Vinyl mastering credits and deadwax question

Bump for SL.
US SRC manufacture.
Sorry for the crap-tastic picture.

 

Hello, Darrell Johnson back here after a long absence. I can enlighten you on who this mysterious scribe belongs to. It is Don Thompson who came out of retirement to help us at MCA Decca when we put a second cutting room online and were very busy with the likes of hit records from Elton John and country artists like Loretta Lynn.both of whom I did most all the mastering for. Don was a great fellow who had worked many years as a tape operator, recording engineer, and mastering / cutting engineer at Columbia Studios in Hollywood. Don is listed as Don E Thompson in Discogs. He had a most unusual background. He grew up in the wine-growing regions north of LA and was from the Thompson Family famous for the Thompson seedless grapes. He didn't stay around very long only a few months to help out during the time I was in transition to JVC Cutting Center. I still had a lot on my platter as I cut all the material from Owen Bradley in Nashville. Owen, his brother Harold and I had developed quite a bond around the fact that I grew up in the Clinch Valley region of Virginia and had an excellent ear for country and bluegrass that was native to my homeland. Owen gave me a shot at Loretta Lynn's "Coal Miners Daughter" LP and after that I became MAC Nashvilles go mastering engineer at MCA recording Studios at Universal City.

 

Yeah, I found out about Thompson from you. On Discogs I recall. And I extend my thanks and appreciation, three years on.

I know now when seeing his etchings from either Columbia Hollywood or MCA. A few singles I have that he'd cut, now bear his name by the credit 'Lacquer Cut By'.

 

I have an AA1006 “Aja” that has PB stamped on Side B. Any ideas?!

 

Sure it's not P3? That would be a Columbia Pitman press I think.

 

Will check tonight. Thanks for the tip!

 

Let me add another request for the identity of SL or LS. This is etched on a CBS Special Products cut of Springsteen's The River pressed at Electrosound Midwest, likely in the early-mid 80s. However the timing is speculation and not confirmed...

 

That's actually pretty neat, a Sony being done by Electrosound. Is it translucent?
Wonder if it stands for Stamper Lease.

 

Regarding SL - I see at least one album with LS that is attributed to Ray Staff, who also had different pseudonyms on deadwax. Maybe that's him indeed.

 

I've only seen his 'Rays' sig.
I have a US Columbia House Club Genesis-Invisible Touch with SL, regular retail has Ludwig's sig.
Staff being UK I don't think would make sense unless they were importing his stamper/lacquers.

 

Yes, it is translucent (referring to The River CBS Special Products pressing).