Bleach + The Sport/ No No Man

12" (black) / test pressing / Sub Pop / SP34 + SP101DJ / made in USA (Erika) / 1992

This is a combined white label test pressing of side B of Bleach and side B of a Steven Jesse Bernstein promotional 12" from his Prison album [1]. The first test pressing of the 1992 reissue of Bleach was unsuccessful, and this was the second cut of the reissue tested, again cut by K Disc [2]. This is reflected in the "RE2" part in the matrix code, meaning recut 2. (The original cut was the 1989 pressing, while recut 1 was the pink test pressing.) Similarly, there was also a problem with the original cut of side B of the Bernstein promo [1], as seen from "RE1" in the matrix code. The new cuts were tested together as it was the simplest and cheapest option [1].

It is not known whether the second recut Bleach side B was successful or not, but it did not appear on any retail records. They instead chose to use stampers processed from the old mother plates from 1989. It is not known why they then tried to make the new RE1 cut at all, if they could just have made stampers from the original 1989 mother plates. The 1992 reissue on CD features remastered tracks; perhaps this is also the case with the two RE1 and RE2 test pressings. However, the L-code, which is the internal project number written by the processing plant, Lee Plating, is the same on the 1989, RE1, and RE2 cuts, so this seems unlikely.

The exact date for the release of the 1992 reissue is unknown. Prison was released on 1992.04.01 [3], so this test pressing must have been manufactured shortly ahead of that.

Two copies have been found. One of the original recipients suggested around five may have been pressed. The one pictured on this page came from Steve Fisk, who was responsible for the production and the musical arrangements on the Bernstein record. The other copy, not shown here, have blank labels [1].

Tracklist

Side A
  • Negative Creep - 
  • Scoff - 
  • Swap Meet - 
  • Mr. Moustache - 
  • Sifting
Side B
  • No No Man (Part One) 79+-1 B.P.M. - 
  • The Sport (Part One) 86 B.P.M.

Matrix

Side A
SP34  B   RE2   L-32926 X
Side B
SP 101 DJ B   RE1   L-39198 X

Nirvana side
1. Nirvana side

Bernstein side
2. Bernstein side

Matrix, Nirvana side
3. Matrix, Nirvana side

Matrix, Bernstein side
4. Matrix, Bernstein side

References