Negative Approach

Negative Approach – “s/t” 7″

Ah, the Negative Approach 7″. This is somewhat of a holy grail type 7″ for hardcore purists. Fast, blistering, nasty ass hardcore. I have recently sold the test pressing shown in the photo, but it’s absolutely one of the most unique records I’ve ever owned.  This copy is actually a “rejected test pressing” of the very first mastered version of this 7″ that was never heard!  It comes with a certificate of authenticty, signed in the year 2000, from Tesco Vee of Touch & Go Records.  You can check out the matrix of the NA  7″ to confirm everything.  The matrix of this rejected test pressing reads: MATRIX A=”NR-13918A SLEE STACKS ARE TOTALLY INTO IT”, B=”NR-13918B BANG BANG BE NO THANG”)

However, both the 1st and 2nd pressing of the Negative Approach 7″s shown do NOT have the little custom ”message” in the matrix etching, and they have a “RE-1″ next to the catalog number to denote a re-mastering job.  I’ve pressed lots of Rivalry stuff with United Record pressing in Nashville, so I know that their test pressings that get re-mastered get a “RE-1″, “RE-2″, etc. Here is the matrix etching on any Negative Approach 7″ you’ll find:  MATRIX A=”NR-13918A Re-1″.   You know what I’m most curious about?  What did the ”Slee Stacks are totally into it” or “Bang Bang be no thang” mean on the rejected matrix, and why didn’t they put it on the re-master?  Also funny they were using “thang” as slang way back in 1981. I figured that started in the late 80′s, early 90′s with hip-hop going mainstream.  haha.

On to the other 7″s… The 1st pressing had black labels, the 2nd pressing had red labels.  One thing that is cool about the NA 7″ is that some of the first pressing copies have a little message written on the INSIDE of the 7″ pocket sleeve. Mine says: “WHAT IT BE WHAT IT WAS”.  Again, who knows.  But the reason these messages are noteable is that they are written pretty deep down inside the pocket cover, meaning they had to have been written BEFORE the 7″s pocket sleeves were glued. There would be no way you could get a pen down in there to write inside the pocket.  This is just a cool nod back to how things were back in 1981 – the band and record label would get the 7″ covers printed flat, and had to fold and GLUE every god damned one of those things themselves. 1,000 in each pressing.  I’ve had to fold thousands of 7″ covers while I was doing Rivalry…. But glueing them would be maddening.  The NA 7″ was out of press for like 25 years, but has been repressed recently by Touch & Go. It has the same basic cover art, but it’s a shaded hand drawing of the art or something, almost cartoony looking.

Negative Approach – “Tied Down” LP

This photo shows an original green cover 1st pressing and purple cover 2nd pressing of the LP.  The LP was also out of press for a long time, but has recently been repressed with a green cover. You can tell the original green cover by the Maumee, OH address for Touch & Go on the back.  Now Touch & Go has a Chicago, IL address.  I think the green color on the represses is slightly different than the original as well.

My Negative Approach collection, at its peak:

• Negative Approach – s/t (TEST PRESS, Touch and Go Records. It’s actually a rejected test pressing of the very first mastered version of this 7inch that was never heard!)
• Negative Approach – s/t (1st press, BLACK ink labels “WHAT IT BE WHAT IT WAS” written on inside, out of 1000, MINT CONDITION w/insert + Touch & Go ad)
• Negative Approach – s/t (2nd press, RED ink labels, out of 1000, NM condition w/insert)
• Negative Approach – Tied Down (GREEN cover, Original 1st pressing with Maumee, OH address on back and early Touch & Go catalog inside + insert)
• Negative Approach – Tied Down (PINK cover, 2nd pressing)