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Any Vinyl Fans/Collectors On Here?
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The baseball card thread got me thinking that this topic is not discussed much here. I am brand new to Vinyl. I am 43 y.o. and my girlfriend and I just started this expensive hobby. We got tired of on line music (you tube, pandora, etc). Now when we cook or chill we put on a record and enjoy.

I set up a pretty good rig, with lots of left over parts and a new player and amp (the set up is exclusively for vinyl). So far its been tons of fun. New vinyl shopping is tame, but the used market is a bit intimidating. I tend to buy used at the local shops. I am not a big garage sale hunter or used on line hunter. Just today I made my first purchase off discogs.

Any one want to add some advice or share some stories?
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Re: Any Vinyl Fans/Collectors On Here? [satchmo] [ In reply to ]
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Ba Ba Boey!!!!!!!
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Re: Any Vinyl Fans/Collectors On Here? [satchmo] [ In reply to ]
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You may not get the reference above, but if you look around you will see what it was all about.

Yes I'm a vinyl fan, all I really like to listen to when up in Xantusia. Don't sell the garage sales, antique shops, or eBay sellers short. Lots of good stuff there, and I can't tell you how many times at a swap meet I got some great record for 25 cents. Lot of ugly ducklings to go through, but that is half the fun when you finally find that treasure.

And yes you can get a ton of new music now on the thick records, but for me it has been fun to look for lost treasures from my youth. So many I missed back then because I was locked into my dozen or so groups that I didn't much go outside of. And you can often get those records for next to nothing, so not much too lose!!!
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Re: Any Vinyl Fans/Collectors On Here? [monty] [ In reply to ]
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Don't sell the garage sales, antique shops, or eBay sellers short. Lots of good stuff there, and I can't tell you how many times at a swap meet I got some great record for 25 cents. Lot of ugly ducklings to go through, but that is half the fun when you finally find that treasure.
And yes you can get a ton of new music now on the thick records, but for me it has been fun to look for lost treasures from my youth. So many I missed back then because I was locked into my dozen or so groups that I didn't much go outside of. And you can often get those records for next to nothing, so not much too lose!!!

+1

Don't get discouraged if you get some garage sale or thrift records that look good but then sound like crap. That happens but soon you'll be surprised with some great finds. Research how to clean records. Old records will sound much, much better if cleaned.

As to how to clean records -- well that is hotly debated. Some very expensive cleaning machines and some cheap simple but labor intensive methods (e.g. wood glue coating, dry, peel off).

My method is to use one of these, spray scrubbing bubbles cleaner, rest record on towel on edge of counter, scrub with soft painting pad, turn record 1/4 way and scrub, repeat, then rinse in sink, then rinse with distilled water. Sometimes it takes two cleanings to get records clean (eliminate surface noise, pops, etc.).

Generally I only buy vintage records, or new pressings of records that originally came on vinyl because these were mastered so the recording sounds good on vinyl. There are some artists that still produce good vinyl records and master with vinyl in mind. Jack White is one example and his Lazaretto is awesome and was created for vinyl. It does have some gimmicks, one of which I don't like is that one side plays from inside to outside. Foo Fighters Sonic Highways on vinyl is a good recording. Most recent music I'll buy on CD however.

To OP: whats your deck and cart?

________
It doesn't really matter what Phil is saying, the music of his voice is the appropriate soundtrack for a bicycle race. HTupolev
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Re: Any Vinyl Fans/Collectors On Here? [satchmo] [ In reply to ]
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I'll add a comment about the used market. Check craigslist. You'll find that some sellers there think that they should get used record store prices ($6-15) or ebay prices for their records. Don't buy these. When you buy used at record store (at least my local stores) the records are guaranteed and you can demo in the store if you want.

Wait for the reasonable sellers. They will sell a box of records for $.25 to $.50 each, or less. I'll meet these sellers, check every other record quickly, or check the titles I'm interested in, and if they look clean (no scratches or just a few) then I'll buy. Out of the box about 1/4 end up keepers and a happy surprise. The rest I'll take to goodwill or similar.

Don't buy records that are heavily scratched. Nine times out of ten they can't be salvaged. And as I said in the other post, two to three times out of ten a clean looking record will sound bad. Evaluating records is all about the lighting. In the wrong light, they can look great. Tilt them around until the light hits them right and reflects off the scratches.

As an example, recently I bought a box for about $25 right after seeing Guardians of the Galaxy 2. One of the albums was a three record set of Sam Cooke songs. Records look and sound mint. That one made the purchase worth it, but there were several other keepers too.

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It doesn't really matter what Phil is saying, the music of his voice is the appropriate soundtrack for a bicycle race. HTupolev
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Re: Any Vinyl Fans/Collectors On Here? [satchmo] [ In reply to ]
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Never left vinyl and am very lucky to have one of the best used/new record stores in existence in my town.

https://noisey.vice.com/...st-record-shop-owner
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Re: Any Vinyl Fans/Collectors On Here? [monty] [ In reply to ]
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My first reaction was Gary from Howard Stern, bc he is an audiophile. He used to blog for one of the AV mag publications. I think sound and vision. I used to be pretty big into SACD and DVDA. But that format is pretty much dead, and seems the only bands putting stuff out are the rereleases of some good old stuff (right now XTC comes to mind). I still buy in that format from time to time, since I still have the surround set up for movies, etc. I have a solid OPPO universal device for that.
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Re: Any Vinyl Fans/Collectors On Here? [H-] [ In reply to ]
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Being from East TN, I am familiar with Jack White, since he has set up shop in Nashville. I have Lazaretto and when I first played side one, I was like WTF. I like his music and I agree his sound is made for vinyl format.

My RIG (or should I say our RIG):
Rogue Audio Sphinx Amp
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB
w/ the included Orton 2M Red Cart.
Some sort of Polk Bookshelf speakers (silk dome tweeters, since that is what I favor)

I pretty much got everything used (or lightly used)
Space is my biggest challenge, but that made for some cook creativity in my set up. I use the "pods" under my speakers and player.
I set up the amp on the floor below a sofa table, where the rig is set up. Had a wood working buddy build a sweet amp stand that matches the house decor.

My GF and I have a VERY eclectic music taste, and we enjoy old and new. Old country (Loretta Lynn, Dolly) to Chris Stapleton (Another artist meant for vinyl). Lots of singer songwriters (we are both HUGE Paul Simon fans). What I call modern adult rock (Lumineers, Alabama Shakes, White Stripes).

I guess what I am trying to figure out is how to build a strategy for the used market that is not in the record stores (which I love btw, as in Knoxville, TN we have 3 record stores within 5 miles of our house). I don't do garage sales (yet). I figure you got to go early to get vinyl. I will try the craig's list route and see what happens.

So far I with the used vinyl I have been looking for warping and clearly scratches. I can live with some popping, but I am a sound freak (See last post about past hobby being DVDA and SACD = dead end hobby).

My favorite part so far, has been the old stuff (50's, 60's, 70's, and some 80's), bc I never stopped to listen to Eagles Hotel California the WHOLE way thru before.

Thanks for the replies!
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Re: Any Vinyl Fans/Collectors On Here? [satchmo] [ In reply to ]
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My sister gave me Tragically Hip's Up to Here for Christmas many years ago but didn't have a record player until about four years ago.

Since I got my record player, I've purchased many records, some new but mostly ones I recall from my youth. I was also fortunate in that I was given about 200 records by my wife's uncle so my collection is quite large.

I would recommend checking used stores and make a connection at one or two; I have one close to work, good prices for tested vinyl (usually $10-$12) and she'll hold stuff she knows I'm looking for as well as often give a discount.

For new stuff, some is good, some is great and some is awful. If you can find anything remastered by Bob Ludwig, it's almost guaranteed to be fantastic and can make a huge difference in stiff mastered for digital during the loudness war.

Also, check Discogs if you are looking for something - there is quite a bit of bootleg stuff around and if you don't know what you're doing, you can end up with a CD pressed to vinyl (which usually sounds awful). I ended up with a copy of Tool's 10,000 Days before I knew to verify things.

Enjoy!

Shane
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Re: Any Vinyl Fans/Collectors On Here? [gsmacleod] [ In reply to ]
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Thank you Shane. I just made a purchase off Discogs yesterday. I notice they carry a lot of EU pressed and limited US released stuff, which is cool (I hope). I have heard some EU and Canadian pressed stuff actually sounds better (again in some cases).
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Re: Any Vinyl Fans/Collectors On Here? [satchmo] [ In reply to ]
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So far I with the used vinyl I have been looking for warping and clearly scratches. I can live with some popping, but I am a sound freak (See last post about past hobby being DVDA and SACD = dead end hobby).

I can't stand much popping or noise either. Most (I'd guess 60-90%) vintage vinyl that looks good will sound good. However, there are some records with no visible issues that pops or has rumble or other issues. That is why I won't pay much unless it is guaranteed. You'll get the hang of it, but be prepared for an occasional disappointment.

________
It doesn't really matter what Phil is saying, the music of his voice is the appropriate soundtrack for a bicycle race. HTupolev
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Re: Any Vinyl Fans/Collectors On Here? [satchmo] [ In reply to ]
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satchmo wrote:
Thank you Shane. I just made a purchase off Discogs yesterday. I notice they carry a lot of EU pressed and limited US released stuff, which is cool (I hope). I have heard some EU and Canadian pressed stuff actually sounds better (again in some cases).

Note: discogs marketplace is just that - where sellers can sell stuff, discogs doesn't sell.

I would link my discogs library, but it's got all my cds I bought in the 90s too :D

So besides Craigslist and garage sales, check goodwill. Sometimes there are nice finds there. I never find anything in Mass though ;)
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Re: Any Vinyl Fans/Collectors On Here? [satchmo] [ In reply to ]
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When you guys go into a record store, searching the used isle, do you go in for a specific artist or genre in mind, or do you just start flipping thru them?

What I have found so far, is I target two stores in my area. One is the oldest (still alive in town), where I search almost exclusively used. The second store is the newest store (adjacent to a bar and bike shop), where I search for mostly new releases.

Thanks for the CL tip earlier. I "almost" got to check out a private seller with 500 LP's asking $175 for the lot. Unfortunately I was beat to the punch. But, that says a lot, for my first CL find in our smallish town.
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Re: Any Vinyl Fans/Collectors On Here? [satchmo] [ In reply to ]
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and I just found this on reddit. I suspect I will go shopping this weekend.

https://www.reddit.com/...yl_what_to_look_for/
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Re: Any Vinyl Fans/Collectors On Here? [satchmo] [ In reply to ]
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I've had good luck through social media sites like Nextdoor. I'll post something like 'does anyone have any vinyl they want to get rid off' and was pleasantly surprised at the number of people who responded simply because they wanted to get rid of the stuff that's been sitting in their basement forever. Granted most of the stuff was something I'd never listen to but once in awhile I'd find some Zeppelin or Stones.

But this thread reminds of the very first album that was given to me...


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Re: Any Vinyl Fans/Collectors On Here? [satchmo] [ In reply to ]
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satchmo wrote:
When you guys go into a record store, searching the used isle, do you go in for a specific artist or genre in mind, or do you just start flipping thru them?

.
Depends, sometimes I'm looking for something specific and I'll call ahead but most times I just like flipping through the records and see what catches my attention.
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Re: Any Vinyl Fans/Collectors On Here? [satchmo] [ In reply to ]
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satchmo wrote:
When you guys go into a record store, searching the used isle, do you go in for a specific artist or genre in mind, or do you just start flipping thru them?

Mostly I'll just go and flip through - I buy mostly stuff I had purchased on tape when I first got into music (early 80's) as well as stuff I remember listening to of my parents, aunt and grandparents (which was mostly country and gospel but some good blues and jazz).

Beyond that, I've picked up a ton of stuff that I always meant to get on CD but never got around to - I think I have around 400 CD's and with probably 25 exceptions, there isn't much overlap between my two libraries.

Shane
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Re: Any Vinyl Fans/Collectors On Here? [satchmo] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks for the CL tip earlier. I "almost" got to check out a private seller with 500 LP's asking $175 for the lot. Unfortunately I was beat to the punch. But, that says a lot, for my first CL find in our smallish town.

You got lucky. That is way too big a deal to start with. $175 may not be a huge investment for you, but -- believe me -- 500 records is a HUGE investment. I've been back in records for over 5 years and buying boxes from time to time, live alone in a three bedroom house (space for pretty big speakers), and I wouldn't dare tackle 500 at a time.

There are pros who are experienced at inspecting, valuing, and buying large lots of records. That is a deal for a pro.

500 records would occupy 6-7 linear feet by themselves and more if you consider the crates or boxes. (If you have room, upgrade from your bookshelf speakers -- there is a whole world of possibility waiting there.) Cleaning and inspecting and listening to 500 records would take a LONG time. They likely would end up being a mental millstone around your neck.

Also don't get caught up in the idea that there is any money to be made dealing records. There are plenty of stories (on the audiophile and vinyl fan forums) of deals like the one you describe that contained one rare $200 record that made the whole purchase worth it. As a practical matter, dealing in records takes so much time, you can't make any money in it. But, of course, done on a small scale, you can have fun.

One more tip not mentioned. If you do buy a small lot, 40-50, of records. Good ones that you don't like can be sold to the local record store. In my town they pay $1-2 for desirable titles, but 50 cents or less for non-popular rock and country and jazz. Most country and jazz has little value. And all classical is almost worthless, but like that as I am finding pristine, quiet, classical records for great prices.

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It doesn't really matter what Phil is saying, the music of his voice is the appropriate soundtrack for a bicycle race. HTupolev
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Re: Any Vinyl Fans/Collectors On Here? [satchmo] [ In reply to ]
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This story might appeal to you a bit given your handle. Last week I saw four Pete Fountain records on CL for $15, supposedly in excellent condition. I was kind of interested as I spend quite a bit of time in New Orleans. Yesterday I saw them reposted for $10, and I made contact and bought them. So far have just listened to one, but it is in very good condition. Not a huge jazz fan, but enjoying so far and happy to have them.

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It doesn't really matter what Phil is saying, the music of his voice is the appropriate soundtrack for a bicycle race. HTupolev
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Re: Any Vinyl Fans/Collectors On Here? [H-] [ In reply to ]
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Questions Round #2:

So, today I had my first CList shopping experience, and walked away with nothing, nada. I need some friendly advice.

Guy inherited what he says is about 1000 records from a close relative, who worked at our local rock and roll radio station. I meet him at a Kroger's shopping center and he gets off the bus with a cart with about 200 records. I am okay with this, since its public and he has what I want. He's a tad nutty, but whatever.

I rifle through the records, as instructed, and pull out about 45 records to inspect. All rock and roll, mass produced stuff. Some CSY, Dire Straits, George Harrison, Bowie, Jackson Browne, Rush, - you get the idea. The vinyl itself was in good condition with very few scratches. The paperboard sleeves where old and damp, and most (if not all) had the inner sleeves intact. All decent signs. A few were warped, but I was pressed for time, so I just went with it. Ended up with a stack of 30 records to buy from the guy.

I start with a $40.00 offer. He said no. I went to $50. He said no. I said $60 for the 30 albums, that's $2.00 a piece. His crack head ass said, I need $100. I laughed, walked, and before I left, I said "are you sure?" (He needed the money way more than I needed the wax).

Was my offer too low? I felt the stack of 30 was not worth $70 or even $80, so when he came in at $100, I knew we were too far apart.
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Re: Any Vinyl Fans/Collectors On Here? [satchmo] [ In reply to ]
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satchmo wrote:
Guy inherited what he says is about 1000 records from a close relative, who worked at our local rock and roll radio station.

This past spring, my neighbor (used to work at a rock station in NYC somewhere 70's thru 90's) found out I liked records and gave me 4 or 5 crates. He then proceeded to tell me that he wished he had found out sooner before he took the other 20-30 crates to the dump. >cringe<
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Re: Any Vinyl Fans/Collectors On Here? [satchmo] [ In reply to ]
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Was my offer too low? I felt the stack of 30 was not worth $70 or even $80, so when he came in at $100, I knew we were too far apart.

No. I think $60 was very generous. Vintage markets might vary, but I don't think they vary much in the used record market based on what I've read from record collectors and dealers on forums. Remember what I said earlier:

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You'll find that some sellers there think that they should get used record store prices ($6-15) or ebay prices for their records. Don't buy these.

You found one of those guys. There are folks on CL who will advertise records (and other items) for years at inflated prices without selling their stuff.

Here's what I tell folks: If you have records that will play without noise and skips, the local record stores will buy them from you for fifty cents to two dollars; standard garage sale price is $1-2; bulk pricing is $0.50 or less. (Note record store folks are experts at inspecting and grading. They then clean them and sell them for $6 to $15 and guarantee them.)

Inspecting records outside in daylight (as I assume you did) is difficult in my experience. I'm not alone. Some of those records you picked would likely have been duds. Also damp sleeves is big demerit.

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So, today I had my first CList shopping experience, and walked away with nothing, nada. I need some friendly advice.

You are off to a better start than me. I learned the hard way -- paying too much for crap. Also you already have a great record buying story -- off the bus with a cart of 200 records. LOL. I should have added earlier that a tolerance, or even enjoyment, at meeting "interesting" or nutty people is helpful in the used vinyl hobby.

Patience.

________
It doesn't really matter what Phil is saying, the music of his voice is the appropriate soundtrack for a bicycle race. HTupolev
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Re: Any Vinyl Fans/Collectors On Here? [H-] [ In reply to ]
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Thank you H.
The guy was very suspicious so I am getting over the fact that he screwed himself, not me. Although, I don't play any instruments, I know music, and I get the yearly publication of Music Direct Catalogue. The records were me too records, that were from a radio station. Smelled of must and mildew and I am glad I walked. Thank you for the additional pointers. Onward!
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Re: Any Vinyl Fans/Collectors On Here? [H-] [ In reply to ]
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So, after browsing the local CL marketplace, I am realizing there are a lot of people on CL selling records for way too high of a price. I am seeing some asking $15-$25 per record. Thank you all for the advice. I will continue to sharpen my used record buying skills.
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Re: Any Vinyl Fans/Collectors On Here? [satchmo] [ In reply to ]
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I was thinking about you as I scored 9 record from CL yesterday. Neil Young (Harvest, Rust Never Sleeps), Dire Straits, Deep Purple (Machine head), Who (Hooligans), Scorpions (Love at First Bite), U2 (Boy), Bruce Springsteen (Darkness on edge of town) and Sound Track to Big Chill.

The ad came up last week on my CL search (they were listed in antiques). Just a picture of the lot in plastic protective sleeves (good sign). I could ID all except U2. Seller wanted $10 each. I really only wanted Harvest (can be valuable) and Dire Straits (want for my collection). I thought about maybe offering $5 each, but decided that was too high as they would be untested. After waiting a week I sent email offering $30 for all nine. The seller, a young lady, accepted and I got them yesterday. They all looked VG outside on cloudy day.

Some of them did not look so good when I got home under kitchen lights. Was a bit bummed. Harvest was disappointment, a bit noisy (but second cleaning may have helped -- didn't listen afterwards). Deep Purple big disappointment as bad sound on side 3 (Smoke on the Water) is unplayable, again maybe second cleaning will help. Things got better with Dire Staits. Intro to Waterline is very quiet. Now I'm happy. I really wanted this on vinyl. Rust Never Sleeps looks NM and 1/2 through sounds great. Boy looks good-vg, but has some minor, hopefully inaudible scratches. Darkness looks NM.

I'll likely keep Dire Straits, Bruce (will compare to my current copy), Who and give the rest to my son who will be very happy to have them.

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It doesn't really matter what Phil is saying, the music of his voice is the appropriate soundtrack for a bicycle race. HTupolev
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