| Brian_Mays_Wig 20.04.2004 15:10 |
Ok, I was a member of the Fan Club for 5 years, 89 - 94. Was ok. got 3, sometimes 4 magazines a year, a rip off Adrian Hopkins merchendise sheet and a Convention booking form....now, This years convention looks rather good, and Ive never been to one so I'm thinking of rejoining...but should I?? If its anything like its website then I might not bother. And do you still get the odd 'John is on holiday with his tribe in Biarritz'. in the John News section? Im stuck, please help me. |
| Flashman 20.04.2004 15:12 |
'John News' section? Chortle! The very idea! Spend your money on pornography son. Backbone of the country, that stuff. And it keeps its value. If you can still get the pages open. |
| Brian_Mays_Wig 20.04.2004 15:14 |
So thats 1 vote No. |
| Sicmot 20.04.2004 15:31 |
I dont see any good reason to (re)join.. to me its sole purpose anymore is to cash people to pay the wages of the personnel. Queen is retired. It doesnt serve the same purpose it did back in queen's old days.. when there were much more stuff to fill the pages.. for the member fee.. do U think U really get something valuable for your money?? 4 booklets of old stuff and nothing really new except how the WWRY is doing and performing.. If only reason is to be able to participate in conventions.. |
| Brian_Mays_Wig 20.04.2004 15:36 |
Thats two votes No.....first to 20. |
| Black-Rose 20.04.2004 15:36 |
But you can't go to the convention if you are not a member, unless you go as a guest of a member and pay an extra 15 pounds. So if you are in the UK you may as well join for 15 pounds and go the convention as a full member. If you are meaning the UK convention though you best get a wriggle on its in 2 weeks. |
| Brian_Mays_Wig 20.04.2004 15:50 |
Well I was looking at next years convention really. I think id go as a guest though. 1,yes 2, no. |
| Ray D O'Gaga 20.04.2004 15:50 |
Rejoin |
| Furia142 20.04.2004 15:54 |
Me too rejoin |
| Brian_Mays_Wig 20.04.2004 16:21 |
As it Stands.....Rejoin 3 Dont 2 |
| Flashman 20.04.2004 17:27 |
You need a Third Way to make this ballot interesting... How about stealing someone else's? |
| Sir Archie 'Tiffany' Leach 20.04.2004 17:31 |
I must admit I was a member from 1992 to 2003 but when Jackie blanked me from the long standing members section I thought that's it, no more. She offered me 10 pence off my next subcription... I soon went back. |
| Richard Orchard 20.04.2004 23:16 |
it is worth joining for the convention. The actual magazine is a bit sad. Which is a real shame. |
| Mr. Scully 21.04.2004 03:35 |
I agree with the previous post. Rejoin if you want to go to the Convention because it's the only thing the fanclub is good for. Anybody remembers the "redesigning of web site" that was mentioned by Jacky in this forum year and a half ago? Or the merchandise page (that is "coming soon" for two years already)? The fanclub is a shadow of what it used to be in mid 80's. [edit]Take it as a "no" answer :-)[/edit] |
| Dicky Hart 21.04.2004 06:59 |
It's not jackys fault theres not much to write about, but i left two years ago,because i felt it was not good value for money, if it improves (which i cant see happening), i may rejoin |
| Rich Tea 21.04.2004 14:29 |
I've been a member since 1978 most of my concert tickets, from the News Of The World tour, were purchased through the fan club. I've been to a few conventions but not been able to attend recently because of other committments but the ones I've been to were excellent. There is the occasional special gig (Ocean Freddie 10th Anniversay) organised by the fan club so I say rejoin come on its not really that expensive is it? |
| S@turn 21.04.2004 16:33 |
well... let me add something new in this I will rejoin my fanclub membership as soon as I know that I can afford a convention again H |
| Adam Unger (QueenVault.com) 21.04.2004 17:29 |
The magazines don't really offer any news either. Anything noteworthy is covered on websites such as this one and on BrianMay.com. Doesn't seem like there's much reason to be in the fanclub anymore. |
| Ron 22.04.2004 00:54 |
what Adam says... don't use the internet all year so all the news in the magazines will be fresh to you. I'm not rejoining anymore after my membership has ended I can already find all the info on the net and stayed a member because I am (or was?) a collector and want to have the latest issues |
| proton 22.04.2004 07:30 |
It's all not surprising, internet is killing the fanclub. Sadly, but unavoidable I am afraid... |
| Dicky Hart 22.04.2004 07:40 |
The internet would not kill it off if the club was any good,there is other fanclubs off bands older than queen which thrive. but the QFC it sucks and has for the last five years. |
| Mr. Scully 22.04.2004 07:54 |
"internet is killing the fanclub. Sadly, but unavoidable I am afraid..." It's not unavoidable but the fan club must finally join the world of Internet. Much better and above all bigger website + some really good merchandise could keep it alive for at least a couple more years. |
| Fenderek 22.04.2004 08:29 |
"internet is killing the fanclub. Sadly, but unavoidable I am afraid..." Disagree! Look at Metallica- the Fan Club offers a lot of stuff otherwise unavaliable... Gigs (Metallican once a year- kind of little box set with unreleased gigs, for fans only), many, many interviews which cover stuff uncovered elsewhere... etc, etc... QFC could very easily be still alive and well if it had anything REALLY INTERESTING to offer- imagine some stuff (gigs or whatever) avaliable ONLY through Fan Club... Would internet than be killing it...? Don't think so... But to achive that- you need some good will, some time spent especially for those devoted ones and interest in fans... Instead- Brian just changed one line in WWRY- wow, amazing... We can even find the info about it in the fanzine- cool!!! |
| Mr. Scully 22.04.2004 08:49 |
"Brian just changed one line in WWRY- wow, amazing..." Did he? No kidding! I'm so excited to know that! Now I can't work anymore today because I have to think about this beautiful amazing musical all the time! |
| Saint Jiub 22.04.2004 23:45 |
I finally came to my senses and did not renew about one year ago. Merchandise ... Coming soon website redesign ... coming soon Online enrollment and payment ... coming soon Half of the membership cost goes to postage. No option for on-line enrollment. No fan-club only concerts (like The Cross many years earlier?) or other items ... |
| Adam Unger (QueenVault.com) 23.04.2004 00:54 |
It would be nice if we could get some exclusive concerts and whatnot from the Queen fanclub but I don't think EMI would ever allow exclusive fanclub releases. Personally, I think that's the only thing that could save the fanclub. I really enjoyed being a fanclub member back in 96/97. I also didn't have a computer then, so it was my only real news source. Hopefully they can come up with something to turn it around. I don't think it's worth keeping around just for the sake of keeping it around. It should serve some real purpose. |
| Mack2008 23.04.2004 05:54 |
Sadly I have to say NO as well. I was a member from 1982 to about 1996. I understand that with Queen not being a fully functioning band anymore that Jackie doesnt have much to write about but she never jumped on web solution. The fan club website is awful. I think we all agree that we go to Brianmay.com and here for our information. Its sad really. The fan club served a great role back in its day but I think its safe to say now that the game is over and they should either revamp their model and provide online content with unique "stuff" or just give it up! I'm off to read through all my old fan club mags now! J. PS - I do wish John would write a letter to the fans to at least formally say "good bye and thanks for everything" oh well...maybe someday. |
| Oberon 23.04.2004 08:24 |
I suspect that the problem with the Fan Club is a vicious circle. Assuming it's whole funded by membership fees, then there's no money to do the work they want to do (re-vamp web site, online membership etc), but until they do this they won't get more members and hence more money!!! It needs an initial cash injection to give them some breathing space. But who's going to do that? Brian, Roger or John? Don't think so, and really, it's not their responsibility. i don't think the fan club is in anyway linked to them or Queen productions directly is it? And it's not a 'business', so no-one would want to invest in it. Are there any stinking rich fans out there who fancy helping it out? It'd be like a football club - sink a load of money in for the fun of it but don't expect a return on investment!!! |
| Oberon 23.04.2004 08:27 |
Actually I'm not sure how much money it would take really. But it would be best spent finding someone who knows how to do a web site. The graphics are ok but the layout is strange. Don't understand why it wastes so much space down the left hand side of the pages. Maybe we should start a new topic to collate ideas for the fan club and web site which might make it more worthwhile being a member? |
| Queenland 23.04.2004 13:10 |
Damn ! This thread reminded that I forgot to renew my subscription... since 1999 ;-) Yeah, I collect the magazines... but to get old news anyway I prefer to buy second hand lots on ebay or something. |
| teddybear 24.04.2004 00:14 |
I have been a member for about 3 years or so of the OFC magazine, and as an overseas member (Aussie) there is really NOTHING in it for me - so not worth cost for me sadly (and it is expensive to be an overseas member) - I dont think I shall be rejoining as I am sick of old photos and pics of people with their dogs dressed up as Freddie (LOL). I did email Jacky once about some video footage I sent her from Australia (she forgot to email to say thanks or tell me it had arrived - even though she said she wanted it to begin with) and she expressed her dismay that neither Roger or Brian seem to be interested in supporting the fan club anymore, and she expressed dismay that all fans seem to go to his fan site now (I still have the full email on my hard-drive) it was sad actually, she said the fanclubs days are numbered. But I think it needs to offer much more to us fans that are overseas to make it worth us paying the sub fees - coz as it is , it is just not worth it (sadly). Sue "teddybear" |
| Brian_Mays_Wig 24.04.2004 04:15 |
I think its a no then! |
| Mr. Scully 24.04.2004 13:13 |
"there's no money to do the work they want to do (re-vamp web site, online membership etc)" That's not true - re-designing website would undoubtedly include some kind of online membership and all of that is a matter of two weeks of programming which I'm pretty sure some people would do for free. As Oberon says, the graphics on the site is very interesting (obviously done by a professional) but the structure of the site is total crap. |