proceeds as they stand around getting drunk, talking about the new cars they bought last week, and so on. After the show we figure, ok, that blew ass, but at least we can wait by the trailer and meet the band. Nope, you've got a barrier there too, and they say that first of all, you have to have a VIP pass to talk to the band, secondly, even if you did, they aren't allowed to autograph anything unless you buy it from the vendor standing right there. Yeah, even your tits. You didn't buy em here, they don't get signed. We go home. We tell our friends how fuckin shit we got treated. They tell everybody else. Guess how many people show up at the next gig who don't have VIP passes? Less. (And don't think they're going to cough up the cash to be one of those "lucky" few who paid more for previously-free perks. The number of such imbeciles is much less than the number who show up at the usual price)

You think it's good business to milk the system as much as possible, but keep in mind who and what supports it. You treat us like shit, and we'll go somewhere else where bands are legit and not executives with money dripping out their ass. Why do you think people go online and download music now? The record industry fucked with them, treated them like shit, and so that's their attitude: payback, not pay up. I won't defend them, but that's reality buddy. The common fan is bitchslapped in the face by this growing trend of the industry to market out previously-free perks that went to the lucky or dedicated fan, now to the richest retard. Oh yeah, and you can't buy your tickets from the band either. Or even the venue. They aren't allowed to sell any. You have to go online through our middleman and pay extra fees just because they say so. And at the end of the day, we can all shrug and say "that's business" and walk away with our tails between our legs like the beaten little pussies we are.

 

[outerone]

^ I really dont see that happening with a band like Opeth. If Opeth have some special club where you can get into shows first, then those dudes are not going to stand around talking about cars, they certainly will be banging their heads with the rest of the crowd. Plus a band like Opeth would never have such strict rules with singing items after shows.

I could see this happening with some hudge band like Linkin Park, but who wants to see them anyways...

 

[MixGrafix]

We are so buds.

MixGrafix: I understand it's a business. It doesn't have to be JUST a business, and the business should never take the spotlight. Let me paint you a vivid picture (hypothetically):

My bros and I stand outside the Underworld in Camden for 6 hours before the show. We are the first idiots there. It's about 45F outside, and we're wearing t-shirts and jeans because once you get inside, you know it gets hot quick. Nobody wants to carry around jackets or lose precious time with the coat check either. So, 6 hours pass telling jokes, fucking around, having a good time, getting psyched up. A line starts to form behind us as others show up, and now it's fuckin massive. Around the building. But we're still in the front. Our suffering is sweet because it not only was well enjoyed, but it implies that we'll probably be front row center at the barrier. Well, along come some fuckers who hardly know the band just a few minutes before doors open. They walk right up to the front, flash shiny passes, and get let in. All cause they paid more for some primo package. When we finally get in, guess what? The front is all cordoned off, and those lame-ass cunts are standing there, disinterested. The gig proceeds as they stand around getting drunk, talking about the new cars they bought last week, and so on. After the show we figure, ok, that blew ass, but at least we can wait by the trailer and meet the band. Nope, you've got a barrier there too, and they say that first of all, you have to have a VIP pass to talk to the band, secondly, even if you did, they aren't allowed to autograph anything unless you buy it from the vendor standing right there. Yeah, even your tits. You didn't buy em here, they don't get signed. We go home. We tell our friends how fuckin shit we got treated. They tell everybody else. Guess how many people show up at the next gig who don't have VIP passes? Less. (And don't think they're going to cough up the cash to be one of those "lucky" few who paid more for previously-free perks. The number of such imbeciles is much less than the number who show up at the usual price)

You think it's good business to milk the system as much as possible, but keep in mind who and what supports it. You treat us like shit, and we'll go somewhere else where bands are legit and not executives with money dripping out their ass. Why do you think people go online and download music now? The record industry fucked with them, treated them like shit, and so that's their attitude: payback, not pay up. I won't defend them, but that's reality buddy. The common fan is bitchslapped in the face by this growing trend of the industry to market out previously-free perks that went to the lucky or dedicated fan, now to the richest retard. Oh yeah, and you can't buy your tickets from the band either. Or even the venue. They aren't allowed to sell any. You have to go online through our middleman and pay extra fees just because they say so. And at the end of the day, we can all shrug and say "that's business" and walk away with our tails between our legs like the beaten little pussies we are.

I have done the stand out in line before and after shows thing, and most of the bands were more than receptive to have a chat and sign some stuff. As far as tickets go, I am a TOOLARMY member, and I purchased tickets to the show directly from the TOOLARMY website and got front row seats at DTE for even less than I would have if I had bought it off of ticketmastwhore. So for my thirty-six bucks I got a shirt, a keychain, some stickers, access to the website, as well as saved twenty three dollars in service charges. I think that was a pretty good deal.

The point of this is all the profits that a fan club makes does not go to greedy executives, but goes directly to the band, and that is what I am trying to promote: to have the bands make more money so they can continue to make music to please the fans.

When I met with Opeth in Fort Lauderdale, they were not the kind of elitist assholes that you are mentioning above.

 

[Kenneth R.]

^ I really dont see that happening with a band like Opeth. If Opeth have some special club where you can get into shows first, then those dudes are not going to stand around talking about cars, they certainly will be banging their heads with the rest of the crowd. Plus a band like Opeth would never have such strict rules with singing items after shows.

I could see this happening with some hudge band like Linkin Park, but who wants to see them anyways...

The real life example this is based on is Dream Theater. Not that I would go to that length for that shitty band, but they now use all of those tactics. And they aren't alone.

MixGrafix: Guess what Mr. Business? Ticketbastard is suing venue after venue for selling tickets outside their service. And they're winning. Pretty soon, you're going to be stuck with ticketbastard. Ah well right? That's just business! Oh yeah, and never did I say that the band were the people responsible for this shitstorm. In the Dream Theater case they probably are. However, other bands are hopelessly slaved to their recording companies and management and those are the assholes behind all of this. People trying to pitch ideas to bands like you are. I am not accusing you or your morality, but people in your shoes are doing fucked up things. The band thinks they'll get more income from it, and maybe they will. At the risk of pissing off a lot of would-be and once-were fans.

If your show is good enough, the money will come. Better to worry about kicking ass than how many lasers you got or how many different levels of VIP seating, or tossing out goodies to fans to keep them buzzed.

 

[opeth_353]

I wouldn't join a fan club even if it were free. Doesn't interest me in the slightest bit.

 

[Pethical]

last year i paid an extra 30$ at the enslaved gig in NYC and i got a signed poster and was allowed into the venue first. i wouldn't do it for every gig, but once in a while, sure.

 

[MixGrafix]

The real life example this is based on is Dream Theater. Not that I would go to that length for that shitty band, but they now use all of those tactics. And they aren't alone.

MixGrafix: Guess what Mr. Business? Ticketbastard is suing venue after venue for selling tickets outside their service. And they're winning. Pretty soon, you're going to be stuck with ticketbastard. Ah well right? That's just business! Oh yeah, and never did I say that the band were the people responsible for this shitstorm. In the Dream Theater case they probably are. However, other bands are hopelessly slaved to their recording companies and management and those are the assholes behind all of this. People trying to pitch ideas to bands like you are. I am not accusing you or your morality, but people in your shoes are doing fucked up things. The band thinks they'll get more income from it, and maybe they will. At the risk of pissing off a lot of would-be and once-were fans.

If your show is good enough, the money will come. Better to worry about kicking ass than how many lasers you got or how many different levels of VIP seating, or tossing out goodies to fans to keep them buzzed.

What would you then suggest to make the gap between band and fan a closer experience? BTW I am not Mr. Business. I am just trying to make an honest living just like you. I hate ticketmastwhore as much as you do btw.

 

[Kenneth R.]

I just get really pissed off about this. No harsh feelings.

What would I suggest? Been to a Dark Tranquillity gig? Mikael jumps down off the stage into the crowd and lets fans sing parts of the last song, shaking hands, and they hang out with them afterwards. Things like that. Or offering live recordings or special recordings for a modest price. Fans appreciate that stuff. It doesn't have to be perfectly polished. Posters should be free or less than $5. Fan club CDs $10, I wouldn't pay for a fan club membership but others might if it entailed some of the things people mentioned in this thread.

However, the things I brought up are absolute no-no's IMO: vip sections, meet&greets at gigs, signed stuff, anything gig related really.

 

[Tubbs]

I don't think anything about a band other than their music or shows should cost money. PERIOD. The "music is a business" line makes me pretty damn sick to my stomach, regardless of how "realistic" some people think it may be.