Vernon Reid
@vurnt22
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Guitar can take you far; from Brooklyn To The Sky...!
Joined October 2007
No Jimi, No Beatles No Bowie, No Bolan. NO GLAM, No Freddie, No Prince, No Elton, No Preston No Sly, No Stevie, WITHOUT Little Richard!They DON’T HAPPEN Without HIM BLAZING A TRAIL IN THE DARK in sequence, if he had his SHIRT ON AT ALL, AT THE PIANO, SCREAMING LIKE A WHITE WOMAN.
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I. Am. Speechless.
When I was ten, I was obsessed with this song and looked up all the historical figures it mentions in the encyclopedia. And then I grew up to get a PhD in political anthropology and study dictatorships.
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Edward Van Halen was NOT beloved by millions because he was the Best Guitarist. EVH was beloved because he embodied the pure Joy Of Living THROUGH playing the guitar. He had FUN. There are a LOT of Great Guitarists. I have NEVER seen anyone happier doing it. And neither have you.
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Jimi Hendrix was NEVER a heroin addict. He literally choked on his own vomit having taken prescription barbiturate sleeping pills supplied by Monika Danneman. He was suffering stress & insomnia. Tragic misadventure. Stop spreading misinformation.
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Kris Kristofferson was a Dude’s DUDE- Rhodes Scholar. Army Ranger, who resigned his commission as a Captain in protest. Chopper pilot. Singer. Lyricist. Academy Award winning Songwriter. Talented Actor. Raconteur. Legend. CoolAF. Rest In Power.
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Sinead. Stood. TALL. History has, will CONTINUE to validate her sacrifice against the corruption and power, & abuses of The Church Of Rome, which many STILL DENY. One of my absolute HEROES. Rest 👑QUEEN💚.
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What’s amazing to me is how gently the Buffalo suspect was handled after his apprehension. No knee on his neck for a fake $20 for him. No rough rides in the back of the van. No choke holds for loosies. I wonder if he got the Dylan Roof Blue Plate Burger 🍔 Special too. #Buffalo.
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The Mother Of Us ALL. (Even if MOST don’t know it.).
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Alice Coltrane’s technique of achieving pitch bend by turning her electric Hammond OFF then quickly back ON was revolutionary! It is one of the EARLIEST examples of HACKING for musical effect. It PREDATES Moog or ARP. She has gotten NO CREDIT FOR THIS.
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Rush embodied Rock & Roll in a way that transcended whether you were a fan or not-they did exactly what they wanted to do-exactly the way they wanted to do it. NO COMPROMISE. Love them - or not. RESPECT is totally due. Neil Peart fused Heart.Mind.Body. To a seamless whole. R.I.P.
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We’ve had many Bad Days in the World Of Guitar. This, without doubt, is one of the WORST. I. Fucking. Can’t. Believe. It.
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Please give a HAPPY BIRTHDAY 🎁🎉🎈🎂 to the Vocal SOUL of @LivingColour The Wrong Reverend, that Hustler Of Culture, Mr Lover Lover, COREY GLOVER. Pictured here as The Tuxedoed Joker 🃏.
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Will apologized to the Academy, but not to Chris Rock, the Black Man he put his hands on, at THE OSCARS for telling a JOKE?. Nah.
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So you think the death of EVH is hitting you now. It’s not. Grief doesn’t work that way. Tomorrow is going to be worse than today. His passing is enormous. Exploitation will follow, like t shirts for Kobe. Don’t be too proud to cry. This is a sad time. Tears are appropriate.
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EVERYBODY in America passed on The Beatles. Nobody “heard it”. Except for Vivian Carter & Jimmy Bracken a married Black couple, whose independent label Vee-Jay released Please Please Me.
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Some may ask “Why am I expending my modest Social Media Capital on other guitarists who are mostly not in my direct circle ⭕️?”As a fan of their work-this is something I can DO to BRING RESPECOGNITION TO UNDERRATED GUITAR INNOVATORS & VIRTUOSOS that I care about.
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Making this record? I was happy every day we made it.
35yrs ago - May 3, 1988 - Vivid was released on @Epic_Records ! What are your most VIVID memories over the years from the album? . #LivingColour #Vivid35
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And Them There’s THIS👇🏿.
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Sad Songs, Day 2.Wichita Lineman by Jimmy Webb. The Glen Campbell original. It is a song about Loneliness, Technology, Class, Infrastructure, Wide Open Spaces, Overwork, Badass twanging guitar, & that Iconic storytelling voice.
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Steve Albini was alive on Monday. Let that sink in. We weren’t friends. We never met. I respected his work ethic. No compromises .No regrets .🌹.
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When I see a great guitarist, I NEVER think “well, he’s not as good as. ” What kind of ungrateful sh*t is that? Why would I denigrate an artist like that? Especially after they’ve given their best? You can be great at many things - or one. I only care how the music hits me.
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Bob Seger’s Night Moves is an incredible song. It’s a Mid Western film noir RomCom in futile denial of the romance that it obviously ACHES for. Its proclaimed unsentimentality is ironically the source of its painful nostalgia. 10CC’s I’m Not In Love is its colder English Cousin.
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If James Earl Jones DIDN’T voice Darth Vader, @starwars would have had NO BLACK PRESENCE AT ALL. Which would HAVE SUITED SOME OF YOU JUST FINE. HIS VOICE. Is WOVEN into SciFi HISTORY & IS NOT TO BE ERASED. It’s about WHO HAS POWER to make casting decisions! Not the V-actor’s race.
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Supremely BUMMED about the passing of David Johanson aka Buster Poindexter of The LEGENDARY New York Dolls, & the singer of the hit cover of The Mighty Arrow’s (cousin on my Mother’s fam side) Hot! Hot! Hot! One of Shaolin’s Finest, & a Major Dude. He ROCKED. He Rolled. ❤️🩹.🌹.
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35 Springs ago. The mind. Reels.
#LivingColour released their debut album ‘Vivid’ (1988) 35 years ago this week | Read our tribute by @andy_healy + listen to the album here: @LivingColour @vurnt22 @WillCalhounDrum @RevDaddyLove
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Or put another way? EVERY guitar player ASSOCIATED with Rock & Roll Music? That YOU KNOW OF? Is FUCKED. UP. RIGHT. NOW. THAT’’S.What .Happened. today.
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The Beatles did something, tangential to their music, that EVERY band or artist, is wholly indebted to them for- they gave artists the right to CHANGE. Radically. They. Set. That. Precedent.
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Racial hierarchies in the South were rigidly enforced by “civility”. That’s what Strange Fruit is about in the phrase “The Gallant South”. People dressed in their Sunday Best when they attended lynchings. Very civil. With impeccable manners whilst practicing savagery. Fuck. That.
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Awww man- Thank You Joe ♥️.
Living Colour should be in the @rockhall . First ballot no debate. Legendary band and still killing it every night. 😎👍.
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Dusty Hill was the kind of musician that could be in a world famous band, & be satisfied with making it work. Like Rick Laird, who also passed on recently, nobody seeming to notice. Getting it done with humility is the opposite of the narcissism that fuels modern music culture.
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My Daughter gave me a hug just from the look on my face when the EVH news came down. Condolences to Eddie’s family & the rest of the band. 🌹.
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Without QUESTION.
Do you think Devo belongs in the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame???
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Dr. Teeth & The Eledric Mayhem remain UNDEFEATED.
What’s the greatest fake band from a movie or TV show?.
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I got to play One Nation Under A Groove onstage with the Maggot Overlord hissellf, George Clinton. Wow.
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Deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Wayne Kramer-Punk Rock PIONEER,inmate rights reformer, Author. human rights activist, Anti-violence advocate. Guitar BADASS, & Major Dude. Totally Real.Always looking forward. Kicking Out Our Jams in tribute tonight in Charles Town W VA❤️🩹.
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I don’t know personally Dave Grohl, but I feel for him in this moment. Losing a close friend, by whatever means, is the worst. 💔.Condolences to Taylor Hawkins’ family, friends, & fans. 🌹.
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This should be a National Holiday.
88 years ago today, the legendary Robert Johnson held his first recording session…. On November 23, 1936, in the quaint setup of Room 414 at the Gunter Hotel in San Antonio, Texas, Johnson laid down tracks that would later define the blues genre. A thread 🧵
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David Lee Roth showed not just courage in insisting on Kool & The Gang open for Van Halen. He showed FAITH in Van Halen’s audience! That THEY, would GET IT. It WORKED.
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Moderna. One shot down. One to go. Here in Shaolin. Nurse was amazing. I didn’t feel a thing. So far, so good. No side effects. So far.
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Happy 92nd Birthday🎉 to my POPS! James Emmanuel Reid. An extraordinary gentleman. ♥️.
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As many times as I’ve heard this. I’m still completely riveted by its transformational narrative about war, loss, beauty & horror, fused as one.
@vurnt22 @YllonaJanine and THIS.
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Phil Lesh was in a particular tradition of Rock bassists- Jack Bruce, Jack Cassidy, John Entwistle, Felix Peppalardi, John Paul Jones, that wove melodic, rhythmic paths between guitar & drums, making the entire experience propulsive, at the same time staking out their OWN space.
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I have admired your playing for years, and wish nothing but the best for you in this fight. You have nations of fans & players who you’ve influenced pulling for you. You. Will. Be. Back.👊🏿.
I just want to let you all know that I'm getting better day by day. The progress I'm making is excellent! My dream is to visit Japan, the States, and Europe with Stray Cats, and of course, one of my biggest thrills would be bringing back the BSO Christmas show tradition. Thank
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Rock Is Dead.Little Richard.The Right Reverend Penniman .The Architect of Rock & Roll.Is Gone.Roll has lost it’s Soul.It’s 1st most daring & outrageous Forefather. Rest In Power FOREVER.GOOD GOLLY!.🌹.
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The SNL set was INCREDIBLY tense. Somebody’s skit was cut, & they were NOT HAPPY. Phil Hartmann was great. Cool dude. Dennis Miller was NOT. Stopped being a fan THAT DAY. Jon Lovitz seemed incredibly anxious.Mel Gibson was gracious. Danny Glover surprise guested. They got on well.
Living Colour were the musical guest on SNL in '89 on this day. @vurnt22 what's your memories of this experience?.
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Happy Birthday to my Dad James Emanuel Reid on his 91st. With ALL his marbles !YES.
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André Braugher pulled off an amazing feat betwixt Homicide; Life On The Street, & Brooklyn NineNine-establishing himself first, as a dramatic actor of extraordinary power in Homicide,then playing completely against the type HE established for dazzling comedic effect in NineNine.
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So moved & proud to have made a connection with A Real One. The MC5’s Wayne Kramer. 🌹.
A new song by legendary Detroit rockers MC5 called “Can’t Be Found,” featuring Living Colour guitarist Vernon Reid, has just been released. It’s from their first new album in 53 years. Stream it here →
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That RUSH, The Guess Who, & The Tragically Hip weren’t listed to be chosen alongside Nickelback & Arcade Fire is completely Rob Ford smoking crack CraZyTown (R.I.P. ).BTW? The answer is RUSH.
Who's the greatest Canadian band of all time???.
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MF Doom was truer to the Fantastic Four than ANY of the movies, so far.
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This should have MANY more likes & retweets than it does. Billy Cobham is one of the most consequential drummer/composers EVER. So called "blast" drumming doesn't EXIST without his double kick influence on the backbeat. His use of live triggered electronics, his raw physicality,.
Today I'm wishing the happiest of birthdays to Mr. Billy Cobham, a man I am always happy to speak with, and a musician I have had the pleasure of recording with more than 50 times over the years. Welcome to the world of octogenarians! . Listen to us here:
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Bill Russell & Nichelle Nichols both, quite literally, embodied grace & dignity in the face of not just mere adversity, but outright HATRED for their embodied aspirations, & the palpable NEED for them to FAIL, which they BOTH REFUSED TO DO. 🇺🇸.
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We have lost an absolute musical MAESTRO in Burt Bacharach. His protean partnership with Hal David reshaped Pop as we know it. Their combination of precision & pathos influenced an extraordinary array of artist/composers - from Wonder to Costello to Ocean. 🌹.
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The Jann Wenner @NYT interview was astonishing in his level of contempt for Female, Black, & Brown (never even came up) artists, but not at all surprising. He literally states that he should have included a token (imo) Female & Black to blunt the criticism he’s currently getting.
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This is a day of Glorry as well as sadness. Neil Peart did the best that ANY of us can expect to do in a single lifetime. His Life’s Work in Rush speaks powerfully for itself now, & will continue beyond in his influence on countless creative people for generations to come.
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The day I spent with Charlie was my best day on Steel Wheels. ❤️🩹💔. He was a true gentleman & a great musician.🙁😞😔😕🥺😢. I’m done tweeting today.
Drummer Charlie Watts, whose adept, powerful work propelled the Rolling Stones for more than half a century, has died. He was 80.
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Rest in Power👊🏽 & Peace ☮️ to the LEGENDARY Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh, who Made It Happen from the bottom to the top. Put some Respect On His Name!.
RIP Phil Lesh, a legend for so much including his hilariously honest testimony during a Jerry Garcia estate hearing in 1996.
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R&B/Jazz Fusion doesn’t get NEARLY enough examination or appreciation for the way a certain period of that largely unheralded movement served as a soundtrack for A People On The Move from the late 60’s until its dissipation into mid 80’s Quiet Storm “Smooth” Jazz.
Roy Ayers - Everybody Loves The Sunshine. An unforgettable classic!
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Cult was our Hail Mary-Middle Man only got enough college radio play to put @LivingColour in a van for long night drives. If Cult didn’t work, we MIGHT have had one more shot, but I SINCERELY doubt it. Cult Of Personality was our 2nd & LAST dice roll. It came up 7. Thanks to YOU.
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THANK YOU TO ALL MY FOLLOWERS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE 10K GUITAR CAMPAIGNS OF 2023. I really REALLY APPRECIATED it. We made some GREAT THINGS HAPPEN.
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She always looks happier playing drums than she does singing .
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The greatest thing about Jeff Beck is that he was NOT hung up on how GREAT he was. In this way there was always space for him to grow. About the size of a garage.
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Is HipHop is dead as a music of political resistance, as an even rarely progressive movement? Sad to say. It seems to have wholesale capitulated to oligarchical capitalism.Snoop’s utter transformation as MAGA’S favorite Pet is the tip of a terrible iceberg of Toxic Materialism.
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Half of the dustups I have on Twitter / X are generational. It’s pointless to argue STAR WARS with a person born in 1995 when I saw it in 70mm at The Ziegfield on its opening weekend. Explaining its impact is impossible to transmit.
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The fact that at 88, Mr. Buddy Guy 👑still HAS TO SHOW WHAT HE CAN DO? Is a form of OPPRESSION. For ALL of WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR THIS COUNTRY? He shouldn’t STILL HAVE TO GIG. Unless he wants to. Y’all ain’t hearing what I’m talking about. Not at all.
88-year-old Buddy Guy showing what he can still do. Unbelievable.
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Before the clock strikes 12am 5/4/20 EST, I want to say Thank You to all of you that have stayed @LivingColour fans since 5/3/88 ♥️.
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At a glance ? Jeff Beck. He should have Eric’s spot. Start there.
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Prince.Terry Kath. Ernie Isley.Jan Akkerman .Sister Roseatta Tharpe .Hubert Sumlin.Shuggie Otis.Allan Holdsworth .Frank Zappa.Brian May.Eddie Hazel.Edge .Adrian Belew.John McGlaughlin.Randy Rhodes.Tom Morello.Bill Connors.Tommy Bolin.You can “What About?” Me G😉INE!.
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NEW CAMPAIGN. Mr Cray is in almost the EXACT SAME POSITION as Robin Trower. Just under 7K Followers. This situation is UNACCEPTABLE. We MADE IT HAPPEN FOR ROBIN. LETS MAKE IT HAPPEN FOR ROBERT. 10K. LET’S GO. Thanks 🙏🏾 In advance !.
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When I was on the comeup, NOBODY talked about John Paul Jones. JPJ was treated like the help. It’s completely ASTOUNDING the degree to which JPJ went unrecognized & unremarked upon given his remarkable skillset. He set the template for Jonny Greenwood & MANY others.
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This is Celebrity Performance Art. Featuring Guitar as Rock Fetish Object & Guitar Solo as Fetishized Concert Event. That Feldman inadvertently & quite randomly invokes mid 70’s era Sonny Sharrock (whom he’s never heard of) is the DuChamp Dada cherry 🍒 atop the SpinalTap cake.
If only guitar were that easy for us mere mortals. Did Corey Feldman perform the greatest guitar solo of all time?.
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If you’re feeling anxious, remember to breath. Try not to catastrophize. If it’s really bad seek assistance. This is a collective worry made manifest. We are going to get through this. Believe it.
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Happy Birthday 🎁 to my AMAZING M♥️M. Mary Elizabeth Reid nee Joseph (pictured here at 29)
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What a beautiful portrait Chuck. You really captured him. I met Mr. Kristofferson once, playing with Tracy Chapman at FarmAid back in the 90’s. He couldn’t have been more kind, & gracious . Dennis Hopper was also there, and they had quite the Rascal Rapport offstage.
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NONE of these singers touch the HEM of the garment of Little Richard Penniman, or his vocal heir Prince - VOCALLY. If you’re throwing in Sinatra in a field of Rock & Roll singers? There’s a LONG LIST. JAMES BROWN. STEVIE WONDER. AL GREEN. Steve Perry?! over SAM COOKE!?.
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Happy Birthday To That Bad To The Bone Star Bass Brotha, The One & Only Crest Of Tha Ultra Wave @Bootsy_Collins 🤩⭐️🌟✨✴️💫💫
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Also? Lindsay Buckingham is so much better than people know,.
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