Would you pay to join an official Morrissey site?

[King Leer]

Following up on another thread today about how much more fans will "take," I thought it'd be interesting to see if we would be willing to pay money to join a member site, similar to the concept behind Bowie net, which still seems to be chugging along after all these years.

This poll is no reflection on this site -- my favourite of all time -- it's more tied in with the growing dissatisfaction I sense with the delayed releases and lack of exclusives for fans who've spent a lot of money following our kid. Nobody's being forced, true, but if you dine at the same restaurant for years you might except a meal on the house or some special service once in a while, no?

 

[Flax]

The Smiths reforming with Joyce and Rourke would be more likely to happen than Morrissey handing his official website to a decent webdesign company.

 

[Uncleskinny]

Nay, nay and thrice nay.

Peter

 

[Harsh Truth]

absolutely if it offered a true benefit (ie: exclusive live tracks or download-only rarieties, advance notice/ticketing for shows, regular updates on whats going on with releases, tours, etc... (not neccisarily from Morrissey himself but someone in the camp.)

However, Morrissey is old-fashion. I can't really see him truly embracing something like this. Also, the fact is it would take about 3 minutes for anything exclusive to end up somewhere on these pages.....

 

[mell]

I wanted to click on the first two choices--exclusive content & Morrissey babblings!!! (Basically, I'd pay for a site that was like TTY but 100x better and more interesting. )

 

[King Leer]

I was thinking of allowing multiple answers, but choice one suggests Morrissey himself is more visible on the site, whereas choice two would be advanced tickets, exclusive tracks etc. but perhaps not so much in the way of Moz words. Both would be great, of course.

I wanted to click on the first two choices--exclusive content & Morrissey babblings!!! (Basically, I'd pay for a site that was like TTY but 100x better and more interesting. )

 

[King Leer]

Very true, which is why I'm intrigued that the Bowie site is still going.

I'm not a member and don't really care, but my impression is that the fans themselves can get quite involved. Wasn't one of the member's lyrics sung by the man himself on one track?

Obviously Morrissey is never going to do that, but it could be something like sleeve design contests, or suggesting a tour name, vote for a live show request, or...I don't know. Something that can't just be downloaded and posted somewhere else.

absolutely if it offered a true benefit (ie: exclusive live tracks or download-only rarieties, advance notice/ticketing for shows, regular updates on whats going on with releases, tours, etc... (not neccisarily from Morrissey himself but someone in the camp.)

However, Morrissey is old-fashion. I can't really see him truly embracing something like this. Also, the fact is it would take about 3 minutes for anything exclusive to end up somewhere on these pages.....

 

[oye terence]

just going buy his websites and myspace page have been run,it would be a disaster.
its too bad,all through the 90's i was a member of the R.E.M. fan club ,and it was run beautifully,and was really great,i still have all the christmas singles they would send out,very well run,sadly i can not see that being the same with something similar with Morrissey.

 

[Have-A-Go Merchant]

Unfortunately most clubs/sites like these tend to start off well but run out of steam fairly quickly. The Bowie website, for instance, isn't going too well and over the years has seen a decline in membership. There hasn't been much of an update there for a long time. Also a number of sites offer things like advance ticket notice for just registering your email address so this isn't something I'd be willing to pay for and would feel I was being shafted if I had to pay to get the chance to buy tickets.

I would like to see a well designed and well run official website. This site could be used for all of the suggestions like exclusive downloads or advance ticket sales but not with a price tag. Fans should be treated with some respect and encouraged to stick around not to be just used to raise someone's bank account.

 

[Danny_]

No, because I don't like the idea of an exclusive club that you have to pay for. Seems to me it's just a way of getting more money out of fans. Information should be freely available to whoever wants it.

 

[Flax]

Very true, which is why I'm intrigued that the Bowie site is still going.

I don't follow it very well but from what I've seen, the site offers things like:
- front row tickets
- merchandise available only for members
- Bowie comes online once in a while on some chat room there

 

[Dow Jones]

Nahhhhhhhhhh. What I would do is latch onto people who are a member for the info. That's how I get around the Bowie and U2 sites. Paying.. pfft.

 

[troubleluvsme]

There should be a HELL NO option.

 

[What she said]

I think that wouldn't happen. If it did it would suck. That'd be so u2.com... worst official site of a band EVER EVER EVER to grace (I mean, disgrace) this world. And, of course, there's the 40 dollars membership price if you want to get good seats on the next tour (that is if the touts don't decide to strike again, of course).
Putting an end to this example that became an off topic, I really hope that doesn't happen. Things are ok the way the are right now.
Edit: Ok, I might have been traumatized here ok. If it was properly run and the main goal wasn't to profit from die hard fans then it would be interesting.

 

[Dow Jones]

I think that wouldn't happen. If it did it would suck. That'd be so u2.com... worst official site of a band EVER EVER EVER to grace (I mean, disgrace) this world. And, of course, there's the 40 dollars membership price if you want to get good seats on the next tour (that is if the touts don't decide to strike again, of course).
Putting an end to this example that became an off topic, I really hope that doesn't happen. Things are ok the way the are right now.
Edit: Ok, I might have been traumatized here ok. If it was properly run and the main goal wasn't to profit from die hard fans then it would be interesting.

I couldn't agree more. That site is so crap. I'm happy to stick with Interference.

 

[vivabob]

absolutely if it offered a true benefit (ie: exclusive live tracks or download-only rarieties, advance notice/ticketing for shows, regular updates on whats going on with releases, tours, etc... (not neccisarily from Morrissey himself but someone in the camp.)

However, Morrissey is old-fashion. I can't really see him truly embracing something like this. Also, the fact is it would take about 3 minutes for anything exclusive to end up somewhere on these pages.....

i agree as long as it has nothing to do with TTY , which is frankly crap

 

[SparkleBoy]

Swag would be a definite must if I were to pay. Additionally, it must be "official," as opposed to a fan-run site like this one. There are official sites I belong to, like www.supersuckers.com, where $15 a year gets you free CD's (of unreleased material), free tickets to shows, and more.

 

[vicarinatutugal]

hmm this site is the best, if it started charging I would pay, I sometimes pay the wee bit to get the stories first on the main page
I suppose if like SB says up there you got free tracks and stuff, special things then I might pay for an official one, but them there is always some kind soul who would pass stuff along

 

[PsychodelicateGirl]

I was a member of Bowienet for a year (it was a gift) and there were perks, like pre-sales on concerts, or exclusive shows (which only seemed to happen in the UK) and other webcontent, as well as the monthy contests for Bowie memorabilia.
The exclusivity offered for concerts was really the only thing I truly felt justified in paying for, but as for Morrissey, I sort of like that its a free-for-all. It's a great equalizer, and says something about the way in which he regards his fans and himself...
Bowie has always been a bit snooty, whilst Morrissey has been a bit more laddish and available to his fans, which is part of his charm.