Belle and Sebastian "Fans Only"

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Shall we bring up the DVD in this thread or a new one?
-- Dom Passantino (lifetimepilingu...), December 4th, 2003. (later)


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new one! new one!
-- CharlieNo4 (charlie_iven...), December 4th, 2003. (later)

Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 4 December 2003 12:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Only on watching the DVD do you realise how important B&S winning the 1999 best newcomer at the Brits was for a swathe of our generation (the really lonely ones, obviously). The fact that the award was presented by Huey Morgan and Zoe Ball as well just makes it even sweeter.

Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 4 December 2003 12:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Other stuff I didn't realise until watching this DVD:

Chris Geddes is the geekiest human being alive.
Isobel really is as lovely as everyone says.

Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 4 December 2003 12:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh God it's a B&S revival, isn't it

Andrew Thames (Andrew Thames), Thursday, 4 December 2003 12:40 (twenty-one years ago)

I didn't think they NEEDED an arrival. I thought everybody wuvved them.

Johnney B (Johnney B), Thursday, 4 December 2003 12:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Apart from Steps, obviously.

Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 4 December 2003 12:56 (twenty-one years ago)

And three-quarters of this board.

Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 4 December 2003 12:56 (twenty-one years ago)

I've got nothing AGAINST them, I'd just rather see a Chrome revival or something

Andrew Thames (Andrew Thames), Thursday, 4 December 2003 12:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Can a band have a revival before they've gone anywhere?

"Fans Only" is an amazing artefact, if for no other reason than it really is the mimsiest, twee-est, geekiest cardiganfloppyfringefest I've ever had the pleasure of watching. It's fucking brilliant obviously, especially the Portuguese TV interview!

Fans will *genuinely* love every last second - although the omission of the fab BBC documentary narrated by the bloke who did Mr Benn is glaring to say the least - and non-fans/hataz, when forced to watch it at gunpoint, will find their mills literally overflowing with grist.

CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Thursday, 4 December 2003 13:04 (twenty-one years ago)

They were very cool for a little bit then they weren't and now I suspect they'll sneak in to COOL type lists and good for them

Andrew Thames (Andrew Thames), Thursday, 4 December 2003 13:10 (twenty-one years ago)

I really really like B&S (apart from my hating of the new album) and the dvd is great, but if that BBC doc had been on it I'd have thought twice about buying it, it's that bad. Really really embarrasing.

Think the interview may be in Brazil, as they were doing the Os mutantes song and everyone knew it.

Mr Moore should come to this thread and tell us about the rare instrumentals that crop up if you linger in the scene selection bit.

chris (chris), Thursday, 4 December 2003 13:44 (twenty-one years ago)

I still think it should have been called 'Real Fans Only' - another missed opportunity to further alienate the masses.

PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Thursday, 4 December 2003 14:40 (twenty-one years ago)

It's not available in the States, right? I need to get me one of them region-free players.

Ben Boyer (Ben Boyer), Thursday, 4 December 2003 20:11 (twenty-one years ago)

It's going to be released by Matador in US on 20 January. More info here.

chules (chules), Thursday, 4 December 2003 20:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Is the font used on the promo pic at Matador really the font that appears on the packaging? It looks like some kind of lame Russian bootleg.

Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Thursday, 4 December 2003 20:24 (twenty-one years ago)

My god, that Brazillian interview is perfectly awful. "Hey, I wouldn't call a man blue eyes"

Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 4 December 2003 23:11 (twenty-one years ago)

I want to see this very very badly

Sonny American (Keiko), Friday, 5 December 2003 01:22 (twenty-one years ago)

ps I think a B&S revival is exactly what the world needs (if indeed that is possible)

Sonny A. (Keiko), Friday, 5 December 2003 01:25 (twenty-one years ago)

their interview in magnet makes isobel campbell out to be a menace. stevie jackson admits to being embarassed that his mediocre songs were next to stuart murdoch's.

keith m (keithmcl), Friday, 5 December 2003 04:34 (twenty-one years ago)

I still think it should have been called 'Real Fans Only' - another missed opportunity to further alienate the masses.

this is an excellent suggestion. when you try to buy it they should say "Do you like Stevie Jackson's songs (other than that one that sounds like the Mavericks)?" and if you say no the shopkeeper will say "Not today".

DV (dirtyvicar), Friday, 5 December 2003 10:55 (twenty-one years ago)

oi! that one that sounds like the mavericks is brillian *precisely* cos it sounds like the mavericks! his songs last night sounded rub compared to stu's.

CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Friday, 5 December 2003 11:35 (twenty-one years ago)

U R METAL.

DV (dirtyvicar), Friday, 5 December 2003 12:34 (twenty-one years ago)

one year passes...
having only enjoyed them via records (never saw a live show, read an interview, etc.) I gotta say that after watching this last night suddenly it was all crystal clear to me why they were derided for being twee, fey, etc. So many of the songs on their first three albums are so sharp I just kinda overlooked or dismissed such criticism, but this DVD shows them all being alternately boring and/or cloying, not to mention truly awful live - it's weird to realize that, gee, they don't actually have any ideas (just record collections), and they really ARE personally listless, uninspiring, and willfully childish. It makes me wish the records existed in their own little vacuum sealed bubble...

Shakey Mo Collier, Monday, 31 January 2005 20:41 (twenty years ago)

Havers! Belle & Seb are one of the tightest, most joyful live acts around. They played a free gig at Glasgow Botanic Gardens last summer, which was wonderful. Saw them two years before that and they were great then as well.
I can accept some of the points about tweeness, particularly in the Dog On Wheels vid, but some of the hate just smacks of macho cynicism. Some of their antics are genuinely charming - you don't have to be a sneering, cooler than thou punk rocker all the time. Anyway, the twee stuff is often undercut by the witty lyrics hint at something darker, more adult.
Admittedly, the DVD lacks some of their best songs cos they never came out as singles, but it's a sumptuous package nonetheless.
The DVD is great for anyone who's ever lived in Glasgow. I showed it to my Granny for that reason. She thought they were "very versatile". Not just everyone gets the seal of approval from my Granny. KNOW THAT!

What's this Magnet article making Isobel out as a monster? Btw - I can assure her fans that she looks lovelier than ever these days. She's ditched the little girl look and is much more elegant and grown up looking. Her own records aren't much cop, but she's been playing with Alisdair Roberts, so it's good to see her getting into darker folk avenues.

stew, Monday, 31 January 2005 22:48 (twenty years ago)

I agree the DVD is embarrassing to watch. They are horrible, but if you've lived in Glasgow it's all pretty typical. I too think Shakey has it wrong about them being bad live. I only saw them once, in Sept 2002 and it was brilliant. Plus, the live bits in the DVD are great - that Coachella scene for instance.

everything, Tuesday, 1 February 2005 00:31 (twenty years ago)

Hmm.. Believe it or not I've only just got into them and I can't stop listening to "Sinister" and a few other select tracks but can't understand the "twee" criticism yet. I just think they've got nice characterful tunes and good melodies. I haven't seen a DVD yet though.

dog latin (dog latin), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 00:41 (twenty years ago)

i haven't seen this, but I have to agree that they are one of the best live bands I've seen, lots of energy, very tight, no sloppiness, an enormous amount of fun. I know I've heard the absolute opposite particularly from people in Scotland, which makes me think they do better shows on tour in the US than they do at home for some reason.

kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 00:45 (twenty years ago)

the article did not make isobel out to be a monster, it just implied that she was in charge and made the rest of them seem like timid little mice in comparison. i liked her last album and don't mind the gentle waves but then i don't recoil when people start throwing out twee accusations.

keith m (keithmcl), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 00:53 (twenty years ago)

okay, like I said I haven't seen them live myself, but at least two things on the DVD struck me as just being unforgiveably bad and are indicative of what made me judge their live shows harshly:

- that blonde girl's absolutely horrid off-key butchering of Gal Costa/Os Mutantes' "Baby". The string players must have been going out of their minds.
- the incredibly half-assed ending to "Boy With the Arab Strap" (one of my favorite songs of theirs) at Coachella, where Stuart can't decide if he should stop playing the piano, makes up some lines that don't fit (or rhyme), and then the guitar played some crappy blues riffs and aped trad-rock "solo" moves. Excruciating.

I kinda wish I was back in dog latin's position, when my enjoyment of some totally great/ingenious songwriting was not obscured by more, er distasteful distractions.

Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 1 February 2005 00:54 (twenty years ago)

also: please no more films/pictures of adults and their stuffed animals. It's creepy.

Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 1 February 2005 00:54 (twenty years ago)

Gal Costa/Os Mutantes' "Baby"

err... Caetano Veloso!

gygax! (gygax!), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 01:03 (twenty years ago)

I've heard all three of 'em do it, I just couldn't remember who wrote it.

Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 1 February 2005 01:04 (twenty years ago)

I'm in dog latin's fortunate position. I like the first records but have never read so much as an interview with the band. I have no idea what the cult is about. They make nice Velvets/Love-influenced melancholic pop. Like it. What is this 'twee'?

Miles Finch, Tuesday, 1 February 2005 10:28 (twenty years ago)

I don't think shakey mo collier knows what the end of "the boy with the arab strap" sounds like, anyway.

don't worry about it.

RJG (RJG), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 10:42 (twenty years ago)

I've never understood their bad-live rep. I've seen them in '97, '01 and last year, and each time they were really rather tight. Stuart Murdoch's vocals in particular have always sounded more alive than the studio versions.

Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 11:06 (twenty years ago)

These days, they're almost always very 'tight' live. Prior to about 99, sometimes it was great, sometimes it was a shambles. Sometimes people said it was a charming shambles. I don't think the band liked it being a charming shambles, so they got 'tight'.

Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 11:09 (twenty years ago)

I am on this DVD, in voice only, talking about just this thing.

Re: twee, hipsters etc, had anyone seen this essay, about Wes Anderson, at N+1 http://www.nplusonemag.com/neato.html ?

It concludes:

The failure of 'The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou' may just be a sign—along with last year’s dud Belle and Sebastian album—that the Age of Twee is finally over in hipsterdom. Come to think of it, I’ve been seeing a new breed of male around Brooklyn lately. He’s put on some weight, gotten burlier, more menacing, and grown a beard. He drinks harder and he’s been stealing the pretty girls from the effete indie boys. The trucker hat is gone, and his hair’s starting to thin. He looks, well, sort of like Charles Manson.

Cripes!

Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 11:22 (twenty years ago)

TS: A Sinister picnic vs. a Manson family picnic.

Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 11:29 (twenty years ago)

that's really all people who like belle and sebastian having a picnic isnt it?

jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 11:41 (twenty years ago)

Yes, yes, it is!

Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 11:43 (twenty years ago)

However, the concept of the 'picnic' was stolen from Menswear fans, and we B&S fans were always too incompetent to actually have organise a proper picnic with sandwiches, a ham and suchlike. Lager and Pringles were usually the order of the day.

Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 11:46 (twenty years ago)

most of them look ok!

jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 11:46 (twenty years ago)

menswear! wtf!

jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 11:47 (twenty years ago)

They were ok.

Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 11:47 (twenty years ago)

surely *all* of menswe@r's fans *put together* wouldn't amount to a picnic.

Miles Finch, Tuesday, 1 February 2005 11:49 (twenty years ago)

It was like this. One day a man called Kitchen and a lady called House, who used to wuv each other, said to the B&S fans "I know! We could have a picnic in the park, like we used to do when we hung out with Menswear back in the halycon days of last summer or the one before!". So they did. And it went on for a while. Maybe it still does! But House and Kitchen fell out and nowadays House manages the Sons & Daughters band and Kitchen probably does something too.

Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 11:52 (twenty years ago)

are those real names?

jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 11:58 (twenty years ago)

You'll have to ask them.

Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 12:02 (twenty years ago)

The Birth Of A Nation.

Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 12:14 (twenty years ago)

The album or the song, cozen? I think the song is perfectly awful.

Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 13:41 (twenty years ago)

the album!

high five?

cozen (Cozen), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 13:42 (twenty years ago)

OK. It is an even crappier title than 'Fans Only'.

'Stay Loose' on the other hand, sounded better than ever when I listened to it the other day.

Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 13:43 (twenty years ago)

Dear Catastrophe Waitress is a terrific album. Stay Loose is particularly fine, I agree.

I should add that Stevie Jackson is playing a solo set as part of a Tsunami Benefit at the Glasgow Uni Research Club on Feb 12. The lovely Sky At Night are also playing, as well as the meh Red Bee Society. Stephen Pastel and Gerry Love DJing. Tix from Monorail, min £5 donation.

stew, Tuesday, 1 February 2005 13:49 (twenty years ago)

We did do one of those in the botanics back then, but it lasted about 5 minutes and we went to the pub.

KeithW (kmw), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 13:52 (twenty years ago)

stevie jackson played a solo set, in support of small creatures, along with dot to dot, at st. mary's cathedral, recently.

I missed s. jackson's go but heard he had friends in. justin currie.

I think, gigs, like that one, show who the real artists are.

RJG (RJG), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 13:59 (twenty years ago)

haha!

I can't believe I ever renounced belle & sebastian.

what a fanny.

cozen (Cozen), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 17:03 (twenty years ago)

It would have been better, if they had called it "Fannies Only"

Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 17:23 (twenty years ago)

Actually, no it wouldn't. It would have been taken for some Teenage Fanclub reference.

Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 17:24 (twenty years ago)

"Cunts Only", perhaps.

Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 17:24 (twenty years ago)

"cunts as well"

cozen (Cozen), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 17:29 (twenty years ago)

"Cunts Aloud"?

Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 22:55 (twenty years ago)

I almost rented this last night, but Shakey's "adults w/stuffed stuffed animals" bit sort of put me out of the mood for it. Kings of Convenience have kind of made B&S obsolete for me anyway.

darin (darin), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 23:09 (twenty years ago)

I don't see the similarity between the two bands, at all. But then, I wouldn't.

Isobel was the one with stuffed animals. She left the band some time ago, though not over the stuffed animals issue, I don't think. No one else has stuffed animals, apart from that dog on wheels of Stuart Murdoch's, but I haven't seen him play with that for some time.

Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 23:16 (twenty years ago)

I guess their somewhat shared vocal delivery/styles is why I'm making the connection. Hmmm... I may still rent this yet.

darin (darin), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 23:38 (twenty years ago)

Fans Only is a bit rub, really. I wanted to love it, but maybe I'm not the B&S tweebie I thought I was. I'm not even in that photo up there!

ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 2 February 2005 00:57 (twenty years ago)

Belle and Sebastian used to do ridiculously long soundchecks and still sound shit back in the day. They are really quite proficient these days. I'm going to see them in a couple of weeks at the tsunami benefit doo-dah. Shall I report back on how non-shambling they are when they have to share a stage with a dozen other bands with bigger egos and budgets?

ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 2 February 2005 01:01 (twenty years ago)

Bigger budgets? I don't think you can play the 'B&S are just a poor ickle band' card anymore, Ailsa.

Alba (Alba), Wednesday, 2 February 2005 01:05 (twenty years ago)

No, but they are playing with Franz, Texas and Travis, who have more than a few pennies to rub together.

stew, Wednesday, 2 February 2005 11:14 (twenty years ago)

We're broke say Franz Ferdinand

Alba (Alba), Wednesday, 2 February 2005 11:29 (twenty years ago)

Ailsa, I have to say I don't remember them sounding shit. They were quite bad in Madchester, but it was just bad acoustics rather than them actually being shit.

Were you at the same ones as me?

I think you were!

KeithW (kmw), Wednesday, 2 February 2005 11:48 (twenty years ago)

The Boy Murdoch used to be known as Primrose when he was a roadie.

I can't find Katrina's contribution to this thread.

We talked about this thread in real life last night, you see.

Peter Stringbender (PJ Miller), Wednesday, 2 February 2005 12:18 (twenty years ago)

That is not the same as being broke.

I didn't know the drummer was married.

Peter Stringbender (PJ Miller), Wednesday, 2 February 2005 12:20 (twenty years ago)

> They were quite bad in Madchester, but it was just bad acoustics rather than them actually being shit.

bad acoustics and 13 minutes of nothingness when isobel had trouble with her double-bass that first night. the way everyone used to swap instruments every other song used to make sets seem disjointed too. not helped by the way that 'howling mad' murdoch seemed to be the only one there that didn't know all the lyrics. and stevie's singing.

but when they were good they were great. and live was the only place you could hear a lot of their better(?) songs. their 'reel around the fountain' was sublime in glasgow / edinburgh.

koogs (koogs), Wednesday, 2 February 2005 12:36 (twenty years ago)

13 minutes

KeithW (kmw), Wednesday, 2 February 2005 12:46 (twenty years ago)

Could someone provide an MP3 of this 'nothingness'? I bet it's quite good up close.

Peter Stringbender (PJ Miller), Wednesday, 2 February 2005 12:48 (twenty years ago)

Could someone provide an MP3 of this 'reel around the fountain'? I bet it's quite good up close.


I should start charging for use of that Primrose path to the everlasting bonfire photo. Who's that bloke between Mrs Vicky & JtN?

Mooro (Mooro), Wednesday, 2 February 2005 15:57 (twenty years ago)

It's Carslime, isn't it?

Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Wednesday, 2 February 2005 16:07 (twenty years ago)

B-b-but he looks so, ... , slim.


10/18 people in that photo (+ the one behind the camera) now or one-time ilxors. Curious.

Mooro (Mooro), Wednesday, 2 February 2005 16:55 (twenty years ago)

Revolting.

Alba (Alba), Wednesday, 2 February 2005 17:08 (twenty years ago)

Your turn to feel sick today.

Tit for tat.

Mooro (Mooro), Wednesday, 2 February 2005 17:22 (twenty years ago)

10/18 people in that photo (+ the one behind the camera) now or one-time ilxors. Curious
I believe it. The other day I accidentally googled onto the Sinister archives from a few years ago and saw a lot of familiar names.

Ken L (Ken L), Wednesday, 2 February 2005 17:26 (twenty years ago)

Keith, I don't think I mean shit, I mean shambolic and unprofessional sounding. Also I was a bit pissed when I posted that, and seem to have reverted to an old-skool sinister stereotype by mistake. Gah. Anyway I was thinking of the unrehearsed shenanigans at the Maryhill Community Centre (Stevie forgetting that he was needed on stage to sing the start of The Boy Done Wrong Again, Isobel kidding on she was too shy to sing The Gate, that sort of thing). I think the venue may well have been to blame. I have memories of the sound being a bit rubbish at Bowlie too, but that may have been because I had drunk so much Beamish Black that my insides were swimming up to my ears in the stuff and impairing my hearing.

I too would very much like a copy of Reel Around the Fountain from the QMU show if anyone has such a thing.

ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 3 February 2005 00:23 (twenty years ago)


lmao this stuff is proper mental, its like, just lmao I can imagine what we're thinking would be similar to what first time/non muse fans would be thinking if they heard 'Execution Commentary' before they had heard anything else by Muse

personally, I think this is pretty infectious lol

website http://laserbeast.com/

there's only two of them, that's proper mint, hmm I'm a fan after just knowing there's two of them, he does guitar with his mouth lmao mint

Reviewer: Sir Potomus (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews (ex machina), Thursday, 3 February 2005 00:24 (twenty years ago)

See when I said I think the venue may well have been to blame, I meant the venue was to blame for shit sound, not for Isobel and Stevie being crap and disorganised. I really should think things through sometime, and also stop posting when I get in from the pub.

ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 3 February 2005 00:26 (twenty years ago)

i made a B+s video that's better than Fans only the other day. (although there's no actual b+s footage)

ken c (ken c), Thursday, 3 February 2005 00:55 (twenty years ago)

but it does have stay loose on it. and i guess it features a bus and they seem to like busses.

ken c (ken c), Thursday, 3 February 2005 00:56 (twenty years ago)

> bad acoustics and 13 minutes of nothingness when isobel had trouble with her double-bass that first night

dug this out last night and it was the second night, the cello and closer to 8 minutes than 13. was right about the acoustics though - dreadful and echoey.

girl behind me in edinburgh (the day after QMU) was taping gig (ineptly) so theoretically a copy of their 'reel around...' exists but i doubt it'll ever see the light of day. these were the days before minidiscs and mp3s.

koogs (koogs), Thursday, 3 February 2005 09:57 (twenty years ago)

I bet Mooro has it somewhere, or one of his 'legging' pals. I went to House/Kitchen picnics. I even have photos with House/Kitchen in the background. They had less to do with Menswe@r than Going Underground, although Simon Swear did let me swig from his bottle of Volvic at GU once. Fans Only makes me cringe. This is what I think of Isobel, when I'm feeling generous.

Madchen (Madchen), Thursday, 3 February 2005 16:13 (twenty years ago)

(as generous as her behind)

Madchen (Madchen), Thursday, 3 February 2005 16:15 (twenty years ago)

Shame DK's surname wasn't Garden.

I like some bits on 'Fans Only', I just can't remember which ones they are.


I don't know anyone who has a copy of that cover of 'Reel Around The Fountain'.

Mooro (Mooro), Thursday, 3 February 2005 17:57 (twenty years ago)

I like the song that goes Landslide, Landslide, Landslide. I think it's called Landslide.

I was at the Primrose Hill picnic pictured above, but no-one ever photographs me. Except me, obv.

MarkH (MarkH), Thursday, 3 February 2005 18:06 (twenty years ago)

I used to hang out with Menswear when they were called Cooler than Jesus. How about that.

Markelby (Mark C), Thursday, 3 February 2005 18:39 (twenty years ago)

Anyone? How about that?

Alba (Alba), Friday, 4 February 2005 00:23 (twenty years ago)

Nice one M@rk!

KeithW (kmw), Friday, 4 February 2005 00:40 (twenty years ago)

It's not hard, though, is it?

Madchen (Madchen), Friday, 4 February 2005 13:47 (twenty years ago)

Mine is.

Alba (Alba), Friday, 4 February 2005 13:51 (twenty years ago)

The Alba they come.

Mooro (Mooro), Friday, 4 February 2005 17:34 (twenty years ago)

I used to hang out with Menswear when they were called Cooler than Jesus. How about that.

For some strange reason this has been cracking me up all morning.

Leon the Fatboy (Ex Leon), Friday, 4 February 2005 17:51 (twenty years ago)

That picture makes me feel all misty!

Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 4 February 2005 18:30 (twenty years ago)


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