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olympus mons
- FB Fan -
United Kingdom
13 Posts |
 Posted - 02/05/2005 : 05:33:04
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As we all know Kurt Cobain allways stated that the Pixies were a major influence on Nirvana's music, but what im interested to know is what Frank thinks, has he ever made any coments about Nirvana/Kurt? Did he think they were any good?
into the mountains i will fall. |
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frank black conspiracy
~ Abstract Brain ~
1126 Posts |
Posted - 02/05/2005 : 05:48:21
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Here you go olympus, the definitive answer:
S&R-n-R: As a songwriter, where do you hear the Pixies influence the most?
Frank Black: I don’t. I really don’t.
S&R-n-R: Did you ever meet Kurt Cobain?
Frank Black: Nope.
S&R-n-R: What do you think of Nirvana?
Frank Black: Um . . . It’s a little poppy for my taste, but I don’t think it’s bad or anything like that. Certainly, you know, there are millions of others that think me wrong. For loud rock music, I tend to listen to stuff that’s less poppy or more dumb—more classic rock oriented. Y’know, like The Rolling Stones or something like that. For more more contemporary stuff, if I listen to loud stuff, it’s probably gonna be more punky, like Minor Threat or even just something like The Clash or something like that, which is not real extreme music or anything like that, but to me it’s less poppy. I mean, I never sat down and listened to a Nirvana record, so I can’t really give it the fairest assessment, but I guess it’s a little serious or something. It doesn’t quite have the humor that I gravitate to in a lot of music. It doesn’t have a wink, or at least I miss it. If it’s there, I don’t get it. |
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frarosano
- FB Fan -
Italy
35 Posts |
Posted - 02/05/2005 : 07:26:27
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quote:
Originally posted by frank black conspiracy
Frank Black: Um . . . It’s a little poppy
poppy means pop
--
you'll think i'm dead, but i sail away
on a wave of mutilation
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frank black conspiracy
~ Abstract Brain ~
1126 Posts |
Posted - 02/05/2005 : 07:51:55
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indeed it does.
He's not inspired by what he'd probably refer to as a fad. the trend that 'grunge' was. All too visual, no real substance.
So why bother listening in the first place, it's been done before, and so, he'd rather listen to the real thing. |
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VoVat
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
USA
9168 Posts |
Posted - 02/05/2005 : 09:22:35
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quote:
poppy means pop
Awww...I thought Frank was comparing Nirvana to a flower with soporific properties!
"Reunion? Shit union!" |
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olympus mons
- FB Fan -
United Kingdom
13 Posts |
Posted - 02/07/2005 : 05:36:29
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Thanks for clearing that up for me guys.
into the mountains i will fall. |
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TRANSMARINE
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
2002 Posts |
Posted - 02/07/2005 : 07:51:29
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According to the Cobain biography Heavier than Heaven, he and Frank did meet...twice. But the book was so disjointed and free of references I wouldn't doubt Kurt met God...and had the whole conversation quoted.
Catchin' blue in his eyes that were brown
-bRIAN |
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BrendanT
= Cult of Ray =
Canada
907 Posts |
Posted - 02/07/2005 : 10:09:26
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I am pretty certain that Kurt at least soaked Frank with a fire extinguisher while on stage and then ran away and hid.
Strummer-man
I had me a vision!
All of a sudden my water broke!
"There was a man Who made a boat To sail away And it sank.". |
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kathryn
~ Selkie Bride ~
Belgium
15320 Posts |
Posted - 02/11/2005 : 19:07:57
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Dare I ask what you are referring to?
 I still believe in the excellent joy of the Frank |
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spunXtain
= Cult of Ray =
USA
377 Posts |
Posted - 02/11/2005 : 20:08:42
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Kurt was in a meeting with Ken Goes and Frank came into the building. Kurt was too nervous to meet him (He was one of Kurts biggest inspirations and heroes). This was in 1990, I believe.
This is an excerpt from "Nirvana: The Chosen Rejects", which is a great read, even if "Heavier than Heaven" is a bit better...
"After Reading ('91), Nirvana shot through Germany for one uneventful show; then it was on to the Pukkelpop Festival in Hasselt, Belgium, on August 25th for a huge show with Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr, the Ramones, and the Pixies' Black Francis playing solo. At this point Nirvana was loose, the gigs rocked, and the camaraderie between the bands was so strong that practical jokes began cropping up everywhere.
At the Pukkelpop Festival, Kurt, Dave, and Krist switched around the dinner table placement tags backstage, seating the Ramones and their party of twelve at a table for two meant for Black Francis and his girlfriend. John Silva (DGC Manager) got into a food fight. Kurt wore Black Francis' name tag all day; by the time Francis hit the stage for his performance, some of the Dutch press covering the festival had no idea whom they were interviewing.
When Kurt hosed Francis down during his set with a fire extinguisher he found by the side of the stage, a large group of security men charged him, and Kurt dropped the extinguisher and ran into the darkness backstage."
I wonder if Frank knows just how much Kurt admired him?
Got coffee, got donuts, got wasted.. |
Edited by - spunXtain on 02/11/2005 20:31:23 |
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VoVat
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
USA
9168 Posts |
Posted - 02/11/2005 : 20:40:50
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Maybe Frank will just always remember him as "the jerk with the fire extinguisher."
"Reunion? Shit union!" |
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theFILLshow
- FB Fan -
Canada
65 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2005 : 15:53:27
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I was thinking along the lines of Vovat. Maybe they did meet, but Frank neither remembers or cares.
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http://ww.hotncold.vzz.com
I'm a man of, constant sorrow.. |
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frank black conspiracy
~ Abstract Brain ~
1126 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2005 : 16:20:09
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I think fans of both Nirvana and Pixies would like them to have been friends or at least shared some moment.
Maybe because they were both around at the same time, but no one asks if Frank liked dinosaur jr or SY. Always Nirvana. And just because Kurt made a reference to them once upon a time. This was the only thing that linked the two bands at the time and now it must be one of FBs pain in the ass questions ever to be asked. It's not a big deal to him, you'll probably find the majority of people who ask this are journalists who obviously think frank should be flattered by Kurt Cobain's interest in his band. |
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Elephant
- FB Fan -
Canada
240 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2005 : 16:52:25
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| I feel the same way about Nirvana, it's kind of more or less pop. I can't say I don't like it but I wouldn't take the time to listen to one of their records or anything, I CAN stand their music but it's not like I'll ever find myself seeking it out. |
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dogjones
- FB Fan -
USA
142 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2005 : 14:53:52
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| aww man..yeah, grunge on whole may have been a fad based on its availability now, but it did have some great moments. love battery, archers of loaf...its all just deconstructed melodic punk with a metal edge...i'll take it over all this emo/pop crap these days. |
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TRANSMARINE
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
2002 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2005 : 15:19:02
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quote:
Originally posted by Elephant
I feel the same way about Nirvana, it's kind of more or less pop. I can't say I don't like it but I wouldn't take the time to listen to one of their records or anything, I CAN stand their music but it's not like I'll ever find myself seeking it out.
I wouldn't exactly say Nirvana was pop. While not in my top five, I would consider Nirvana to be an excellent and challenging band. I think In Utero is an incredible work of art.
Catchin' blue in his eyes that were brown
-bRIAN |
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SHAZEB ANDLEEB
- FB Fan -
Saint Kitts and Nevis
145 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2005 : 20:10:18
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I never heard Frank and the Pixies in Kurt and Nirvana. Who I heard was the Replacements. Listen to the Replacements and Paul Westerberg and tell me that Kurt and Nirvana were not doing an impersonation of them. I know that Kurt did say he was influenced by the 'Mats, but it goes way beyond that. Heck they got the album title "Nevermind" from a Replacements song.
I worshipped the 'Mats in the 1980s, however I became disillusioned with them after "Pleased to Meet Me." Bob Stinson's death greatly hurt the band. In fact, I turned to the Pixies as my new fave band after the Replacements. Then when the Pixies split, I went to THE REVEREND HORTON HEAT!!!
hermaphroditos is my name
worship me |
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dogjones
- FB Fan -
USA
142 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2005 : 23:04:41
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if you want freaky, go chase down a copy of Byrds "Truck Stop Girl" and give that a listen.
heroin does weird things to the voice, eh? heh... |
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VoVat
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
USA
9168 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2005 : 15:54:55
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quote:
I wouldn't exactly say Nirvana was pop. While not in my top five, I would consider Nirvana to be an excellent and challenging band.
I didn't know "pop" and "excellent and challenging" were mutually exclusive. It seems like a lot of people see "pop music" as a derogatory term, but I've never seen it that way.
"Reunion? Shit union!" |
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ElevatorLady
= Cult of Ray =
385 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2005 : 16:33:20
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quote:
Originally posted by VoVat
quote:
I wouldn't exactly say Nirvana was pop. While not in my top five, I would consider Nirvana to be an excellent and challenging band.
I didn't know "pop" and "excellent and challenging" were mutually exclusive. It seems like a lot of people see "pop music" as a derogatory term, but I've never seen it that way.
"Reunion? Shit union!"
The problem is the term "pop" can have two very different meanings. At least that's the way I see it but I see many people don't make this distinction. Some say "pop" and have "popular and unimaginative" in mind, others say "pop" and have "catchy and fun" in mind. When I say pop I usually mean catchy and so I believe pop music can also be great music. Like Frank Black writes excellent pop songs. |
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VoVat
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
USA
9168 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2005 : 18:36:48
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Yeah, that's basically the way I see it, too. If you want to get technical, "pop" is short for "popular," and I'd say Nirvana is popular, while non-Pixies Frank isn't particularly so. But I think "pop" has come to mean "catchy, fun music," and I'd say a lot of Frank's work qualifies in that category.
"Reunion? Shit union!" |
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dogjones
- FB Fan -
USA
142 Posts |
Posted - 02/17/2005 : 00:00:20
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honestly, when people as me my opinion of TOTY, i usually throw the phrase "one of the best pop-rock albums" somewhere in the description.
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rudebody
- FB Fan -
United Kingdom
11 Posts |
Posted - 02/17/2005 : 02:06:46
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Here's Kurt on pop:
"By definition pop is extremely catchy, whether you like it or not. There are some pop songs I hate but I can't get them out of my head. Our songs also have the standard pop format: Verse, chorus, verse, chorus, solo, bad solo. All in all, I think we sound like The Knack and the Bay City Rollers being molested by Black Flag and Black Sabbath."
I seem to remember another interview in which he said his aim when writing/recording songs was to get an early Beatles pop sound. |
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Cookie
- FB Fan -
USA
82 Posts |
Posted - 02/17/2005 : 15:26:06
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Ijust got the Nirvana box set--very raw music, that was excessively polished on one of three studio albums.
Keeping in mind that pop is not necessarily a bad word, I think "Here Comes Your Man" and a great many other tunes on Doolittle are much more pop (defined as catchy, not particularly anguished) than anything Nirvana ever did. Also, the "nudge and wink" stuff Frank was talking about is totally pop music. Ironically humorous lyrics and double entendres are pop. Nirvana lyrics are much darker and most of the music full of dissonant intervals (although not the tunes played on the radio). Being strung out and blowing your head off with a shotgun is not pop. |
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Someone
- FB Fan -
94 Posts |
Posted - 02/20/2005 : 09:29:57
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| Frank Black makes decidely better music than Nirvana (although Nirvanva was a great band) but I must agree. Here Comes your man is very very poppy. not one of my favs. |
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VoVat
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
USA
9168 Posts |
Posted - 02/20/2005 : 10:21:05
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I don't think it's one of Frank's favorites, either. I like it, but then, I'm into the eccentric-but-upbeat kind of music.
"Reunion? Shit union!" |
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BrendanT
= Cult of Ray =
Canada
907 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2005 : 07:40:20
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I think that saying you have never met a popular dead icon is a little easier than dealing with follow-up questions. "What was he/she like?" "Were you friends?" and so on and so on. I believe that Frank and Kurt have met a few occasions. If you had the opportunity to meet Frank because you both had backstage access, wouldn't you meet him?
For the love of Pete! I have met the man and who the fuck am I?
Strummer-man
I had me a vision!
All of a sudden my water broke!
"There was a man Who made a boat To sail away And it sank.". |
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TRANSMARINE
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
2002 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2005 : 08:24:51
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quote:
Originally posted by ElevatorLady
quote:
Originally posted by VoVat
quote:
I wouldn't exactly say Nirvana was pop. While not in my top five, I would consider Nirvana to be an excellent and challenging band.
I didn't know "pop" and "excellent and challenging" were mutually exclusive. It seems like a lot of people see "pop music" as a derogatory term, but I've never seen it that way.
"Reunion? Shit union!"
The problem is the term "pop" can have two very different meanings. At least that's the way I see it but I see many people don't make this distinction. Some say "pop" and have "popular and unimaginative" in mind, others say "pop" and have "catchy and fun" in mind. When I say pop I usually mean catchy and so I believe pop music can also be great music. Like Frank Black writes excellent pop songs.
For the record, I wasn't attempting to make a derogatory jab at 'pop', or the definition of 'pop'. There is a lot of good 'pop' music out there (and for the record, 'pop'...for popularity...pretty much defines ALL music you hear broadcast on commercial radio)and the term itself suffers a stigma. By stating Nirvana was challenging and excellent in NO WAY MEANS I was comparing them to a band that might be considered 'pop'. "pop' can be just as challenging and excellent. But then again, it's all how you perceive it, I guess.
Nirvana, in my opinion, is not 'pop'.
They are soda...and spritely so.
Catchin' blue in his eyes that were brown
-bRIAN |
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PearlJamaholic
- FB Fan -
USA
73 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2005 : 14:09:32
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i noticed that for as sarcastic that kurt was his music never really had that side. and for listening to punk its almost weird that it didnt. most real punk i heard is just loaded with sarcasm. so i can see why frank listens to punk and not nirvana.
if frank has never listened to a nirvana album he should atleast check out in utero. its such a soild album in my opinion. hell ill give frank my nirvana cds if he wants to check em out. it would be my honor, besides francis is gonna end as poor as kurt was when he was a kid if courtney doesnt straighten out. |
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IceCream
= Quote Accumulator =
USA
1850 Posts |
Posted - 04/23/2005 : 11:38:20
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quote:
Originally posted by dogjones
aww man..yeah, grunge on whole may have been a fad based on its availability now, but it did have some great moments. love battery, archers of loaf...its all just deconstructed melodic punk with a metal edge...i'll take it over all this emo/pop crap these days.
Archers of Loaf are one of the best bands ever. However, I don't like Crooked Fingers. Are they any good? I only heard one album. "Islero" was awesome...not much else though.
Anyway, where's that interview Frank and Bob Mould did where they talked about the Smells Like Teen Spirit video? Jason posted it once.... |
Edited by - IceCream on 04/23/2005 11:38:55 |
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Cheeseman1000
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Iceland
8201 Posts |
Posted - 04/23/2005 : 16:43:47
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quote:
Originally posted by frank black conspiracy
I never sat down and listened to a Nirvana record, so I can’t really give it the fairest assessment, but I guess it’s a little serious or something. It doesn’t quite have the humor that I gravitate to in a lot of music. It doesn’t have a wink, or at least I miss it. If it’s there, I don’t get it.
I never would have considered Minor Threat humourous...
 I'm like a lost snail in the night. |
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floop
= Wannabe Volunteer =
Mexico
15297 Posts |
Posted - 04/23/2005 : 16:58:20
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Frank has always been coy about revealing who he listens to among contemporary bands. for the longest time he always said that he didn't listen to ANY new stuff.. just 50's music, punk etc... but then little comments slip out here and there and you're like, "wow, i didn't know he was a Morrisey fan".. or, "he likes Elliot Smith?"
i think with Nirvana, during their reign, it was kind of a competitive thing too. .
not to say he secretly likes them or something. but, the fact that they were so popular and overblown probably just turned him off to them. |
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Visiting Sasquatch
= Cult of Ray =
USA
451 Posts |
Posted - 04/24/2005 : 10:58:42
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quote:
Originally posted by Cheeseman1000
quote:
Originally posted by frank black conspiracy
I never sat down and listened to a Nirvana record, so I can’t really give it the fairest assessment, but I guess it’s a little serious or something. It doesn’t quite have the humor that I gravitate to in a lot of music. It doesn’t have a wink, or at least I miss it. If it’s there, I don’t get it.
I never would have considered Minor Threat humourous...
I'm like a lost snail in the night.
That whole, "Straight Edge" thing is a joke...lol. ;) |
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poo
- FB Fan -
Canada
5 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2005 : 23:52:23
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| although the media, plus many other people these days tend to generalize grunge as one soind, when clearly enough thats not true. Most of the bands that are great from that era, are completely different and are all talented as fuck....and for the pop reference to nirvana....they have their poppy moments, but thats mainly just nevermind |
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poo
- FB Fan -
Canada
5 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2005 : 23:53:04
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| english wadnt my best class |
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edbanky
= Cult of Ray =
Burkina Faso (Upper Volta)
388 Posts |
Posted - 08/12/2005 : 00:31:03
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quote:
Originally posted by frank black conspiracy
For more more contemporary stuff, if I listen to loud stuff, it’s probably gonna be more punky, like Minor Threat or even just something like The Clash or something like that
I love that. Frank's idea of contemporary? The Clash. That rules.
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I signed up for the FrankBlack.net forums and all I got was this lousy signature. |
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Frank on Kurt
