| Mr Faron Hyte 05.05.2006 14:00 |
I realize its been a fairly useless entity for a number of years, but it still seems sad that they've now been kicked completely out of their building. Surely its days are numbered now? Or perhaps I should say "really really numbered now". |
| PieterMC 05.05.2006 14:04 |
Not only that but now they will only do 3 magazines a year. I think its over. |
| Serry... 05.05.2006 14:10 |
Brian and Roger have lost interest in FC, I suppose. |
| Mr Faron Hyte 05.05.2006 14:10 |
PieterMC wrote: Not only that but now they will only do 3 magazines a year. I think its over.I think you're right. |
| PieterMC 05.05.2006 14:23 |
I know that I am not going to pay $30 a year for three magazines. It's simply too expensive. |
| Peta 05.05.2006 14:56 |
PieterMC wrote: I know that I am not going to pay $30 a year for three magazines. It's simply too expensive.Three magazines a year were published last years too. Autumn/Winter was one issue. |
| Sherwood Forest 05.05.2006 15:05 |
so like that officail fan club office in london is closing???? |
| Mr Faron Hyte 05.05.2006 15:08 |
link "Sadly we now find we have to leave our adorable headquarters completely in the next few weeks. We have spent the last couple of months clearing stuff, taking everything down, packing boxes, getting rid of anything we don't need and now panicking about where we will put it all in the future. We're NOT closing the fan club down, just the office. I will continue to run it all from a home office, which sadly means there will be nowhere for you to visit, and we have to have a dreaded P.O.Box number. We will still have a phone though, so you can still call for a chat or to renew or join up." |
| Sherwood Forest 05.05.2006 15:14 |
oh well there goes one thing off my list of things to see in london. damn i really wanted to see what they had in there! :-( |
| All I Hear Is Radio Gaga 05.05.2006 17:56 |
64.396 wrote: oh well there goes one thing off my list of things to see in london. damn i really wanted to see what they had in there! :-(Me too....:( |
| Bobby_brown 05.05.2006 18:57 |
Everything must pass! Take care |
| TheGame 05.05.2006 19:21 |
Things haven't gone so very well for the FC the last years, this doesn't do anything better. Only THREE magazines a year and I thought four was a little number. This is just sad. |
| Martin Stones 05.05.2006 23:41 |
lol queen died years ago is this really a surprise? idiots................ |
| its_a_hard_life 26994 06.05.2006 01:17 |
Martin Stones wrote: lol queen died years ago is this really a surprise? idiots................¬.¬ |
| TRS-Romania 06.05.2006 04:29 |
Because of financial reasons they can not stay there anymore...(thats what I heard) Imagine: the fanclub has been around for decades, Jacky has run it for more than 20 years ... and now this piece of history is dissapearing.... All these years, Jacky was there (on the phone in the evening in the old days) or at the Queen fanclub itself... I am so dissapointed that there is no help (financially) from Queen Productions, Brian and/or Roger. Why are they letting Jacky down? The fact that the fanclub is maybe not part of Queen productions, don't you guys think that the members of Queen and their management should help out, and that at least they owe it to Jacky for ??? If you agree feel free to send an email to Brian (as I did): brians.soapbox@clara.co.uk Stefan PS I agree with the pricing of their 3 yearly fanclub magazines, but surely their premises should be saved or their should be a fanclub premises somewhere else. PS I know due to the internet the fanclub has been made a bit redundant, but on the other hand Jacky has always put 100% of her time and energy into the Queen fanclub , and the members of Queen and their management should back her up some more! |
| YourValentine 06.05.2006 05:01 |
I am not a fan club member but I agree that the band should support the fan club. To abandon it in favour of a purely commercial outlet (Queenonline)is not in the interest of the fans. QOL only ever sends us emails to buy this and that - they are not a fan website. Since Queen do exist and tour they should have the money to fund the fan club - it's the least they can do. |
| Mr Faron Hyte 06.05.2006 14:32 |
Martin Stones wrote: lol queen died years ago is this really a surprise? idiots................Oh God ... my eye muscles are aching I rolled them so hard. Ouch. Thanks for the insight, by the way. That was just brilliant. You've really put us in our place. |
| PieterMC 06.05.2006 15:43 |
YourValentine wrote: I am not a fan club member but I agree that the band should support the fan club. To abandon it in favour of a purely commercial outlet (Queenonline)is not in the interest of the fans. QOL only ever sends us emails to buy this and that - they are not a fan website. Since Queen do exist and tour they should have the money to fund the fan club - it's the least they can do.I feel like they are basically letting the fanclub die so that they can start up a record company run fanclub. |
| Crazy LittleThing 07.05.2006 00:30 |
Jacky has done a good job of keeping the FC going. I get the distinct impression that a fan club run by a record company would be quite heartless and sterile, and I can't begin to imagine why the band would prefer to let the FC fall into the hands of a record company that doesn't even seem able to promote the band in an effective, professional manner, but that's just my wacky logic. People unload on Jacky because she's the one who is easily reachable. Jacky is NOT the one who scheduled gigs on the week of the already scheduled annual FC convention in 2005, but Jacky is the one who took the heat for it. She is forced to work within limitations that she doesn't necessarily control, and that can't be easy. If it were up to Jacky, EVERYONE in the FC who wanted to go to the Brixton show would have been in. EVERYONE in the FC would have had a shot at 2005 and 2006 gig tickets, before the radio station presales, etc. And, if it were up to Jacky, she'd have the required support to produce four magazines a year with current, relevant content. Thank you Jacky for your effort and good work. I appreciate you hanging in there all these years. Cheers and love. |
| john bodega 07.05.2006 01:15 |
Martin Stones wrote: lol queen died years ago is this really a surprise? idiots................Yes, because all the Queen fans died in 1991 too. Idiot. |
| Daburcor? 07.05.2006 05:24 |
Zebonka12 wrote:That's SO true. I died then too!Martin Stones wrote: lol queen died years ago is this really a surprise? idiots................Yes, because all the Queen fans died in 1991 too. Idiot. |
| Mr Faron Hyte 07.05.2006 11:49 |
So that's why my house has been stinking of rotten meat for the last 15 years ... |
| Nathan 07.05.2006 11:51 |
Dan Corson wrote:Uh-oh. WHo ya gonna call?....GHOSTBUSTERS!Zebonka12 wrote:That's SO true. I died then too!Martin Stones wrote: lol queen died years ago is this really a surprise? idiots................Yes, because all the Queen fans died in 1991 too. Idiot. |
| stateside fan 08.05.2006 05:09 |
so sad,it ends.as it began. |
| ok.computer 08.05.2006 15:10 |
Perhaps a revamp of the site a la U2 would be a runner? £5 a year to be a member would be a reasonable price to pay, may even boost fan club membership a bit. I use the U2 example only as an idea. They charge $20 a year, and really the membership only shot up when the ticket fiasco happened. Just a thought. I know that if it were properly run, I'd have no problem handing over a fiver for a fan club site. Having said that, to pay the web fees, Jacky (say, £20-25k per annum), design costs etc, you'd be looking at least, what?, 8,000 people to join for it to be viable? This is merely conjecture, before anyone jumps all over the idea. Ah, I remember the old days, of waiting for that newsletter to drop through the letter box with the usual "sorry for the delay" letter attached.... Paul |
| PieterMC 08.05.2006 15:23 |
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| Donna13 08.05.2006 16:10 |
PieterMC wrote:Yes, I agree completely. The empty space this will leave! I never got to visit it - and now it will not be there. Well, maybe this is more to do with very expensive real estate. There should be a physical location - such as a fan club location / Queen museum location. It would be better than all the Hard Rock Cafe stuff. But who could afford it? I don't know. The real Queen? Maybe John Deacon? A separate fan club web site is not necessary. Queen Online could donate some space to the fan club (to be run by the fan club). |
| Micrówave 08.05.2006 16:30 |
3 magazines for $30 and they say their broke!?!?! I'd love to defend us against the "idiot" charge, but I think we're all feeling it. |
| Mr Faron Hyte 08.05.2006 16:36 |
<fontcolor=red>Mircrowave wrote: 3 magazines for $30 and they say their broke!?!?!I think they're charging $30 a year for three magazines *because* they're broke. |
| andYYY 08.05.2006 18:09 |
I agree with Your Valentine, The band that exist as "Queen" should at least help out the Fan Club, Brian has said he supports and appreciates what Jacky does in past Convention "Introductions", at least there was some effort by the fan club to provide Fans with priority tickets to the Q+PR concerts although I appreciate not everyone was happy in the way it was allocated. it would be a shame if the fan club closed because it has the potential to be very good if Queen supported it and probably cheaper too. Just my opinion... |
| PieterMC 09.05.2006 08:26 |
andYYY wrote: at least there was some effort by the fan club to provide Fans with priority tickets to the Q+PR concerts although I appreciate not everyone was happy in the way it was allocated.Yes there was an effort but the Fan Club got screwed over because the presale was available to ANYBODY that registered with Queenonline. |
| Micrówave 09.05.2006 12:35 |
Mr Faron Hyte wrote: I think they're charging $30 a year for three magazines *because* they're broke.What the $30 for 4 mags wasn't enough??? That's called sloppy money management or SOMEBODY's padding their pockets. |
| Mr Faron Hyte 09.05.2006 15:24 |
<fontcolor=red>Mircrowave wrote:Apparently not.Mr Faron Hyte wrote: I think they're charging $30 a year for three magazines *because* they're broke.What the $30 for 4 mags wasn't enough??? |
| iron eagle 09.05.2006 16:38 |
nobodys padding their pockets thats a pretty irresponsible assumption to make without knowing facts |
| S@turn 09.05.2006 17:16 |
andYYY wrote: I agree with Your Valentine, The band that exist as "Queen" should at least help out the Fan Club, Brian has said he supports and appreciates what Jacky does in past Convention "Introductions", at least there was some effort by the fan club to provide Fans with priority tickets to the Q+PR concerts although I appreciate not everyone was happy in the way it was allocated. it would be a shame if the fan club closed because it has the potential to be very good if Queen supported it and probably cheaper too. Just my opinion...I am not so familiar with fanclubs, but are there many that are sponsored by their 'idols'? Good products sell theirselves and I am sure that (for example) the dutch fanclub will remain active for a long time, simply because it lives |
| andYYY 09.05.2006 17:59 |
I must admit, the Dutch Fan club have had some cooler T shirts (the green news of the world one springs to mind.........;oD..I really must meet you lot this year.............. |
| Arnaldo "Ogre-" Silveira 09.05.2006 20:56 |
saaaaaaad news :( |
| S@turn 10.05.2006 07:27 |
andYYY wrote: I must admit, the Dutch Fan club have had some cooler T shirts (the green news of the world one springs to mind.........;oD..I really must meet you lot this year..............I was not talking about the shirts but about the spirits of the people who run the (local) fanclubs I forgot the german, who has to be mentioned in this as well When the fanclubs are communities of all the fans then the people are not easily letting go So I dont fear for the Dutch, German (and whatever) fanclub |
| Mr. Scully 12.05.2006 08:27 |
The office was by far the highest expense of the fan club. I bet they spare at least 50% more money now. So: 1. Will the magazine be more thicker and more interesting now? 2. Will Jacky be paid for staying at home? (And doesn't matter how much I hate Jacky or her fan club - Queen indeed SHOULD support it and that means something more than just sending 3 signed items for Convention). |
| Togg 12.05.2006 08:43 |
I think you have to ask whether in the age of the internet a fan club is really worth having, if a band is popular then websites spring up and frankly they do a beter job of promoting the band than the officail fan clubs. If Jacky hopes to continue she will have to compeat with Queenzone and QOL to get the information out there, IMO the most important thing to do would be to set up a live website and re-introduce a forum section, if she can do that then she might have a chance of making the club viable again. Fans need a reason to go there, at the moment the website is worthless and the magazines not much better, why would you pay for it when everything is available on the web? Now she has no office I don't see a reason for the club, she can't invite fans round to see items and she can only just compeat with the likes of Queenzone if she can build up a following again. I wishher well but she needs to move with the times, the fan club is still run in the 1980's model and it no longer works. |
| S@turn 12.05.2006 11:06 |
I dont think queenfans need more websites in fact then Queenzone (and maybe queenonline) And there are good examples, good websites, in other countries then the UK. If you cant beat them (the internet sites that already are there), then join them brian in fact made an official international queenfanclub on line not needed, in fact the brianmay website is a kind of fanclub site as well, I think Needless for him to support a website that has less to tell then his own :) The local fanclubs sure have a reason to exsist, not anyone has internet and it is always a good thing to meet Queen-soulmates and -matesses at the local meetings that are organized by the local fanclubs Even private initiatives (the FM memorial in Montreux) get a lot of people to join, just because the group of initiators has the spirit, what is more important then the money there are even 'queen celebrities' (well, kind of) that run to all those queen gatherings, fanclub or not |
| YourValentine 12.05.2006 11:13 |
Life is not all about money and the internet is not the answer to all questions. It's a pity if the fan club dies and the fans have to rely on someone like Greg Brooks to answer their questions. Not to mention the convention - imagine a convention run by QP and sponsored by the Crazy Frog. |
| Erin 12.05.2006 11:18 |
YourValentine wrote: imagine a convention run by QP and sponsored by the Crazy Frog.LOL..don't joke! ;-) |
| Togg 12.05.2006 11:35 |
YourValentine wrote: Life is not all about money and the internet is not the answer to all questions. It's a pity if the fan club dies and the fans have to rely on someone like Greg Brooks to answer their questions. Not to mention the convention - imagine a convention run by QP and sponsored by the Crazy Frog.I think very few fans rely on Greg, he might like to think so but with so much accurate information freely out there it is difficult to see how he spends his days. I agree that is not all about money, but the fact is for Jacky it largely is because it's her living, now if she can't turn it into something useful to fans she loses her living. I think the conventions etc are a great way for the fan club to offer something different, but how many of them can you do, she has to have something that works for the rest of the 364 days a year not just one. |
| YourValentine 12.05.2006 12:26 |
Yes, I agree and you misunderstood me. I think QP should fund the Fan Club. It's the longest running Fan Club that exists and Jacky always worked for it, so she should keep it. Even if it's old fashioned and even if it COSTS money and does not MAKE money, the band should have this non-internet fan organisation because it's something good and something from the heart. And my comment about relying on GB means: the fans should have a place where they call in and ask questions without being treated like crap. The Q&A on QOL was a total non-service. |
| Donna13 12.05.2006 16:28 |
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| ok.computer 13.05.2006 14:50 |
Mr. Scully wrote: [SNIP] 2. Will Jacky be paid for staying at home?In a country where 15% of the workforce (and increasing) work "substantially" from home, that's a wee bit shortsighted. Though i do love your site, he gushed... |
| Mr. Scully 14.05.2006 06:14 |
ok.computer wrote:No problem about working at home, part of my job also means working at home. But Jacky will be paid for staying at home, not for working there. Or does "answering emails" mean work that must be paid?Mr. Scully wrote: [SNIP] 2. Will Jacky be paid for staying at home?In a country where 15% of the workforce (and increasing) work "substantially" from home, that's a wee bit shortsighted. Though i do love your site, he gushed... |
| Penetration_Guru 14.05.2006 11:18 |
I seriously doubt that Jacky's making a fortune out of running the fan club. She will draw a salary from it, but I have to agree that the implied criticism of her not having an office that can be visited is more than a little harsh. |
| Mr. Scully 14.05.2006 13:35 |
Penetration_Guru wrote: I seriously doubt that Jacky's making a fortune out of running the fan club. She will draw a salary from it, but I have to agree that the implied criticism of her not having an office that can be visited is more than a little harsh.Well, Convention itself is profitable (as you said) - so what's left is something like $120000 and the only expenses are the magazines. I would LOVE to be paid $120000 for printing magazines 3 times per year and answering emails :-) |
| Penetration_Guru 14.05.2006 17:46 |
I don't think I did say that the convention is proftable. I would actually now doubt that it is - this year numbers were so low that we were booked in with netball AND snooker tournaments. Also if it made a profit Keith Harris (Arena) would not feel it necessary to state that he would see if a way could be found to continue. I'd also dispute that figure as an annual turnover - if membership was sufficiently high to provide that level of income there would be no need to flog off the fan club's "stock" of unused concert tickets, tourpasses, etc which they've been doing for at least five years. |
| Under Pressure 14.05.2006 21:17 |
Penetration_Guru wrote: I don't think I did say that the convention is proftable. I would actually now doubt that it is - this year numbers were so low that we were booked in with netball AND snooker tournaments.Do you know any numbers about the actual turnout? I agree with what most people have been saying about modernizing, but I think that would require a head of the FC who's more technically capable than maybe Jackie is, and it would have to be someone doing this for next-to-nothing as I doubt she can afford to take on new staff. The key is finding things aboutthe group that are only accessible by being a part of it. Brian loves blogging -- perhaps he could do his Queen-related Q&A on the FC site, or at least have the Queen-related posts syndicated there? Ask Roger to start up one? I think features on specific fans, or a site that allowed fans to upload much of the content would be a great hub, similar to this site but perhaps a little bit more aesthetically layed out and with "official" photos that are not as commonly uploaded; a site that could grow organically fed by the users. think a smart move would be perhaps a well designed site that offered free content -- acess to some forums, some images, some music -- with a small fee, perhaps £5 as mentioned, for access to more of the materials. I'm sure they could team up with some of the cover bands to provide high-quality downloads of cover tracks for a small fee as well, interviews with them ..... I think at this point the only way to survive is to start from the ground up by getting more people involved. I think the removal of the chat and the forum were possibly the worst step, as even very controversial groups thrive solely on the basis of the forums. Jackie has made it harder for new people to get involved, since they dont' get a great sense of community, or access to other fans through the FC site anymore. I know that personally I fell off the Queen planet for the most part when I couldn't access the chat there anymore ... |
| Mr. Scully 15.05.2006 02:26 |
Under Pressure - good post. P_G - how many members are actually left? I thought it's something like 4000 people (compared to the 16000+ people when the FC was at its peak). Do you think it's less than that? |