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John Mayall

U.S.A. Union

White Label Test Pressing

This type of pressing are the earliest and cleanest pressing of an album.

Produced and Arranged by

John Mayall

with

Harvey Mandell

Larry Taylor

Sugarcane Harris

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Artist Information

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USA Union is a 1970 album by blues musician John Mayall, featuring Harvey Mandel on guitar, Larry Taylor on bass and Don "Sugarcane" Harris on violin. The album was recorded on July 27 & 28th, 1970 at Larrabee Studios in LA and released by Polydor later in the same year.

At the end of the sixties John Mayall was residing in Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles, California and had developed connections with local musicians, befriending Harvey Mandel and Larry Taylor, who had both just departed Canned Heat. Taylor had appeared on one track of Mayall's previous album, Empty Rooms, the only studio recordings of his "Turning Point" band, and stayed on to replace Stephen Thompson (with whom he duetted on "To a Princess"); Mandel essentially replaced acoustic guitar specialist Jon Mark, and electric violinist Harris replaced saxophonist Johnny Almond. In the USA Union liner notes, Mayall noted that, after the Turning Point band broke up, he'd played a British music festival with an all-star lineup and then needed to form a new band swiftly when Polydor Records pressed him for a new album.

With his new all-American line up, Mayall pursued the jazzy blues experiment documented on his live album The Turning Point. This unusual format (electric guitars by Mayall and Mandel, Mayall playing piano and harmonica as well, Harris's electric violin, Taylor's acoustic and electric bass, and no drums) the band created a unique sound and recorded this series of songs mostly chronicling Mayall's then-romance with Nancy Throckmorton (a theme he first visited on Empty Rooms), who provided some photography for the album jacket. "Nature's Disappearing," the album's opening song, dealt with environmental issues, the only song on the album that didn't address Mayall's romance. On tour the band was joined by drummer Paul Lagos from Kaleidoscope[citation needed]. Jazz critic Leonard Feather wrote liner notes for the back of the album; inside the gatefold jacket, Mayall gave advice on preserving nature.

The USA Union lineup would appear as some of the core of Mayall's Back to the Roots set, which featured several notable Mayall alumni including Eric Clapton, John McVie, Mick Taylor, Stephen Thompson and previous drummers Keef Hartley and Aynsley Dunbar. Mayall would keep the drumless format for just one more album, Memories, where Jerry McGee replaced Harvey Mandel as guitarist.

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Record Information

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Original Thick Heavy Vinyl

Stored In Heavy Plastic Outer Sleeve Since Purchase

Official Release Information

Label: Blue Thumb BTS12

Released: 1970

Format:  12" vinyl LP (album), 33 1/3 RPM

Disc Condition

Near Mint

Visual Inspection

No visable flaws -  no evidence of play

Cover Condition

Very good

Visual Inspection 

What can you say about a plain white cover with a list of songs typed on the back of a radio staions stationary. Some soiling on white background but intact  with no split seams.

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A Brief Discussion On Condition

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Sealed albums are in many cases a later pressing bought in some bargain bin. Not always but quite frequently. Rarely did the first pressing make it to the bargain bin unless the record was a flop. Back in the day every record distributor had a sealing machine and would reseal albums. These would end up in the bargain bins. That is why you see the stretching on the corners of many of them offered on eBay. Unless you plan on leaving the album sealed and reselling it, you are better off with a true Near Mint to Mint pressing from a reputable record dealer. You know what you get.

 All of these claims regarding complicated record cleaning systems mean you are getting records that have not had the care they should have had. If the record was cared for properly it won't need these complicated cleanings! A wipe with a Parastat or Discwasher with a few drops of cleaning solution will remove any soiling that is not from abuse.

A properly cared for album (NM or M) should look as close as possible to the record that came out when it was first opened.

Many were never played!

I rate rather conservatively but work closely with Goldmine standards. My Near Mint ratings are generally what everybody else rates as Mint or Brand New.

Shipment Information

All records are carefully packaged and shipped in heavy duty commercial grade #200 corrugated Record shipping boxes!

International Buyers Welcome

 Buyer Instructions

Payments:    

All payments are expected within 10 days. All payments must be received in US funds. Preferred payment method is Paypal.

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