Referred to universally as the Linda Blair EP — after the cover art depicting an Exorcist-style face — this is arguably the most wanted hardcore 7″ ever made. Negative Approach formed in Detroit in 1981, and by April 1982 they had crammed ten songs (ranging from nine seconds to under two minutes) onto a single 7″ for Touch and Go Records, which was then just barely finding its footing as a label. The result is a document of pure Midwestern fury that has never been equalled for density and aggression at that runtime. First pressing is identified by its black and white center labels — critically, the labels are reversed (Side A label on Side B and vice versa), a well-known pressing error that actually aids authentication. 1,000 copies pressed. Some first press copies had handwritten messages inscribed inside the sleeve before gluing, visible only by peering deep into the pocket — the text had to be written on the flat cardstock before the sleeve was assembled. A handful of the earliest copies also had the cover face hand-colored in by the band. Original printed lyric insert included. Second pressing switched to red ink labels, also 1,000 copies, and is valued at $450–650 in nice shape. First press originals have traded for $2,000–$4,000+ depending on condition and special attributes — a copy with a hand-colored cover sold for $4,354 on eBay in 2024. No authorized reissue existed until Touch and Go’s 2010 remaster.
