I'm working on a project right now and I was curious if any of you are/were members of fan clubs (excluding the Ten Club, already got enough on them). I'm mostly interested in official fan clubs for a band or record label, but if you belong to an unofficial fan club run by other fans that's cool too.

I'd like to hear your about experiences, so here are some things I am interested in:
-How much does it cost to join? Are there annual dues/renewal fees?
-What benefits do you get when you sign up? What regular benefits do you receive? What additional benefits would you like to see?
-What were your motivations for joining?
-Overall experience: positive or negative?

Thanks, team.

I'm a member of The Warehouse - the DMB fanclub. It's $35 a year. Been a member since 98 when they started it. At the time you got first crack at tickets and were allotted the best seats in the house. Once a year they send you a CD of live material. Back in the days before file sharing and bit torrent, it was pretty awesome.

My motivation for joining was strictly good concert tickets, close up, without having to deal with Ticketmaster or a broker and all of the outrageous fees that go along with both. Since then, the experience has degraded to the point where I only get tickets maybe 1 out of every 2 shows I put in for, and when I do get the tickets they aren't usually any good. And the live CD compilation is nothing special. I usually download it before it gets mailed to me so the CD ends up being a coaster. I'm tossing money out the window. Not sure why I go back year after year - tough to cut the cord I guess

That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Hope this helps.

I've been a member of the R.E.M. fan club since 1997.

-How much does it cost to join? Are there annual dues/renewal fees?
It costs $10 to join and renew annually in the US. It's $12 overseas.

-What benefits do you get when you sign up? What regular benefits do you receive? What additional benefits would you like to see?
You get 3 or 4 newsletters, an annual Christmas package, discounts on merchandise and of course access to concert tickets. As for additional benefits, meet and greets for the fan club at concerts (like NIN used to do) would be really nice.

-What were your motivations for joining?
Basically everything they offered. Sounded very cool.

-Overall experience: positive or negative?
Very positive. They've never let me down.

Thanks guys. Did any of those clubs send out any cool swag like the stuff Pearl Jam did with the Vitalogy Health Club Starter Kit?

http://www.twofeetthick.com/2007/07/vhc-starter-kit-five-items-for-fan-growth/

I think all I got when I first joined up was the current newsletter and maybe some kind of welcome letter or something like that.

It seems like a lot of fan clubs offer the standard newsletter, ticket presale, band photo, and/or exclusive t-shirt package for $50 these days. I think every band absolutely needs to have some kind of fan club. But they need to put some thought into what it is they can offer their fans that makes their fan club unique.

I'm pretty vocal with my displeasure towards Ten Club as of late, but I think that stems from the fact they aren't doing cool shit like they used to with the VHC kit. Well, that, and the fact they don't send out the promised two newsletters per year nor the Christmas single anywhere close to the actual holiday. At least they charge less than most other bands.

Not to mention that tickets are just as expesive through Warehouse now as Ticketmaster.... I dropped out of Warehouse back in 2002 or so when I realized it was a f@cking waste after everything had changed.

Honestly, this is shit... They broke a contract as far as I am concerned, 10CL members should get 1 free year each time they decide not to do their work that we pay them for.

Yeah, see I don't know why other fan clubs can't get it right like the R.E.M. fan club, for example. It's cheap and they don't consistently fuck things up. I left Ten Club in 2005 after 10 years because of the newsletter/Christmas single bullshit, dues going up while getting less and less from the club and no need to have access to tickets since PJ decided to ignore my area on every tour after 2000. But that's another thread...

Remember, though, that we PAID separately for the VHC starter kit. It wasn't just given to us when we joined. We paid extra for it like we do all other merch from the 10 Club.