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Post by stavros on May 14, 2011 15:07:45 GMT -5
Back in 1995 we were first treated to the magic of the technology of the day with "Free as a Bird". A further single "Real Love" followed in 1996. Three double CDs were released over a 12 month period offering up a number of alternative versions of tracks and some previously unheard tracks as well. But the third "New Beatles" track scheduled for Anthology 3 was left unfinished.
There was also a book, a TV series and a very expensive VHS collection. Since then we've had a much cheaper DVD version of the Anthology.
For me I really enjoyed the TV series and still watch the DVDs every now and again. A lot of hardwork went into cleaning up the audio visuals and the quality is superb. The story is sanitised somewhat but at least we are getting the Beatles own version of events. Even if a lot of other characters and points of view are never mentioned. It's probably the closest we will ever get to a true story now.
The book was a nice addition a few years later but is probably only for real hardcore fans these days (if it's still available?).
But I hardly play the CDs (or even MP3 ripped versions) any more. Yes there are a few interesting moments and great tracks hidden amongst the 6 CDs. I think the Anthology CDs are great to study the Beatles in detail and their ability to try out things. We can argue all day long for "Carnival of Light" and other missing artifacts like "Helter Skelter" but they are probably only of academic interest.
Ultimately however Anthology proves that their "official" output in the 1960s was their very best with very few exceptions.
What does everyone else think now 15/16 years have passed?
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Post by Steve Marinucci on May 14, 2011 16:21:38 GMT -5
Back in 1995 we were first treated to the magic of the technology of the day with "Free as a Bird". A further single "Real Love" followed in 1996. Three double CDs were released over a 12 month period offering up a number of alternative versions of tracks and some previously unheard tracks as well. But the third "New Beatles" track scheduled for Anthology 3 was left unfinished. There was also a book, a TV series and a very expensive VHS collection. Since then we've had a much cheaper DVD version of the Anthology. For me I really enjoyed the TV series and still watch the DVDs every now and again. A lot of hardwork went into cleaning up the audio visuals and the quality is superb. The story is sanitised somewhat but at least we are getting the Beatles own version of events. Even if a lot of other characters and points of view are never mentioned. It's probably the closest we will ever get to a true story now. The book was a nice addition a few years later but is probably only for real hardcore fans these days (if it's still available?). But I hardly play the CDs (or even MP3 ripped versions) any more. Yes there are a few interesting moments and great tracks hidden amongst the 6 CDs. I think the Anthology CDs are great to study the Beatles in detail and their ability to try out things. We can argue all day long for "Carnival of Light" and other missing artifacts like "Helter Skelter" but they are probably only of academic interest. Ultimately however Anthology proves that their "official" output in the 1960s was their very best with very few exceptions. What does everyone else think now 15/16 years have passed? I could say a whole lot, but I think I'll keep it for a column. Suffice to say, I think if it was done now, it'd have been done a lot different (and it would have cost a fortune for the fans).
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Post by mikev on May 14, 2011 20:49:14 GMT -5
Back in 1995 we were first treated to the magic of the technology of the day with "Free as a Bird". A further single "Real Love" followed in 1996. Three double CDs were released over a 12 month period offering up a number of alternative versions of tracks and some previously unheard tracks as well. But the third "New Beatles" track scheduled for Anthology 3 was left unfinished. There was also a book, a TV series and a very expensive VHS collection. Since then we've had a much cheaper DVD version of the Anthology. For me I really enjoyed the TV series and still watch the DVDs every now and again. A lot of hardwork went into cleaning up the audio visuals and the quality is superb. The story is sanitised somewhat but at least we are getting the Beatles own version of events. Even if a lot of other characters and points of view are never mentioned. It's probably the closest we will ever get to a true story now. The book was a nice addition a few years later but is probably only for real hardcore fans these days (if it's still available?). But I hardly play the CDs (or even MP3 ripped versions) any more. Yes there are a few interesting moments and great tracks hidden amongst the 6 CDs. I think the Anthology CDs are great to study the Beatles in detail and their ability to try out things. We can argue all day long for "Carnival of Light" and other missing artifacts like "Helter Skelter" but they are probably only of academic interest. Ultimately however Anthology proves that their "official" output in the 1960s was their very best with very few exceptions. What does everyone else think now 15/16 years have passed? I recently went through all three collections- still think they sound great, but I think they could now do a better job with John's tinny vocals on the two reunion songs. Maybe now it would be on itunes with dozens of bonus tracks. It would be interesting to see what bonus tracks sell.
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Post by coachbk on May 14, 2011 21:50:29 GMT -5
I loved everything about the whole ANTHOLOGY project. I'd love to see another volume with some of the other demos of unreleased songs, more India and Kinfaus stuff, "Carnival Of Light" and "Now And Then".
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Post by vectisfabber on May 15, 2011 5:03:15 GMT -5
Loved every aspect of it.
I felt it dropped the ball when it didn't release an album containing just the previously unreleased songs and the best of the alternates.
Looking forward to the Anthology 20th anniversary celebrations in 2014, though!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2011 6:13:30 GMT -5
When the Anthology project was released i hadn't really heard any alternate takes so i found it to be quite informative and as a Beatles fan it gave me a better insight into their processes of writing and recording and deciding on the finished product.
I don't think it would have the same affect now though because i'm internet savvy enough to have found vast loads of bootlegs which leads me to believe everything they recorded is now out of the vaults and circulating...
lucky they did it when they did....
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wooltonian
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Post by wooltonian on May 15, 2011 8:09:22 GMT -5
Anthology was a great product. It was really exciting and trememdously satisfying at the time, both the CDs and the documentary series. Now both sit side-by-side on a shelf. Occasionally I bring them down and play short, selected bits.
It's too easy to obsess about what wasn't on the Anthology CDs. I think I've more or less heard all I want to hear from the vaults. I don't have an insatiable appetite for that sort of thing. Bring on 'Let it be' DVD and greatest hits / promo clips DVD and I'm more or less satisfied and will have full closure on Beatle product. Period.
Overall, 'Anthology' was great. As good as any fan could reasonably have dreamt of / hoped for.
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Post by anyoneanyhow on May 15, 2011 18:29:15 GMT -5
Iloved it all. I still listen to the discs, watch the video and am re-reading the book. A wonderful present for us Beatle fans.
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Post by John S. Damm on May 16, 2011 14:26:56 GMT -5
I am feeling the love for Anthology! I cannot believe how long ago it was. That first night's broadcast in the U.S. on A.B.C. was one of the most exciting nights of my life. The following two nights were fun but nothing like night 1 with the debut of "Free As A Bird."
Night 1 of Anthology was as exciting to me as being on campus in 1987 when I.U. won the N.C.A.A. Men's Basketball Title over Syracuse or when I was served the petition for protective order by Pattie Boyd's lawyers, just my knowing Pattie had approved of such punitive action against me!
Priceless, those times!
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Post by scousette on May 16, 2011 14:33:16 GMT -5
Thank you, Anthology, for renewing my dormant interest in Beatlemania and prodding me to drain my bank account.
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Post by secretfriend on May 17, 2011 16:06:19 GMT -5
I loved all the Anthologies, I & II the most. I wish more was devoted to the Threetles reuniting. They could have probably done a 2 hour special just of them working on FAAB and Real Love (maybe there's enough raw footage of that for a bonus DVD for a 20th anniversary of Anthology somwhere down the road). Also, I wish the Threetles would have promoted it together somehow, via a press conference or better yet a special live concert in a theatre. I'll take what they gave us though, and I'm sure more unreleased material will find official release at some point.
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Post by mikev on May 18, 2011 7:18:10 GMT -5
I loved all the Anthologies, I & II the most. I wish more was devoted to the Threetles reuniting. They could have probably done a 2 hour special just of them working on FAAB and Real Love (maybe there's enough raw footage of that for a bonus DVD for a 20th anniversary of Anthology somwhere down the road). Also, I wish the Threetles would have promoted it together somehow, via a press conference or better yet a special live concert in a theatre. I'll take what they gave us though, and I'm sure more unreleased material will find official release at some point. Supposedly, in addition to work on Now and Then and possibly Grow Old, they also might have recorded incidental music. There is also more acoustic footage and electric jams with Jeff Lynne.
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Post by acebackwords on May 18, 2011 10:19:14 GMT -5
I loved Anthology. Course I'm a recording freak (you should see my playing a mean board on my 4-track Fostex tape recorder!). Loved "Real Love" and "Free as a Bird" -- found them hauntingly evocative as music as well as fascinating from a recording point of view.
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Post by joshferrell on May 18, 2011 16:00:07 GMT -5
one thing I can say for sure is with the technology we have now compared to then,I truly believe that FAAB and RL would have sounded a lot better,especially John's voice..I think they should remix his voice a little bit with todays technology if they ever decide to re-release the two songs in the future..
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lowbasso
A Hard Day's Knight
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Post by lowbasso on May 19, 2011 0:41:44 GMT -5
one thing I can say for sure is with the technology we have now compared to then,I truly believe that FAAB and RL would have sounded a lot better,especially John's voice..I think they should remix his voice a little bit with todays technology if they ever decide to re-release the two songs in the future.. They probably will do just that.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 19, 2011 4:19:48 GMT -5
one thing I can say for sure is with the technology we have now compared to then,I truly believe that FAAB and RL would have sounded a lot better,especially John's voice..I think they should remix his voice a little bit with todays technology if they ever decide to re-release the two songs in the future.. I think they should leave these non Beatles songs as the Anthology gimmicks that they are. It would be impossible to remove the tin can sound of FAAB...
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Post by ursamajor on May 19, 2011 8:05:54 GMT -5
I liked FAAB, the finished product was a polished poppy song but IMHO it should have been done faster rockier ala Revolver style John song, I heard a band cover it this way and it sounded really good, it probably would have meant they couldn't use John's vocals but Paul and George could have done it.
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Post by beatleroadie on May 19, 2011 9:15:58 GMT -5
One of Apple's next projects needs to be to remaster the Anthology CDs, including remixing and remastering FAAB and RL with better technology to make John's vocals sound better....Giles Martin could easily do this in just a couple of days time. Hell, better piano demos with clearer, stronger vocals from John have surfaced in the years since and maybe he could use all or part of one of those...
Now that the "core catalog," Red and Blue comps and Love have been out for a while, Anthology should be re-released in stores and also on iTunes where they could tack on some bonus tracks like the 11-minute Revolution. iTunes is the perfect place to finally release Carnival of Light.
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Post by Jason I on May 19, 2011 11:34:30 GMT -5
^ ^ ^ Definitly correct.
There have been EXCELLENT quality demos of Real Love and FAAB that have surfaced in recent years. The versions Yoko gave to Paul were generations old.
It'd be a really quick fix. Even if nothing else were touched you could literally remove the current 'John track' from each song and just drop in the new one when John sings. It'd be a HUGE improvement.
And that's without going into the new digital NR techniques, cleanups that can be done on recordings.
Bottom line, FAAB and Real Love would be an incredble improvement if reworked today.
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Post by Blackguard on May 19, 2011 13:34:00 GMT -5
I still have the three video tapes I recorded from the TV broadcast. The first televised Anthology was Sunday, November 19, 1995 from 9 - 11 pm. The second was on Wednesday the 22nd and the final was Thursday the 23rd. I bought the video tape set when it came out and of course I have the three sets of CDs, the book and the DVDs.
I don't play the CDs as religiously now as I did in the 1990's, but I do still enjoy the alternate glimpse they give us in to the recording sessions. I saw the Anthology CDs as sort of a box set of alternate takes and demos without the familiar versions of songs. They let us hear mistakes being made, arguments happening, Ringo going into hyper drive during "Helter Skelter", and witticisms by John. We get a look into how they worked together and how they got a long and (at times) how they didn't get along. It's The Beatles being people, not their celebrity status that is preserved on the Anthology CDs.
I still do play the DVDs every so often, sometimes I play the parts about making help and A Hard Days Night before watching the movies. (Side note: I'd love to see a print of help as directed by Alfred Hitchcock.) Same with Magical Mystery Tour. I use the book to fill in the gaps left by the commentaries on the DVDs. Some great quotes are in that book.
Not long after the Anthology series came out Pete Best did his own documentary on his time in the group, his comments mirror somethings Paul was saying. I think his "Best of The Beatles" DVD is still available.
With the passage of time the Anthologies are still valid. I see them as a well done way of letting the Beatles tell their own story. I also feel that in 1995 it was time for them to do something. At the time Ringo did a television ad for Pizza Hut where he talked like a Beatles Reunion was imminent. But it was clever dialog about a new gimmick for pizza, cheese in the crust. In hindsight that could be seen as a primer for the anthologies. They couldn't just drop the Anthology on us with out a little prep work before hand.
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Post by joshferrell on May 19, 2011 14:40:02 GMT -5
I still have the three video tapes I recorded from the TV broadcast. The first televised Anthology was Sunday, November 19, 1995 from 9 - 11 pm. The second was on Wednesday the 22nd and the final was Thursday the 23rd. I bought the video tape set when it came out and of course I have the three sets of CDs, the book and the DVDs. I don't play the CDs as religiously now as I did in the 1990's, but I do still enjoy the alternate glimpse they give us in to the recording sessions. I saw the Anthology CDs as sort of a box set of alternate takes and demos without the familiar versions of songs. They let us hear mistakes being made, arguments happening, Ringo going into hyper drive during "Helter Skelter", and witticisms by John. We get a look into how they worked together and how they got a long and (at times) how they didn't get along. It's The Beatles being people, not their celebrity status that is preserved on the Anthology CDs. I still do play the DVDs every so often, sometimes I play the parts about making help and A Hard Days Night before watching the movies. (Side note: I'd love to see a print of help as directed by Alfred Hitchcock.) Same with Magical Mystery Tour. I use the book to fill in the gaps left by the commentaries on the DVDs. Some great quotes are in that book. Not long after the Anthology series came out Pete Best did his own documentary on his time in the group, his comments mirror somethings Paul was saying. I think his "Best of The Beatles" DVD is still available. With the passage of time the Anthologies are still valid. I see them as a well done way of letting the Beatles tell their own story. I also feel that in 1995 it was time for them to do something. At the time Ringo did a television ad for Pizza Hut where he talked like a Beatles Reunion was imminent. But it was clever dialog about a new gimmick for pizza, cheese in the crust. In hindsight that could be seen as a primer for the anthologies. They couldn't just drop the Anthology on us with out a little prep work before hand. I liked "Best of the Beatles"it's such a shame he wasn't invited to speak on the anthology series..
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lowbasso
A Hard Day's Knight
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Post by lowbasso on May 19, 2011 15:25:06 GMT -5
I still have the three video tapes I recorded from the TV broadcast. The first televised Anthology was Sunday, November 19, 1995 from 9 - 11 pm. The second was on Wednesday the 22nd and the final was Thursday the 23rd. I bought the video tape set when it came out and of course I have the three sets of CDs, the book and the DVDs. I don't play the CDs as religiously now as I did in the 1990's, but I do still enjoy the alternate glimpse they give us in to the recording sessions. I saw the Anthology CDs as sort of a box set of alternate takes and demos without the familiar versions of songs. They let us hear mistakes being made, arguments happening, Ringo going into hyper drive during "Helter Skelter", and witticisms by John. We get a look into how they worked together and how they got a long and (at times) how they didn't get along. It's The Beatles being people, not their celebrity status that is preserved on the Anthology CDs. I still do play the DVDs every so often, sometimes I play the parts about making help and A Hard Days Night before watching the movies. (Side note: I'd love to see a print of help as directed by Alfred Hitchcock.) Same with Magical Mystery Tour. I use the book to fill in the gaps left by the commentaries on the DVDs. Some great quotes are in that book. Not long after the Anthology series came out Pete Best did his own documentary on his time in the group, his comments mirror somethings Paul was saying. I think his "Best of The Beatles" DVD is still available. With the passage of time the Anthologies are still valid. I see them as a well done way of letting the Beatles tell their own story. I also feel that in 1995 it was time for them to do something. At the time Ringo did a television ad for Pizza Hut where he talked like a Beatles Reunion was imminent. But it was clever dialog about a new gimmick for pizza, cheese in the crust. In hindsight that could be seen as a primer for the anthologies. They couldn't just drop the Anthology on us with out a little prep work before hand. I liked "Best of the Beatles"it's such a shame he wasn't invited to speak on the anthology series.. I am sure Neil would have loved to have had Pete contribute to the Anthology in the form of interviews like the others did, but George and especially Paul would have certainly veto'd the idea. Paul still to this day seems uncomfortable with the whole subject of the sacking of Pete. Pete had a chance to give his recollections of his experiences in the band in his "Best of The Beatles" DVD, so I look at it as an addendum to the Anthology DVD's.
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lowbasso
A Hard Day's Knight
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Post by lowbasso on May 19, 2011 15:31:39 GMT -5
one thing I can say for sure is with the technology we have now compared to then,I truly believe that FAAB and RL would have sounded a lot better,especially John's voice..I think they should remix his voice a little bit with todays technology if they ever decide to re-release the two songs in the future.. I think they should leave these non Beatles songs as the Anthology gimmicks that they are. It would be impossible to remove the tin can sound of FAAB... I don't think Paul, George, and Ringo looked (look) upon FAAB and RL as "non-Beatles songs." Or gimmicks. I know I don't.
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Post by Jason I on May 19, 2011 18:57:44 GMT -5
I think they should leave these non Beatles songs as the Anthology gimmicks that they are. It would be impossible to remove the tin can sound of FAAB... I don't think Paul, George, and Ringo looked (look) upon FAAB and RL as "non-Beatles songs." Or gimmicks. I know I don't. I completely agree. Hearing George and Paul harmonize together again is magical. They're definitly Beatle songs. That said... it is interesting that they left FAAB and RL off the 2009 remasters. You'd have thought they'd be a good fit on the end of Past Masters 2. I'm not sure if that's a sign that Paul and Ringo don't consider them part of the catalogue or not.
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Post by Blackguard on May 19, 2011 22:34:59 GMT -5
Free As A Bird and Real Love to me are couple of tunes where The surviving Beatles let us know that the rancor was over. They could work together again and the only way to do it was to get a few of John's better demos and build them up a little. If they did it as just the three of them, they would hear in their heads what John would be doing and to not have him there to do it would be saddening for them. So to get a few demos of his would ease the pit in their stomachs.
To put them on Past Masters or the Blue album would be a little too boastful on their part. It would be like their saying these new songs are as good as our core songs. Having them as additions to the anthologies is the perfect place for them. A way of saying that things are cleaned up and tidy between us now.
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lowbasso
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Post by lowbasso on May 20, 2011 1:03:45 GMT -5
I don't think Paul, George, and Ringo looked (look) upon FAAB and RL as "non-Beatles songs." Or gimmicks. I know I don't. I completely agree. Hearing George and Paul harmonize together again is magical. They're definitly Beatle songs. That said... it is interesting that they left FAAB and RL off the 2009 remasters. You'd have thought they'd be a good fit on the end of Past Masters 2. I'm not sure if that's a sign that Paul and Ringo don't consider them part of the catalogue or not. It could also be that those two songs never came up in discussions surrounding the remasters. Since they were done in 1994-95, and so far removed from the 60's recordings, perhaps Paul and Ringo felt there was no need to remaster them at this time, but not because they don't consider them part of the catalogue. I don't recall either of them (or George before he passed away) ever referring to the songs as not part of the catalogue. It surprises me that so many Beatlefans feel they are not worthy of inclusion in the catalogue, or that they are not true Beatlesongs. Is it because John was not able to "approve" the recordings? So many of the songs in the Beatles 60's catalogue, particularly ones on the White Album, did not have all the Beatles participating in them., or approving their finished state.
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Post by vectisfabber on May 20, 2011 3:44:42 GMT -5
They are Beatles songs. End of.
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wooltonian
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Post by wooltonian on May 20, 2011 3:51:14 GMT -5
They are Beatles songs. End of. Don't you just love it when Vectis gets all masterful! <... swoon!...>
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Post by Deleted on May 20, 2011 4:38:54 GMT -5
I don't think Paul, George, and Ringo looked (look) upon FAAB and RL as "non-Beatles songs." Or gimmicks. I know I don't. I completely agree. Hearing George and Paul harmonize together again is magical. They're definitly Beatle songs. That said... it is interesting that they left FAAB and RL off the 2009 remasters. You'd have thought they'd be a good fit on the end of Past Masters 2. I'm not sure if that's a sign that Paul and Ringo don't consider them part of the catalogue or not.Of course they don't......because they're not part of the Beatles catalog
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nine
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Post by nine on May 20, 2011 5:22:33 GMT -5
I don't think Paul, George, and Ringo looked (look) upon FAAB and RL as "non-Beatles songs." Or gimmicks. I know I don't. I completely agree. Hearing George and Paul harmonize together again is magical. They're definitly Beatle songs. This was the magic for me. I remember listening on headphones and to hear them again was a thrill, still is. I hardly noticed Ringo on the recordings, especially FAAB. As an aside... someone here once remarked that Across The Universe would have been a good song for them to have a crack at because John never liked the final product. Paul (and Ringo if he wanted to) could still have a go at making a different version. John's vocals, George's sitar......
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