According to the AP article on the NPGMC shutdown, last month Prince signed an exclusive distribution deal with RED Distribution, the same company that distributed The Rainbow Children.
I wonder if this is an indication of estrangement from Universal over 3121 and the repeated delays of Tamar's album (which I'm hearing has been delayed once again to a date not yet determined). Maybe the pendulum is swinging away from commercial back to independent/artist once again. Prince certainly seemed to have a better go at it with RED for The Rainbow Children and the One Nite Alone tour vs. Universal / 3121. For all its industry muscle, 3121 has not yet cracked gold in the U.S. <Moderator: My problem with his is unless Red deal in includes running a fan club and handling merchandising 1+1+1 does equal 3 :-P -Derek> http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2006-07-12-prince-site_x.htm Prince's site shut down; attorney says not due to lawsuit Updated 7/12/2006 8:04 PM ET MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Prince's fan website has been shut down, but an attorney for the musician says it's not related to a recent trademark lawsuit against the site, NPGMusicClub.com. HM Publishing Holdings, a book company in England, filed the lawsuit on July 3 based on its own NPG, a science-book subsidiary called the Nature Publishing Group. Prince's attorney, David Schelzel, said Prince already has approval of the name from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and that the legal action is minor. "Prince's use of the NPG or Paisley Park trademarks is no way in jeopardy," Schelzel said. When asked why the site was shut down, Schelzel told the Star Tribune "Wait and see." Last month, New York's RED Distribution announced a deal in which it will be the "sole distributor" of all of Prince's NPG products. Soon after that, an e-mail was sent out to NPG members saying the site had entered "a time of great reflection and restructuring." The online club started around 2000, and it won Prince a Webby Award in June for being an Internet innovator. "In its current 4m (form), there is a feeling that the NPGMC has gone as far as it can go," the e-mail said. "The future holds nothing but endless opportunity. Don't u want 2 come?" Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Posted 7/12/2006 8:02 PM ET ------------------------------------------------------------------------- NewPowerNewYork Mailing List website: Www.NPNY.Org ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe? Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED], in body place npny ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Questions/Help?: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
