14th album 'LOVE again' out February 8th, 4th of five 15th anniversary releases [III]

[TeamAyu2004]

I really dont think we should get into what makes a fan and such because its just gonna piss people off.

everyone here is pretty much a fan... its if you are a supporting fan or not.
You can say you support her, but the ONLY way to support her is to spend your money on her.
there is no other way around it... if you dont buy her products, then you dont support her because she is a product, and if you support a product, you buy it.

[pepper]

i can't stand the fact that she realesed/realesing 3 albums with word LOVE in it.

I'm gonna throw up one day.

[Pieces_of_SEVEN]

^I agree about all the LOVE titles. LOVEppears I don't mind though

[primavera♥]

Originally Posted by TeamAyu2004

I really dont think we should get into what makes a fan and such because its just gonna piss people off.

everyone here is pretty much a fan... its if you are a supporting fan or not.
You can say you support her, but the ONLY way to support her is to spend your money on her.
there is no other way around it... if you dont buy her products, then you dont support her because she is a product, and if you support a product, you buy it.

I'd like to say ayu is a person too. Because I'm sure science defines her as such. You can also call her a product. But because she is also a person, there is more than one way to support a person.

[mizuki-7]

^

[TeamAyu2004]

Originally Posted by primavera♥

I'd like to say ayu is a person too. Because I'm sure science defines her as such. You can also call her a product. But because she is also a person, there is more than one way to support a person.

Ayumi Hamasaki is a person.
Ayu is a product. If you dont support the product you dont support the person.
It has nothing to do with science or her being a human being.
You can support the person, but musically you can not support her if you dont spend money on her.

[Yoake]

Originally Posted by primavera♥

I'd like to say ayu is a person too. Because I'm sure science defines her as such. You can also call her a product. But because she is also a person, there is more than one way to support a person.

Agree. Just by tweet/write a letter to her with encouraged words is a way to support her & to show her your love and your interest for her music

[Pieces_of_SEVEN]

I suppose we're getting OT now, so we should get back to discussion about the album.

Anyone else think the titles seem...idk, hollow?

[sugarbasil]

Originally Posted by Pieces_of_SEVEN

It's one thing if you can't afford it, but I just believe if you really love an artist you would want to support them and own their releases, not just steal them from the internet.

This is a contradiction, you realize that right?

This mindset and mentality that if you don't spend your money buying a singer's releases, then you're not a fan - is really disgusting. The people who say that probably aren't living paycheck to paycheck and probably never have. To spend $40 on a release that you may not even like for the sake of "being a fan" at the expense of not being able to feed yourself or your family for the week is simply called being irresponsible with your money. Possibly selfish, too. And there are priorities in life. Feeding yourself and paying your bills comes first.

And you can argue that they should at least buy one CD in their lifetime. But maybe they've never in their lifetime been able to afford that one CD. If you think that's not possible or likely, again - you're probably that person who fits in the 'never lived paycheck to paycheck' category. Try to look outside of your own lifestyle or acknowledge that you can't understand what it's like.

I wonder how these types of people feel about people who have bought every single Ayu CD and DVD but bought them online for cheap - like, $4 cheap - because they couldn't afford to do so otherwise. Are they 'cheapskate' fans? 'Second hand' fans? Not 'true' fans? Tell me. Because that's what I've done.

Question: Has Avex or Ayu said anything about this whiplash from the announcement?

[Pieces_of_SEVEN]

^It's not a contradiction, as people who can't afford to buy them are excused. It's just the way I feel about it.

Of course they're not cheap, or second-hand, or not true fans. I lived paycheck to paycheck for years, and still kind of do because I spoil myself constantly. I never said not purchasing things means you aren't a fan. But I think if you are a real, die-hard fan, you would WANT to own something, that's all.

[polka-dot-jewel]

I'm very curious about "GLORIA". I wonder what that name means to her...if anything.

[TeamAyu2004]

Originally Posted by Pieces_of_SEVEN

Anyone else think the titles seem...idk, hollow?

I dont think the individual titles are hollow, but the CD title is..
Love again?... I mean come on...

Originally Posted by Pieces_of_SEVEN

^It's not a contradiction, as people who can't afford to buy them are excused. It's just the way I feel about it.

Of course they're not cheap, or second-hand, or not true fans. I lived paycheck to paycheck for years, and still kind of do because I spoil myself constantly. I never said not purchasing things means you aren't a fan. But I think if you are a real, die-hard fan, you would WANT to own something, that's all.

this is way i stay away from true fans and what not... you are either a FAN or you are not. it's the support and how you show support.

You can write ayumi a nice little letter and what not, but that dose nothing to her but maybe make her feel nice... It's like buying a starving diabetic a huge piece of chocolate...well its the thought that counts right? not really.
If it wasn't for people actually buying things we might not even be here to talk about it today.

[polka-dot-jewel]

Originally Posted by TeamAyu2004

I dont think the individual titles are hollow, but the CD title is..
Love again?... I mean come on...

I don't think it's necessarily "hollow", just very unoriginal.

[miru2590]

Originally Posted by sugarbasil

This is a contradiction, you realize that right?

This mindset and mentality that if you don't spend your money buying a singer's releases, then you're not a fan - is really disgusting. The people who say that probably aren't living paycheck to paycheck and probably never have. To spend $40 on a release that you may not even like for the sake of "being a fan" at the expense of not being able to feed yourself or your family for the week is simply called being irresponsible with your money. Possibly selfish, too. And there are priorities in life. Feeding yourself and paying your bills comes first.

And you can argue that they should at least buy one CD in their lifetime. But maybe they've never in their lifetime been able to afford that one CD. If you think that's not possible or likely, again - you're probably that person who fits in the 'never lived paycheck to paycheck' category. Try to look outside of your own lifestyle or acknowledge that you can't understand what it's like.

I wonder how these types of people feel about people who have bought every single Ayu CD and DVD but bought them online for cheap - like, $4 cheap - because they couldn't afford to do so otherwise. Are they 'cheapskate' fans? 'Second hand' fans? Not 'true' fans? Tell me. Because that's what I've done.

Regardless, I don't even know why this argument over why this whole situation (the LOVE again issue) has upset many people is still persisting. It's insanely obvious and everyone probably knows by now. It's just complaining at this point, which is fine - but it's not an argument.

This is true last year i couldn't afford a lot things ayu release and that didn't make me any less of a fan. Now that im doing better i can afford it. But not having money to pay for a CD doesn't mean you don't love Ayumi is just that you don't have the money to buy but you still love her. That's what got me mad about the minis a lot of people where lied too people who probably wasted there money. Money that is really hard to get for some people.

[primavera♥]

Originally Posted by TeamAyu2004

Ayumi Hamasaki is a person.
Ayu is a product. If you dont support the product you dont support the person.
It has nothing to do with science or her being a human being.
You can support the person, but musically you can not support her if you dont spend money on her.

I feel that there's a contradiction in there. But that's okay.

Basically I can support her without buying things. It's great.

On another note, even if people do have money to buy cds, they could choose to spend it on something else.

[TeamAyu2004]

^ but you cant.
In order for her to continue making music, people need to buy things...

Originally Posted by polka-dot-jewel

I don't think it's necessarily "hollow", just very unoriginal.

I honestly dont know if there is much of a difference, lol

[jewelbox]

You & Me shouldn't be there. It's so awful.

[koumori]

Originally Posted by sugarbasil

And you can argue that they should at least buy one CD in their lifetime. But maybe they've never in their lifetime been able to afford that one CD. If you think that's not possible or likely, again - you're probably that person who fits in the 'never lived paycheck to paycheck' category. Try to look outside of your own lifestyle or acknowledge that you can't understand what it's like.

I agree with this totally. I've been in the position of not having a lot of money in the last few years - fortunately, my position in life has vastly improved, but anyway. In those years I scrimped extra pennies for this and that, managing to buy two albums and a single from Ayu in that time. They're very precious to me.

That said, I don't feel people who have more money are somehow "better" than me...well done, you have a good job and you're comfortable in life. That's great! But it doesn't mean you're a "better fan". Anyone who thinks like that can remove the pole from their ass and educate themselves by looking up the word "empathy".

As for your question Basil..I don't think there's been any official statement from anyone linked to Avex about the fandom being unhappy. I'd be very surprised if there was going to be one.

[adantatu2]

I hope we can get previews soon, i'm sure they could calm some fans here, XD

[Pieces_of_SEVEN]

sigh. GLORIA just reminds me of this. lol