45 RPM Club (the official TGA fan club)

At the rate their going, tickets won't be an issue anymore...

enola wrote:

Well honestly did anyone of you believe they can even finance the fanclub package with only $25? Only the shipping costs probably more and they also have to produce the vinyl and the shirt. And pay the people who handle the fanclub, or El Jefe who did the Vinyl design etc. etc.

So $40 is way more realistic for what they offer.

Shirts cost next to nothing to print at that quanitity. 7" records are routinely sold for $3.99 to $4.99 at a profit. Wasn't I also supposed to get an official fan club forum or something too? To be this sloppy AND THEN almost double the price is fucking insaaaaaaaane.

prettyontheinsidex wrote:

Terrible timing. I laughed to myself. I want to be more optimistic. This feels like the end of the world to me. forget your broken heart Brian, you have broken MY heart...

Lol, well THAT'S a little overkill.

Was anyone else's club 7" creased and folded on the corners? The packaging was so shitty.

I vaguely recall Brian saying early on that the band lost money while creating the fan club... Who knows if its even true, but just something to consider for why they raised the price.

email text

Quote :

Hello 45 RPM Fan Club Members,

Fan Club Renewal Information and Club Revisions:
The Gaslight Anthem would like to thank you for your participation in the 45 RPM Club.   The initial year hasn't been without its flaws and we acknowledge that.   You're receiving this email specifically because you have either received or will receive in the next few days our annual record and we had to close out our commitment to deliver this before respectfully asking for your club membership renewal.  And you are also receiving this because your annual subscription is about to expire or has expired but you are entitled to a sixty-day grace period to renew your membership.  

The team at Infinite Merch, The Gaslight Anthem and Gaslight's management have collaborated on the development of a more efficient and effective way to provide fan club services.   The new structure includes two separate offerings; a digital package and a vinyl package.   Both packages include fan club pre-sale access to purchase tickets to The Gaslight Anthem's shows at participating venues.   The digital package includes two exclusive annual MP3 tracks, which will be the same tracks found on the annual 7" record.   The digital package also includes exclusive fan club product offerings in the web store.   All communications for the digital package will be conducted through email.   The vinyl package includes the exclusive annual 7" record and a men's or women's fan club T-shirt.   We're including a higher quality colored ringspun cotton T-shirt in the vinyl package (pictured in the on-line store).    Our international members will have to pay an additional $12USD for the vinyl package, which has been separated into its own product offering.  The additional fee covers all international shipping costs.  So if you live in the US, please do not choose the higher dollar option.   The remaining club details and terms of the club are found in the membership renewal product pages.   One important detail about the vinyl package is the mailing of the hard goods.  Both the T-shirt and record delivery will occur at the same time, which is targeted to ship to all members in January 2014.  

Renewing members will retain their existing membership numbers and will not lose their seniority in the club.

Year 2 shirt is alot nicer

greasylake wrote:

I vaguely recall Brian saying early on that the band lost money while creating the fan club... Who knows if its even true, but just something to consider for why they raised the price.

He did and Big Alex said that too if I remember it right.

And well nobody is forced to renew their membership. It's the buyers decision - that's how the market works....

It's just really bad timing. I like the exclusivity of it but $40 is steep. I could do without a t shirt every year. I just want to be at the shows and the vinyl would be nice. I'm gonna have to think this one through.

I renewed. low number and all. Idk any way i can support the guys I will. It sounds like year 2 will not be as big of a problem, but i suppose we shall see.

so from the email it sound like the 60 day grace period starts now?

if not, and it already is ticking, for first day sign ups (june 21st) you have 21 days left...

enola wrote:

Well honestly did anyone of you believe they can even finance the fanclub package with only $25? Only the shipping costs probably more and they also have to produce the vinyl and the shirt. And pay the people who handle the fanclub, or El Jefe who did the Vinyl design etc. etc.

So $40 is way more realistic for what they offer.

I agree. I was already thinking last year that they can't cover all the costs, especially for international delivery, with those 25$. So I think it is ok that they increased the price.

But, they should start offering what they were promising in the beginning like a fc message board, soundchecks, meet and greets, tickets to special events. The US fan club members did get stuff like Letterman but I think there could have been more and they could have offered stuff like that to European members as well. There were a lot of radio performances, in stores etc. The fan club needs to be more attractive so that people want to join and want to renew.

Don't get me wrong, I think the fan club is a great idea. I just think they can make more of it then they did in the first year.

Ok, i havent received the email yet, but i went onto infinite merch and cant find the link...

$40 is worth it for the vinyl/tshirt/shipping costs, imo.

FrankieG wrote:

Ok, i havent received the email yet, but i went onto infinite merch and cant find the link...

$40 is worth it for the vinyl/tshirt/shipping costs, imo.

the links are being hidden for the first two weeks so the renewing members have a chance to sign back up.

$40 bucks is NOT worth it for a 7" and a tee shirt. But I believe in second chances and if it tanks again this time around, I'm out.

Debonair wrote:

FrankieG wrote:

Ok, i havent received the email yet, but i went onto infinite merch and cant find the link...

$40 is worth it for the vinyl/tshirt/shipping costs, imo.

the links are being hidden for the first two weeks so the renewing members have a chance to sign back up.

I am a renewing member. So I need to wait for the email?

FrankieG wrote:

Debonair wrote:

FrankieG wrote:

Ok, i havent received the email yet, but i went onto infinite merch and cant find the link...

$40 is worth it for the vinyl/tshirt/shipping costs, imo.

the links are being hidden for the first two weeks so the renewing members have a chance to sign back up.

I am a renewing member. So I need to wait for the email?

Yeah, what date did you sign up? Maybe people who accounts aren't expired (or expiring soon) didn't get the email?

I found mine (gmail) in some "promotions" folder. Check all folders?

Did everyone get this? (Asking people who maybe signed up in the fall/winter time)

i didn't get the mail yet (but i wont panic, maybe tomorrow or later) signed up first day, neither got i the 7" ... is it official that there were 2500 pressed ?

to the 40 usd, think it is not a little, but i ll give it a second year. shirt looks better than the first, hope i could change the size...haha
i ordered two posters via the fanclub so it was okay for me. i think the presale option for tickets doesnt make any sense. i would also appreciate maybe meet and greets. but most important for me is the vinyl !

i just got that email about the renewing options, and i will renew, i just am trying to decide which package since i want the vinyl but I do most of my music listening through mp3.

I wonder if people that choose the mp3 route will have the option of buying a vinyl copy..hmmmm

Debonair wrote:

email text


Year 2 shirt is alot nicer

Is...is that a sperm?

Okay after reading Brian's message I'm all in for renewal and will continue supporting this band.

That takes something special.

Debonair wrote:

FrankieG wrote:

Debonair wrote:

FrankieG wrote:

Ok, i havent received the email yet, but i went onto infinite merch and cant find the link...

$40 is worth it for the vinyl/tshirt/shipping costs, imo.

the links are being hidden for the first two weeks so the renewing members have a chance to sign back up.

I am a renewing member. So I need to wait for the email?

Yeah, what date did you sign up? Maybe people who accounts aren't expired (or expiring soon) didn't get the email?

I found mine (gmail) in some "promotions" folder. Check all folders?

Did everyone get this? (Asking people who maybe signed up in the fall/winter time)

I signed up August 8th ish ?
I just received the fanclub vinyl today. I have some time to renew so Im sure it sill come.

I plan to stick with the Vinyl version. Yeah, it's not cheap - but $40 a year is also not that expensive. And the t-shirt looks much better.

I don't think they're in any way in a decline in terms of sales. They just sold about 10,000 tickets over two days in NY, and they sold out three T5 shows over 3 days last year, also 10,000 tix.

I understand the calculus may be different for people not living in the NY/NJ area, but the fan club paid for itself with the Letterman show and the Every Word Handwritten premiere. That plus the vinyl was a good deal.

I re-upped for the vinyl and I think there'll be something special in the winter or spring that pays it off again. But if I lived in St. Louis... not sure how I'd feel.

I signed up for the fan club early july, so I'm not sure why I still haven't gotten the renewal email hmmm I hope the vinyl comes soon though.

ETA: I do agree that overseas members don't have that many benefits, just the access to ticket pre-sale. They do their fair share of in-stores and stuff like that when they are in Europe, but nothing through the fan club, which is a shame I think.

FrankieG wrote:

Ok, i havent received the email yet, but i went onto infinite merch and cant find the link...

$40 is worth it for the vinyl/tshirt/shipping costs, imo.

tshirts are 15 and 7"s are 4. That is not worth it. You're just a deluded fan with rose colored glasses.

_rebekka_ wrote:

enola wrote:

Well honestly did anyone of you believe they can even finance the fanclub package with only $25? Only the shipping costs probably more and they also have to produce the vinyl and the shirt. And pay the people who handle the fanclub, or El Jefe who did the Vinyl design etc. etc.

So $40 is way more realistic for what they offer.

I agree. I was already thinking last year that they can't cover all the costs, especially for international delivery, with those 25$. So I think it is ok that they increased the price.

But, they should start offering what they were promising in the beginning like a fc message board, soundchecks, meet and greets, tickets to special events. The US fan club members did get stuff like Letterman but I think there could have been more and they could have offered stuff like that to European members as well. There were a lot of radio performances, in stores etc. The fan club needs to be more attractive so that people want to join and want to renew.

Don't get me wrong, I think the fan club is a great idea. I just think they can make more of it then they did in the first year.

For anyone outside the US the fan club is $54 this year.