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How did you discover X Japan?

RainSeraphim · 7967

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Offline RainSeraphim

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on: July 25, 2009, 10:50:47 PM
I was looking through the forums and I found a topic that asks WHEN you got into X Japan, but not HOW. So I figured I'd start one >.> If there by any chance already is a thread like this, please disregard this one.

So, everyone, how exactly did you stumble across X? Was an accident? Curiosity? A friend's recommendation?

My personal story (apologies if it's a bit long) :

I became an X fan in May of 2007. I was fairly new to all Japanese music then, the few artists I knew being T.M.Revolution, Gackt, and L'arc~en~Ciel. I joined a J-music forum in the hope of learning more, and I kept seeing X Japan's name all over the place there. I was kind of scared of everything that had to do with visual kei at the beginning, since it was a little intimidating, and seeing oldies X with enormous hair and leather didn't really help me much. So, when I first listened to them, I didn't really like them much at all. I didn't really like their classic rock sound and Toshi's voice was very difficult for me to get used to.

However, I was very curious about the band itself, so one day I decided to just look them up and see if I could learn a little bit about them. hide's story especially drew me in, and as I learned about who he was and how he had passed on, everything just seemed to fall into place - it was like I'd always been meant to be an X fan, in a way. Suddenly their music sounded amazing, Toshi's voice was perfect, and I could not get enough of the music, the videos, the information. I listened to X every single day for about a month, I think.

If I found anything strange, however, it's how familiar hide seems to me. The way his voice sounds, his face, his music, all looks and sounds like I knew it before. It's kind of like that feeling you get when you're trying to remember the name or the face of somebody you used to know and just can't anymore. But my family had never heard of X Japan until I got into them, and I can't remember ever listening to them before. I'm still trying to figure that one out.

But, thanks to X, I like and can remember a lot of new things now. I love classic rock and classical music, I'm not as shy as I used to be, and I've made tons of friends. I just think it's really magical that a group of people like X are able to bring together all the corners of the world to enjoy their music - just look at this forum! :D

Anyways, enough about me; what about all of you? Feel free to go on and on since I just did >.>

If you could have told me anything...you would have known what love is...


Offline HarZy

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Reply #1 on: July 25, 2009, 11:25:44 PM
^ I don't know about you, but I don't think X sounds like Chuck Berry or Little Richard (=classic rock).


My story is short: A friend sent me the Blue Blood version of Kurenai and I kinda liked it, but didn't instantly fall in love. After a few weeks I decided to give it another listen and it seemed kinda creepy, but that was not a bad thing. And the "second intro" (when the distortion guitar kicks in) was really catchy. So I decided to find some more songs and now I'm here.



Offline RainSeraphim

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Reply #2 on: July 26, 2009, 12:21:58 AM
^ Oh no, usually when I refer to "classic rock" I don't mean that far back XD Hmm, maybe glam rock is a more appropriate word?

If you could have told me anything...you would have known what love is...


Offline ppingg

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Reply #3 on: July 26, 2009, 03:49:55 AM
my friend told me about X Japan. she showed me clips and told me stories about them.. then i went to Wikipedia to read more about them and i fell in love with them after my friend sent me Longing :D



Offline Ashura

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Reply #4 on: July 26, 2009, 04:19:08 AM
Loooong time ago when I started to watch anime I thought that it would be nice to search some Japanese music also. I searched some names and thought that "X Japan" sounds Japanese enough. :D At first I listened only some ballads like Tears and Crucify My Love, I didn't like Kurenai or Dahlia at first. Then I read their story and just like happened to RainSeraphim, hide's story hit really hard.

I think Rusty Nail and Weekend were the first non-ballads I began to like. And a bit off topic: it's a funny feeling when you listen to some song you don't really get or like and then suddenly KABOOM it opens and you realise how amazing the song actually is. :D This have happened to me at least with Art of Life, Dahlia, Orgasm and Blue Blood. 

We're X!


Offline Ryuu

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Reply #5 on: July 26, 2009, 08:42:28 AM
I think that in 2005, when I started listening to japanese music I read about X JAPAN on forum. I downloaded one song (I don't remember what song), but I didn't like it. But then in 2006 I gace X JAPAN another chance, and I fall in love with "Tears". First I listened mostly to ballads, but then I didn't mind "Dahlia", "Week End", "Kurenai'... And other songs... After "I.V" I knew that I love X JAPAN, I love yoshiki and that X JAPAN will be my favourite band forever.



Offline Camazotz

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Reply #6 on: July 26, 2009, 10:24:45 AM
I also found them in a forum, but i don't remember where. Anyway, I heard I.V first and I was like 'O____O What?', but then i listened to Crucify My Love, and i just cried, cause I thought it was so beautiful. That song still means a lot to me :) Blue Blood, Miscast and Sadistic Desire followed, and X has been my favorite band since then 8)

I belive if time passes, everything turnes into beauty.


Offline roseofpain84

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Reply #7 on: July 26, 2009, 01:28:52 PM
Once upon a time....about 6 years ago...I borrowed the movie X/1999 from a friend in order to watch it.
I knew it wasn't really my style but it was by CLAMP and so I had to watch it.
I watched half of it, didn't understand much and left it that.
A few days after that my friend came around and among other things she asked me if I had finished watching it so that she can have it back.
I said I had only watched half of it so we watched the rest together.
By the end of the movies I was half bored to death and hadn't understood many things. The ending scene also left me kinda speechless (not in a very good way...XD) and then...Forever Love started.....that music...and Toshi's voice...and my first reaction was 'What is this song and why don't I have it already???'
So I immediately ran to download it...XD
With the internet connection I had at that time...'immediately' meant I had to wait at least for 3 days.

For some reason, when I had looked at the movie's credits for the band's name I couldn't believe that the name was actually 'X Japan'....I kinda thought it was too stupid to be that...XD
The second thing I did after starting the download was to check the lyrics. I didn't know anything about the band nor its members at that time. In the site I was looking it up it credited 'Yoshiki' as both the composer and the lyricist. I had no idea who that person was at that time but I was so impressed and I remember thinking 'How can one single person be capable of writting such moving melody and such awesome lyrics??'

Then I read more about the band, downloaded more songs to check if all of them was as great and well...what would you know....they actually were that awesome.
The band's and individual members' history also impressed me as well I suppose and since then they are my favourite band.... ;D

*is incapable to keep a story short*



Yeah, I'm a Yoshiki fangirl. SUE ME.


Offline obi325

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Reply #8 on: July 26, 2009, 04:32:50 PM
About year and a half ago I started a band with my friends. They said they want to do metal band and I didn't know a thing about metal. Back than I was listening to bands like Asian Kung-Fu Generation, L'arc~en~Ciel, The Back Horn and Glay. So one day I decided to to look how metal looks like. So i went on last.fm and by some weird kind of coincidence I ended up with reading X's biography and after learning about hide's death I read his. Next step was youtube, where I watched I'll kill you, kurenai (1987 version PV) and endless rain, and then it was no way back for me. I just a week my guitar style changed completely and so did my way of looking at life. And what about the band? Well we had one pratice and then it was olready the end of school year(we never maneged to have more band meetings in 3-4 months) and the band disbanded.



Offline BloodofBathory

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Reply #9 on: July 26, 2009, 07:05:33 PM
Aboot 2001 the anime X came on TV and I recorded it then watched it with my brother. The movie I don't really remember, just the end. When Forever Love came on, I thought it was such a beautiful and sad song....then it cut off because we'd stopped recording. I was really mad and wanted to look for it but by the time Monday rolled around I'd forgotten. Over the next few years I'd remember it and want to look for it but always forgot. Then a few years ago I was getting more into Japanese music and I kept hearing about Yoshiki, so I looked him up. I then found out about X Japan, and it was more Yoshiki's story than hide's that drew me in, I understood then why his music always seemed to be so lonely. I listened to Endless Rain and fell in love with the band, after that I realised it was them that sang Forever Love and was quite extatic when I finally got it. After that I was pretty much all about X and the rest it history...lol

The seven vices I love ~ They are all sweet poison ~ Born from my mouth


Offline ElefeX

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Reply #10 on: July 27, 2009, 09:46:24 AM
Well, one day, not so long ago (the beginning of the year actually), I was bored and on the internet. I ended up at YouTube, looking at random music videos! I had lost interest in music as all the bands were too similar and there was nothing exciting or new. The videos weren’t very interesting, but then I found a Forever Love video from the Last Live.

I watched it – stunned and amazed by the emotion that these guys were displaying on stage. I was intrigued, so decided to find out more about this band and why they would be so upset during that song. I looked up various websites and read their story; this one band had been through so much! The more I read about them and listened to them, the more hooked I became. I dont know why but something just clicked and X Japan was the band I had been looking for, giving me a whole new love for music again. Since that fateful day I have listened to X Japan everyday and they seem to fit into my life as if they have always been there!!!



Offline Maya

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Reply #11 on: July 28, 2009, 08:10:50 AM
Short story:

In 2005 I saw a drawing of Yoshiki which I found pretty awesome (and still do |D). The girl wrote in the comment how great "Tears" was and the whole band "X Japan". Since I had never heard of it I was soo curious and soon downloaded some songs - the first was Endless Rain.
The day I got this song my grandma died (in February) and after my mom had told me this, I listened to the song for the first time.
Well, what shall I say, I was totally overwhelmed, because I wouldn't have imagined it to be ... like this. The voice totally cracked me up (in a totally positive way!) and it so fit my mood :/

Man, I'm getting old, it has been more than 4 years ... @_@ Puuh ...

Wild passion~

"C'mon Yoshiki, you can do this ... if you do it fast, maybe noone notices it's happening ..."
"Eeeek, he kissed me xD"


Offline Hyunkel

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Reply #12 on: July 28, 2009, 06:49:49 PM
About 4 years ago, I was at some friend's place, can't remember what we were doing but she just propose to put some music. She proposed "X Japan's Last Live". We said ok and then she put it.
That was the first time I saw X Japan and visual music in general. My first reaction: "The girl with pink hair looks cool!" "-It's a man" "-WHAT..waow...looks cool anyway". Then Rusty Nail started and I was like "Waow that's just awesome!" 

After that she gave me all she had about X Japan and I started looking for others concert/cds/videos...

So I discovered X Japan by their last live (not the last now btw^^), I remember my friend telling us "That's the last live and the last of hide, he died soon after that live"

And now X has become, for me, much more than just a band
« Last Edit: July 28, 2009, 06:51:40 PM by Hyunkel »

..Close your eyes and I'll kill you in the rain...

...Art of Life An Eternal Bleeding Heart...


Offline edyork

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Reply #13 on: July 28, 2009, 07:25:49 PM
Let me recall, it should be in my early high school years (12-13?). my brother had Forever Love, Alive & Crucify My Love in our PC. whenever my music player plays their songs, i always have a creepy feeling about it and will immediately switch to the next song, lol.

proper discovery: then years later, ok like almost 2 years ago? i heard their songs again (after not being played on windows media player for so long....weird huh?) and also chanced upon a friend's friend blog about them and hide, so i started all the researching and you know the drift.... i remember seeing this video with Yoshiki on piano, other than the song, i was so attracted by his fingers, lol....and his beautiful face, he just has this charm..

then i realised the long-time DP of my bro's MSN was X! never knew it haha, so near yet so far huh?

i think so far the discovery of X is the best i ever had, the influences & impacts they, their stories, their music, had on me is really huge.. and positive too. the only artist i support so wholeheartedly,i never thought anyone could be influenced by music so much, until X.

i've never have the patience to finish listening to a song usually, but their songs makes me go on Loop.

i've never have the patience to listen to classical music, until i heard Yoshiki's, then i started appreciating and liking classical songs.


music has never been a greater help to me,
X's gave me motivation in my life, especially because i was having a hard time when i discovered them. my heart has never feel something like this, something so real?

yeah it may seem kinda dramatic to some of you but it's true and thank god i found them



Offline R.C

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Reply #14 on: July 29, 2009, 12:39:55 AM
Back in like 2003, I was looking for new music on some dowload-software thingy.. And I ended up with "Crucify My Love" on my computer.
I remember I thought Toshi's voice was really weird, and I sent it to a friend who said the same thing >.<. I downloaded "Tears" as well, and I really loved both songs.
Then I found some songs I thought had really weird titles; like "Orgasm", which I downloaded and listened to for like 20 seconds until I deleted it and stopped all other downloads of X songs. Appearantly I hated that kind of music at that time -.- (I LOVE it now)

Then, about two years ago, my friends girlfriend had just left him and he was really sad, so I sent him Tears to cheer him up lol xD
And I decided to try find some other good songs with X, so I checked out a few: Fell in love with Endless Rain and also began listening to some of their rockier songs. And suddenly I was hooked.

 If it wasn't Orgasm I had downloaded that day back in 2003, I probably would've been a die-hard fan since then. Instead I spent 4 years wandering around, unaware of the amazing music I could have been listening to =(
« Last Edit: July 29, 2009, 12:42:13 AM by R.C »

Now I'm alive...


Offline KateLarsen

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Reply #15 on: July 29, 2009, 12:38:40 PM
I live in Japan and last year when they reformed I kept seeing them on the morning news programs.  I heard snippets of their music and thought it was beautiful.  Also, Koizumi, the ex-PM, is into them and the news often mentioned that.  So, I was curious to learn more.  Also, they kept mentioning this "hide" guy who had passed away.  I wanted to know more.  Of course, the rest is history.

I listen to X everyday.  They encourage me in ways I cannot find words to express.  At times I wonder how Yoshiki was endowed with so much talent.  It's like he's a "chosen one"...to express all our pain and sadness in his songs.  I wish I could personally thank them for making my life so much more bearable.  Perhaps that sounds corny but it's true.

As I've only been into them for the last year and a half I discover new things about them all the time.  Trying to learn their lyrics is a challenge.

I hope all of you will have a chance, if you haven't already, to see X live.  I saw them twice this year at Tokyo Dome.  I could happily die now.  The energy and excitement is indescribable.  And, doing the "X Jump" and Mexican wave is really fun :)  And I'm not a teenager anymore!!!!

We are X!!!!!

Katrina



Offline jaimex

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Reply #16 on: July 29, 2009, 03:28:12 PM
Oh, I must be a dinosaur here. I first knew about them thru some Japanese friends in college. They were just X then. Initially I thot it was KISS copycat and music was kinda angry. But I love how they can, and dare to, change the pace and include some classical touch to their music. Besides, lyrics were so poetic and they dare to use entire verse of English.
I don't live in Japan or know the language, so it was a bit hard to follow their progress - earlier, it was thru cable or the occasional magazines in Japanese restaurants. Thank God internet and youtube came along.



Offline dilbot

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Reply #17 on: August 04, 2009, 03:43:45 AM
Back on another forum I created a thread where people discussed what songs get them into playing instruments, some person posted es dur no piano sen but I didn't really think much of it back then.

Then one day about a year ago I was on songmeanings.com and I saw x-japan as one of their top artists under the "X" assortment and I checked out Art of Life through Limewire. Though I only got the 4 min version. I liked it and what-not, I thought they were a pretty cool band, until, I saw the 34 min EPIC on youtube and I was hooked.

I was mesmerized with the way Yoshiki put so much energy and force into his playing, as well, this was the first time I've ever seen a pianist use arm clusters (technical term for banging on keys with your arm XD) in a piece. So obviously this guy Auto-became my idol as a passionist as well as a pianist.



Offline Flippinklein

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Reply #18 on: August 18, 2009, 09:55:17 PM
My fathers freind went on a trip to Japan and brought back some music by X.

He was playing it for us and I was hooked after that.
That was 1995 :3

I used to run around asking my dad to play the Japan Song.
XD <3

Pretty simple ehh


 He lives on with each smile that his music brings to each childs and adults face


Offline NanniGong

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Reply #19 on: August 21, 2009, 08:09:37 AM
I got to know JPOP earlier and I made friends with some people on the Internet who also listen to JPOP. One day when I was chatting with a friend about piano (we both play it), he sent me Forever Love's piano scores and I began to learn about this band and became interested in JROCK since then... :)



Offline Dead Fairy

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Reply #20 on: August 21, 2009, 10:25:06 AM
One of my friends sent me a link to the video of the S.K.I.N. Photoshoot, actually because of miyavi, but I was sitting there "This guy's pants look like they're painted on him"
I asked her who this is - it was Yoshiki. Then she showed me a video from the Last Live... Don't know which song anymore... I listened to some of their songs and that's it...



shane140

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Reply #21 on: August 21, 2009, 06:41:03 PM
 i have been a fan from an early age because my dad LOVES them, and plays them nonstop, he first heard them on a radio station here in the UK and loved them ever since, which was strange for a foreign band to get airtime, i first "discovered" them when he played them to me when i was young.And i've loved them ever since. :)
« Last Edit: August 21, 2009, 06:43:40 PM by shane140 »



Offline iluvpinkspider

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Reply #22 on: September 28, 2009, 11:41:07 PM
i've only been a fan for a few months, but i am so glad i discovered them. I was bored one day, so i decided to look at the Shojo Beat myspace page and see what they had listed under music. X Japan was listed, and i thought that i would check them out. the first two songs of theirs that i heard were Drain and I.V. I fell in love with them through those songs, and now can't stop listening to them. Hide's story always makes me cry.

If you could have told me everything
You would have found what love is
For now I will try to live for you and for me
I will try to live with love, with dreams,
and forever with tears

RIP hide! December 13, 1964-May 2, 1998


Offline neo-shaman

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Reply #23 on: October 01, 2009, 01:14:00 PM
I guess it was around 2004 when I first got into japanese rock music at all. I'd gotten heavily into Malice Mizer first, and I used this one online forum [can't even recall the name...]. I met some guys there, and they were into hide and X, so they recommended both. I first gave X a listen, and I think the first song I heard was... Orgasm or Blue Blood, really can't recall :D But anyways, it was one of the speed metal tracks.
Since I was [and still am] a HUGE speed metal, thrash metal and NWOBHM freak I thought X were fucking cool.  The insane drumming, fast guitars and high [but surprisingly not annoying like usually in speed metal] vocals...
Soon I ordered Blue Blood and Jealousy albums because they weren't sold in Finland. I guess they were about 60€ each :D The ballads really surprised me, but I thought it was awesome - not a single band I had heard before could have tracks like "X" and "Endless Rain" one after another on a record. And I like ballads and classical music very much.

And after Vanishing Vision there was no way turning back :D

OLD SKOOL VISUAL DESTRUXION
GUITAR DRUM BASS


Offline MIHO

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Reply #24 on: October 01, 2009, 01:16:00 PM
^ You ordered BB and Jealousy for 60€ each? That's pretty amazing for a band you just disovered :O Respect, mate.



Offline neo-shaman

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Reply #25 on: October 01, 2009, 02:43:59 PM
^ You ordered BB and Jealousy for 60€ each? That's pretty amazing for a band you just disovered :O Respect, mate.

I guess they were about 60€ each :D

8O
Wut? O_O
Haha yes :D I also payed 26€ for Tears 3" single. They are rare around here! I can't even remember where I ordered them, but I remember my empty wallet after that.. <.<''

"You know you're addicted to X when..." :DDD

ps. 60€ isn't even much. I remember when I ordered Sigur Rós's MEd Syd i Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust Limited Edition for 300€ straight from Iceland... hehe...


OLD SKOOL VISUAL DESTRUXION
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Offline TG

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Reply #26 on: October 01, 2009, 10:22:29 PM
I paid £14 for 10 X Japan singles about 3 years ago, and to this day is still my crowning eBay achievement. On a similar Sigur Rós note, I purchased the Heima DVD limited edition with the 116 page booklet for about 25 euros from amazon marketplace a few months ago. Now it is valued at £120 on amazon marketplace. Collecting rules :D

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Offline xVisualShockx

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Reply #27 on: October 16, 2009, 09:02:52 AM
I've been a fan since 1995, when I was 12... I first heard them riding home with my cousin, who was about 6 years older, and was a huge X Japan fan! I just found their music to be a lot of fun at first, but the more I heard/saw from them, the more addicted I became! Got motivated to learn guitar, piano, and violin because of them (though all at various times) and now they are just complete rulers of my life :P



Offline Roy

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Reply #28 on: October 16, 2009, 11:35:28 AM
I guess it was around 2004 when I first got into japanese rock music at all. I'd gotten heavily into Malice Mizer first, and I used this one online forum [can't even recall the name...].
Finnish forum? Vanilla? :D
I don't remember there being many other finnish j-rock based forums back then.

~

I don't really remember how I got into X, how did I find it... but it didn't happen all once. I think that the first time I heard of 'em was around 2002. But I've been true fan since ~2003, 2004 I was already maaaaadly fallen in love with X.
I had to do some research about this, 'cause back then I didn't really count the time of "being fan". XDD
And the way: I was probably just doing my everyday surfing around in wonders of the internet. Got into a site with review of Blue Blood and some samples in it. I was SOLD.

First I tried to get my friends/class-mates interested, but they were too POP, they only liked the ballads. Luckily pretty soon after that, I found other people who also liked X! (well, from the internet)
Though, first I felt like being totally alone with my "new love".

Kinda regret that I didn't come & register here earlier, you guys ROCK!

飛ぶ夢をしばらく見ない。


Offline neo-shaman

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Reply #29 on: October 16, 2009, 02:08:14 PM
I guess it was around 2004 when I first got into japanese rock music at all. I'd gotten heavily into Malice Mizer first, and I used this one online forum [can't even recall the name...].
Finnish forum? Vanilla? :D
I don't remember there being many other finnish j-rock based forums back then.
No, it wasn't Vanilla, not even a finnish forum :D It was VF's Messageboards. I hadn't discovered finnish online forums back then... <.<

OLD SKOOL VISUAL DESTRUXION
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