(11-23-2004) U2.Com To Relaunch, This Week - U2.com*

[HelloAngel]

U2.Com To Relaunch, This Week


Watch Out! U2.Com will relaunch this week with a brand new all-singing all-dancing Membership Site alongside a redesigned free-to-browse site.

The free-to-browse site will continue to be first with the most accurate U2 news on what U2 are up to – from record releases to appearances and touring schedule, along with a new community area.
But now that practically all subscribers to Propaganda (the band’s long-running official fanzine) are registered with U2.Com (a staggering 98%), we’re bidding goodbye to our much-loved off-line magazine.

With the launch of our subscription site, the kind of special offers and inside track on U2 that was the watchword of Propaganda Magazine will go online. Membership of the subscription site carries a $40 p.a fee - current Propaganda subscribers can join for $20 p.a.

Membership benefits of the new site include:
- guaranteed priority ticket booking for the 2005 tour
- U2.Com membership card in silver, red and black
- an ‘@U2.Com’ email address
- rare and archive video
- special downloads
- on-the-road reports and diaries from the 2005 World Tour
- exclusive interviews with band members
- Zootopia discussion areas
- digital content including screen savers, on-line calendar and other tools.
- 25% discount on first purchase from the U2.Com Shop

Stay tuned to for the new and improved U2.com!

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

Any word yet on when the US will get their letters with this info, or when we go to sign in will there be a section to key in our membership i.d.?

 

[Zoomerang96]

let me guess, i'm the only one who thinks this subscription thing is shady at best?

 

[U2democrat]

let me guess, i'm the only one who thinks this subscription thing is shady at best?

no you're not. it's stupid. $40????????? come ON!!!

 

[U2SJ]

What if I dont know my Prop ID number and cant find it anywhere?

 

[Zoomerang96]

no you're not. it's stupid. $40????????? come ON!!!

good, thank you. this is absolutely absurd.

 

[ktrout]

I will pay $40 for priority tickets in a second. The question is- when will it be launched????

 

[MBH]

U2 = Capitalist/Money Whores

I am an avid U2 fan but if this article about charging $40 to join U2.com is accurate, they have crossed the line & hurt their credibility even more. They have tred the credibility & integrity line quite a bit in recent years in a ubiquitously diligent effort to remain relevant and, most obviously, RICH!!!!

Partnering with Target, Apple, Best Buy and now this are just a few debatable examples of them prioritizing and/or pairing off money over art...

Yesterday's 'free concert' was great publicity but let's not forget that they stand to gain A LOT out of it(on a side note, the Stones did the flatbed truck thing many years ago, but whatever. It was cool and fun nonetheless).

I pay $15 for a yearly membership to Pearl Jam's tenclub and they provide priority seating, mail us booklets and exclusive cd-singles for the holidays. If this story is accurate, the only true & worthwhile thing any of us will receive is a chance to purchase tix before the public!

With all this said, I am now going to contradict myself: despite my gripes & frustration, I will probably pay the fan-club membership fee. Here is how I look at it: U2 tix are extremely difficult to attain. By paying the $40 membership fee, I/we will be paying extra money to (hopefully) secure (good?) seats to the upcoming tour. On the 'Elevation' tour I slipped an usher extra cash to move down in front of the heart anyway. Paying extra money to see my favorite band a couple of times every few years & have some great memories is worth it to me.

Maybe the new album should've been called, "How to build a monetary empire"

 

[ktrout]

I will pay $40 for priority tickets in a second. The question is- when will it be launched????

 

[Renrut]

$40 = "priority booking" but they don't say aything about the usual problems of ticket quality (or will it be all GA?) and ticket limit per purchase.

And furthermore...if I don't want this wonderful service for $40 (per year!) do I get my subscription money back? I paid $20 for 4 issues a year of Prop about 4 years ago and have received one edition of Prop since and no informative letter to explain...

I love U2, but...

 

[jer2911]

I look at it this way, I'm going for the $40 investment and see what kind of tickets I get. I'll then have my team (friends) in line to purchase tix the traditional way. If I end up with extras, they'll be an easy sell on e-bay.

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

Ok, I saw in another thread that this isn't even up on U2.com anymore as being available???


Wtf is going on with all of this?

 

[u2sangel]

I would pay the $40 too even tho I am not thrilled with the idea!I am wondering how they will coordinate this, if they get thousands of subscribers, and make sure everyone who should get tickets will?

 

[Hallelujah Here She Comes]

What if I dont know my Prop ID number and cant find it anywhere?

That would be my question as well. Also, I moved since the the last issue came out, and I didn't bother changing my address since I thought Prop was dead. I e-mailed them a couple days ago, but, honestly, I don't expect to hear anything back. Ugh. I'm willing to suck it up and fork over $20 bucks to get priority tickets. But there is no way I'm paying another $40, when they didn't fulfull 3/4 of my prior subscription.

 

[bananacologne]

If it's any consolation, I've experienced this whole sorry saga before when Prince launched his sorry-assed excuse for an official site (think Jonestown, and you'll be close).

2 options here then I guess...

1) Flood U2.com with messages of disaproval

2) Sign-up and hope 4 the best.

My 2c

 

[PghFan50]

I just paid the $40. I remember for the elevation tour, if you were registered on the site you were able to TRY and get tickets early. Since I paid this time does it mean that I am guaranteed to get tickets before non-members?

 

[MBH]

Where, how & what did you already pay for?

Hey,

Just curious, but if this feature isn't even accesible yet, where and to whom did you pay the $40 fee for? Please post some info. as it will be greatly appreciated...

Thanks,
MBH
NYC

 

[bonosloveslave]

U2.Com To Relaunch, This Week

The free-to-browse site will continue to be first with the most accurate U2 news on what U2 are up to – from record releases to appearances and touring schedule, along with a new community area.

 

[mikeuk]

Re: Where, how & what did you already pay for?

Hey,

Just curious, but if this feature isn't even accesible yet, where and to whom did you pay the $40 fee for? Please post some info. as it will be greatly appreciated...

Thanks,
MBH
NYC

go to the sales area and you can subscribe, for $40 plus $5 shipping - a bit expensive IMO but worth it if only for first grab at concert tickets.

Mike

 

[MBH]

Re: Re: Where, how & what did you already pay for?

go to the sales area and you can subscribe, for $40 plus $5 shipping - a bit expensive IMO but worth it if only for first grab at concert tickets.

Mike

Mike,

Thanks for the help & info. However, here in the US(NY), there is no offer in the sales/shop area to purchase a membership to the site just yet.

Also, it only guarantees priority BOOKING for tix for the tour. They don't even guarantee you tix!!! That is ridiculous! It kills me to say it, but U2 are truly money-hungry, capitalists pigs before musicians!!!

 

[bananacologne]

I can't see/find it either, and I live in England!

 

[U2dork]

What if I dont know my Prop ID number and cant find it anywhere?

Do we need this, too? I'm not sure I even know where to begin looking...
Surely it would be printed on the label of these supposed letters we'll be receiving at some point, right?

 

[PghFan50]

I went to the SHOP section of u2.com and added the fan membership to the cart and checked out. If this does not guarantee me tickets, I will not be pleased!!!!

 

[cinmell]

I went to the SHOP section of u2.com and added the fan membership to the cart and checked out. If this does not guarantee me tickets, I will not be pleased!!!!

I received the letter from Propaganda in the mail today. I went to U2.com and didn't see anything about the membership in the SHOP section. Where exactly did you find it?

 

[PghFan50]

I just went back to U2.com and the capability of signing up is not there now. I signed up this morning at work. I will cut and paste some of what I got in my confirmation email.

QTY DESCRIPTION PRICE
____________________________________________________________________________________
1 (U2CFNCLB) $40.00
U2 Online Fanclub

It is not there now, but I did it this morning and my credit card was charged $40.

 

[Schmeg]

I received the letter from Propaganda in the mail today. I went to U2.com and didn't see anything about the membership in the SHOP section. Where exactly did you find it?

I can't find it either, and I'm signed in with my U2.com name...

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

Ok, so if you're in Boston then others should start getting theirs now, too.

Screw it. Tomorrow if/when the site has the link again, I'm signing up. I just hope I can put in my Prop ID so I can pay only $20....

 

[ElementOfSupris]

You gotta be kidding me..

This is just crazy. Please say it ain't so.. they went far enough signing up with Target and all that crap.. I nearly disowned them when I heard about the I Pod thing. But to charge us $40 for this. Man. You'll remember this was the band that preached to us about they are "gonna go against the corporate man", and refused to let any big shots sponsor their tours. They were going to "be our heroes" and prove to us that they could do it on their own. Bah.

While I hope this isn't true, I don't doubt it could be.. The entire U2.Com website was taken down in favor of plastering a promo for Vertigo. VERTIGO. Which just HAPPENS to be the song that promotes the I Pod commercial!

I knew it was bound to happen sooner or later. They've sold out, plain and simple. If I hear that there are ads & shit for I Pod at the concerts, that's it, we're over/ done with.. It's not the fact that they've sold out. It's the fact that the reason I fell in love with U2 in the first place was because they were something different than what they seem to be turning into now.

How do you expect someone to think you are sincere about the plight of Third World AIDS when you're sitting on your throne with a fist full of capital?! How can you tell us "Down with the man" when you yourself are eating from his tainted silver spoon? I'm serious, this is damn heartbreaking. Almost 16 years of my life I devote to these guys. I have spent so much money on their cassettes, then turning them all into CD's.. then all the books, bumper stickers, key rings, Rare 45's, posters, import stuff.. I have spent so much on U2 the past 16 years, put food in their kids mouths so to speak.. and they have the gall to charge me for the use of their damn site, ain't happening. I'm going to check. I will go and check up on that to see if it's true.. If it is.. U2 can kiss my ass. Sorry. That's just how I feel.

 

[ehMac]

ElementOfSupris, get a grip dude.

What U2 did with Apple was wicked cool. U2 did not get paid a red cent to do the TV spot. Its not a blatant ad for the iPod... its a TV spot with them performing the first single of the new album, Vertigo. (A f*CKING wicked song... you know music... what being a band is really about?!) The TV spot promoted their song Vertigo that you can purchase on iTunes. And a cool promo where you can get every U2 song, plus tons of remixes, extremely rare live performances, never released versions of songs etc... for $99. That's less that 20¢ a song.

And oh yeah... buy and iPod.... A freakin cool U2 iPOD!!!!!

As a TRUE U2 fan, this is awesome. U2 have always embraced technology. The iPod is a rock-n-roll cultural icon... and they are smart enough to recognize it.

U2 promotes their music, and they do it with coolness and rock-n-roll attitude. I'm so offended that you and others are trying to put them in a light of being some corporate whore.

If you think so, get lost, good riddance... don't let the door hit you on the way out.

The U2 site, with all the news etc.. will continue to be free. So they will set up a members only subscription site that cost $40. To me, that's fun not something to get all pissy about.

Who knows what all the benefits are yet. If it guarantees me a GA ticket, I'll pay $100 for the membership.

 

[jesseu2]

If I end up with extras, they'll be an easy sell on e-bay.

shame on you if you do this