Official GN'R fan club at gunsnroses.com

[JAEBALL]

The problem is that the fan club does't really offer you anything that is exclusive...

Exclusive merchandise that you get when you sign up.
Exclusive access to the fan club forum.
Exclusive access to contests and chats in the past.
Exclusive access to photos from the shows.


So, yes, it does offer some things that you can't get anywhere else. No matter how much you claim the opposite. Don't say they don't offer anything just because you don't like that they offer. 


/jarmo

Is there any information you obtain there that you can't obtain elsewhere?

Different angles of pictures? I guess you get those.

You are right... The shirt you get is unique to the forum... I apologize

[jarmo]

I believe the tour photos are exclusive to the fan club. They might get posted all over the Interwebs but that's not something you can do much about.




/jarmo

[Spirit]

Yes, there are exclusive items when you are a member.

The photos are really good, and exclusive for the fan club members. But, photos in itself isn't really an exclusive thing. Whenever they are touring there a tons of photos from alternative sources.

Imo they could have provided some stuff that you won't see ANY other place. What about Del doing backstage video interviews while on tour? Videos from rehearsals before the tour starts, sprinkled with some interviews. This is stuff fans love to see.

I think there's potential not exploited fully here.

[jarmo]

True. There are possibilities.




/jarmo

[mortismurphy]

Ah, I see. I'm not too familiar with the current limitations of technology and all that so thanks for clearing that up. If a video chat were not possible, at least some form of communication would be cool. But even then, chances are that so many people would be asking questions that yours might not ever be answered.

Just remembered. Ground (ctrl). They also run Backstreet Boys's and Linken Park's fanclubs!!

Now that's just sad. But before I criticize, I am curious as to if other fan websites are done differently? Does anyone know of any fan sites for other bands that are run exceptionally well compared to the GNR fan club?

The Metallica club offer a thick magazine about five times per year with exclusive news, interviews, photos (from the studio). There is also fan participation, places to trade bootlegs and write letters. When you join you also get an exclusive fan club t-shirt, picks, photos and other stuff. They also offer free (obviously under the subscription package) backstage passes. You are pretty much guaranteed to meet Metallica if Metallica are playing your area in your year of subscription - and that includes Hetfield. They also offer exclusive merchandise. Online, you get access to exclusive digital content and a fan area on the forum. The other areas on the forum, are (unlike GN'R's) free to all. Occasionally Metallica play club gigs exclusive to fan club areas. They also have these crazy competitions where the winners get to hang out at the studio.

$45 for all this. Only $5 more than Nightrain which currently offers,

An exclusive Nightrain Guitar Pic Set with Custom Tin.
An exclusive Nightrain Fan Club Laminated Pass.
An exclusive Nightrain T-Shirt.
An exclusive Nightrain Keychain.

And yes, the forum!!

The digital content has turned into a colossal lie and the VIPs are, access, i.e. not included in your subscription price.

I am going to be accused of 'negativity' again, but in my opinion the GN'R fan club has been little short of a disaster: wrong t-shirts announced; a fan forum which is reportedly, terrible; exclusive digital content promised, but not delivered; band participation disappearing after the first few weeks (BF did some chats in the beginning and that is it); a competition delivering a, beach towel! Throw on the website which basically only consists of GN'R's video promos and a place to buy t-shirts. The news is not exclusive and months out of date. The forum is tied up with the fan club so cannot be accessed.

Everyone I have talked to who has joined the club, cleared off after the first year or will not be rejoining.

It is basically a template on how, not, to run a fan club.

[jarmo]

We've already established in this thread that there's room for improvement.

But different bands have different limits that they work within.



/jarmo

[TheBaconman]

That Metallica deal actually sounds pretty good

I really had no idea that the band was chagrin fans for this fan club stuff!   Crazy

This day and age, the band will really have to include some pretty cool things in order to justify charging fans for this

I am a 35 year old, why on earth would I pay money for pictures of a band?  

I could see mb a 14 year old girl paying money for some fan club of some silly boy band, with neat pictures

Why not with the next albums release include a 1 year membership with every physical album purchased.  Then in the span of that one year have many different features to try and keep the fans staying.  Live video chats, intactive forums, presage concert discounts, organized fan party's in city's worldwide

[jarmo]

I am a 35 year old, why on earth would I pay money for pictures of a band?  

It's included in the package. You're not paying extra for it.





/jarmo

[mortismurphy]

My friend theorised that the Metallica magazine (So What) was worth the price of admission alone.

In fairness Bacon, few bands do it as well as Metallica (but then, few do it as badly as Guns). Metallica do go, that extra mile. Most of the bands for instance now sell VIPs like Guns so this would presuppose that they do not operate a Metallica 'Meet and Greet' system, by which you get a VIP with your subscription if they tour in your area that particular year. I am looking at the Kiss fan club and it looks similar to Nightrain, i.e. a quite corporate impersonal affair which merely offers access to an online community and priority ticketing: http://www.kissonline.com/kiss-army. I think Pearl Jam do fan clubs well also. They do not offer the VIP service Metallica do but you do get a magazine and an exclusive 45". The price is excellent also:

For $20 a year (Digital) and $40 a year (Analog) Ten Club members from around the globe are provided with members-only goods and services that include:

Annual DEEP magazine: A beautiful booklet made by the band for its fans. It's a collectible piece that will look great up on your shelf. (Digital members get digital download of the Deep Magazine)

Annual vinyl 45 single: Our way of holding onto a touchstone of music the way it was when Pearl Jam and Ten Club started (Digital members get digital download of the Annual Single).

Priority ticketing: Ten Club holds the best seats in the house for members-only pre-sales and rewards long-time fans for their dedication with seniority-based seating. Ticket allocations and box-office relations are handled in-house to ensure that the best tickets end up in the hands of Ten Club members. Although members are not guaranteed tickets, they are given the best chance at the best seats via a drawing, before the public on-sales.

Access to exclusive content on www.pearljam.com: Includes posting privileges on Ten Club Forums,  Ten Club Radio, Ten Club Theater and much more.

Monthly email newsletter: Includes updates about releases, touring, members-only contests, merchandise, web content, activism and more.

Imagine getting a single with a couple of exclusive Brain remixes on it?

[fozzie10]

I was a member of the club when it launched,frankly i supose you could say i got a pretty good deal with getting 2 t shirts(the AFD and the fan club one) that time out but i guess in the long run while the peeps there were great it was hard to justfy the money for it,the forum was ok but that seemed to get any new info last or so it seemed at the time.

A shame but in the end for me it just wasnt worth the money though i do miss the people on the forum.

[ice cream sand pig]

Well, doesn't make any sense to me. Some of you may not agree but this is the best band in the world. I feel like they deserve better. That Metallica thing blew me away. Man, I would be all over anything that came even remotely close to resembling that. In a way I hate to be here pushing this subject because I know it's a little obnoxious. I've never even actually payed for the thing. Just one last gripe/question and I'll move on:

We've already established in this thread that there's room for improvement.

But different bands have different limits that they work within.



/jarmo

If Metallica can do it, why not Guns?

[jarmo]

I don't know what rights GN'R themselves have to give away or sell music through their fan club. You'd think that it might not be that easy...

I think running a fan club can be either done like Metallica and Pearl Jam (who I assume have the right to give their fan club members music) or you out source it to a company (like GN'R).

Obviously the first option means the people doing the fan club are more involved with the band since they are dealing with one band and one fan club. The second option, the same people might run multiple fan clubs and it's "just another customer".




/jarmo

[Mr. Redman]

Why must the fan club always be compared to Metallica and Pearl Jam? Guns does things their way, so let sleeping dogs lie.

[AxlsMainMan]

Why must the fan club always be compared to Metallica and Pearl Jam? Guns does things their way, so let sleeping dogs lie.

Metallica and Pearl Jam generally spoil their fans rotten through their fan clubs, so why wouldn't Guns' fans desire the same perks?

[mortismurphy]

Why must the fan club always be compared to Metallica and Pearl Jam? Guns does things their way, so let sleeping dogs lie.

That is self evident haha.

[Spirit]

Anyone with access to the forum?

Have they abandoned the fan club? One week into February and no membership package for 2015... Aren't these supposed to be available before the end of the preceding year?

If anyone has access, has anyone from Ground ctrl given any info about this?

[GNRBABY]

Ah, I see. I'm not too familiar with the current limitations of technology and all that so thanks for clearing that up. If a video chat were not possible, at least some form of communication would be cool. But even then, chances are that so many people would be asking questions that yours might not ever be answered.

Just remembered. Ground (ctrl). They also run Backstreet Boys's and Linken Park's fanclubs!!

Now that's just sad. But before I criticize, I am curious as to if other fan websites are done differently? Does anyone know of any fan sites for other bands that are run exceptionally well compared to the GNR fan club?

The Metallica club offer a thick magazine about five times per year with exclusive news, interviews, photos (from the studio). There is also fan participation, places to trade bootlegs and write letters. When you join you also get an exclusive fan club t-shirt, picks, photos and other stuff. They also offer free (obviously under the subscription package) backstage passes. You are pretty much guaranteed to meet Metallica if Metallica are playing your area in your year of subscription - and that includes Hetfield. They also offer exclusive merchandise. Online, you get access to exclusive digital content and a fan area on the forum. The other areas on the forum, are (unlike GN'R's) free to all. Occasionally Metallica play club gigs exclusive to fan club areas. They also have these crazy competitions where the winners get to hang out at the studio.

$45 for all this. Only $5 more than Nightrain which currently offers,

An exclusive Nightrain Guitar Pic Set with Custom Tin.
An exclusive Nightrain Fan Club Laminated Pass.
An exclusive Nightrain T-Shirt.
An exclusive Nightrain Keychain.

And yes, the forum!!

The digital content has turned into a colossal lie and the VIPs are, access, i.e. not included in your subscription price.

I am going to be accused of 'negativity' again, but in my opinion the GN'R fan club has been little short of a disaster: wrong t-shirts announced; a fan forum which is reportedly, terrible; exclusive digital content promised, but not delivered; band participation disappearing after the first few weeks (BF did some chats in the beginning and that is it); a competition delivering a, beach towel! Throw on the website which basically only consists of GN'R's video promos and a place to buy t-shirts. The news is not exclusive and months out of date. The forum is tied up with the fan club so cannot be accessed.

Everyone I have talked to who has joined the club, cleared off after the first year or will not be rejoining.

It is basically a template on how, not, to run a fan club.

You bring up some good points and I agree it's a struggling fan club. Though, If you are a diehard GNR fan than you should already know that Axl is reclusive and barley hangs out with the band members, much less the fans/strangers. In rescent years he's been much better about taking a picture and signing an autograph or two, but what more do you expect from Axl? It's not like he's going to be on time for a 6:45pm meet & greet or sit down and play Call Of Duty with the fans before a show  I suppose the least he could do is include a signed 8x10 photo by himself and a few band members in the kit, or some sort of unique item of value. YES the media content on the site really needs to be improved!!

[LIGuns]

Opportunity For pre-sale VIP was worth the price of the Fan Club....

[TheBaconman]

Opportunity For pre-sale VIP was worth the price of the Fan Club....

Really?  Did you get a deal on the vip packages?

From what I remember the vip packages never sold out.  So unless you got a deal, why did that make it worth it

[jarmo]

Sneak peek! 2015 @gunsnroses Nightrain fan club merch. Coming on March 1. www.gunsnroses.com #GetOnTheNightrain


More information on how to get your new fan club package on March 1st.



/jarmo