The original EP, released in 1981 on a 10-inch vinyl by Rough Trade, opens with “Middle Mass”—produced by Adrian Sherwood and Rough Trade founder Jeff Travis—and consists of six tracks, ending with “Leave The Capitol.” While Superior Viaduct reissued the original 10-inch version in 2016, this vinyl reissue features 11 tracks, including the Peel Session recordings added to the 2004 CD reissue by Castle Music.
In 1992, Mark Sinka of *The Wire* magazine included this EP on his list of “The 100 Most Important Records of All Time,” writing that it “captures the moment when Mark E. Smith’s unvarnished malice is, dialectically, utterly prescient, brimming with weary energy, seems utterly outdated—that is, the moment when his non-musicality becomes the most sublime music.” It is also one of Mark E. Smith’s own favorite releases. It’s electrifying. (Original Japanese text by Saito)