Precision engineering

July was a quiet month again on this blog. It coincided with a quiet month on the turntable too. This quiet period (at least in terms of playing vinyl) was initially prompted by my hi-fi set up which suddenly (again) developed a loud hum. Some sort of grounding issue with the turntable undoubtedly which was seemingly introduced when a dropped my record cleaner which just knocked against the cabinet. It was finally solved by sliding the turntable forward on its shelf by no more than one inch! Yes this could have nudged the ground wire back into the right position – but in trying to solve the problem I did grab that cable and the other connectors and gave them a good jiggle and that had made no difference. So, a mystery really. I don't dare touch the turntable's plinth now.

Soon after this I was shocked to find that Mrs Darce and our daughter had suddenly decided that our spare room was looking too much like a junk shop and had embarked on a major tidy up and a hatched plan to turn it back into a habitable room (a bedroom – which will be used as such once in a blue moon by my reckoning). This room has housed a significant part of my record collection for some years now. I was having palpitations.

I retreated into the garden to do a bit of pruning, wash the car, and contemplate the way forward.

Back in the house a couple of hours later and into the “dining room” (which is now almost exclusively now functioning as my main record room) I was confronted with this:

What you see is two 4x2 Ikea Expedits, only one of which had been in the dining room before I had beaten my retreat into the garden. Mrs Darce and our daughter had removed one of these from the spare room, and all the records, carried them downstairs and placed them on top of the other one! I was impressed. But apparently this is only a temporary measure whilst redecorating and construction takes place. Our daughter has measured up an alcove for shelves which can then be dedicated to records (and will result in more space than a 4x2 Expedit offers). The top Expedit will then either be removed , at least that is the plan as it stands. I think I have enough records around and about to fill the new shelves and most of this second Expedit. Granted, I could (should) pare down the collection so that it wouldn't be required but I'm thinking it looks OK in its new home. Or I even maybe able to get it back upstairs into the repurposed spare room as general shelving space – which I could very gradually (so that it isn't noticed) fill up with records again! :)

Following this the strange thing is, despite having more of my records immediately to hand, I have not been playing much in the last couple of weeks. Suddenly confronted with too much choice at my fingertips possibly, or maybe I am still in shock after the events I described above.

I might not have been playing many records but I have still been accumulating them. (Actually, I have been selling some too, so the net effect on my collection maybe zero).This, for example, is a stack of 45s I have bought, mostly on ebay, in the last few weeks some of which are still awaiting their first spin.

This 45 by The Precisions had its first spin on my turntable today. This is one of those records you just have to play again as soon as it has finished. The A side, Why Girl , is a good dancer, appreciated on the Northern scene I should think, but its the B side that does it for me. Why Girl was produced and arranged by Mike Terry, a giant on the scene in the Sixties, and someone has written Mike Terry on this record's sleeve to prove that point. On the other side of the sleeve they should also have written Dale Warren, because he was responsible for production and arrangement of the B Side – What I Want. If I see his name in the credits on a record I know it's that record I want - satisfaction will be guaranteed as far as I am concerned.

Dale Warren was a violinist and had classical training. Through most of the 60s and into the 70s he worked as an arranger at Motown and other Detroit labels, and then at Stax. Later in his career he returned to working as a classical violinist. This classical background can be heard in his arrangements which are often complex and dramatic, and make for a deep listen. I don't believe there is a compilation of his work as arranger and writer, but there should be.

The Precisions were one of many Detroit male vocal groups around at the time. The Drew label was created especially for them and remained true to that premise with no other artists receiving a release on the imprint. They went through a few personnel changes and I'm not sure but I think Billy Prince was the lead on the track here. They got their “big” hit with the follow up to this Drew release – If This I Love – which is still a big favourite in Northern circles.

I would go far as to say What I Want reaches all round perfection. Perfect arrangement, perfect length, perfect vocals; and its tempo - mid tempo verging on slow, and its melancholic, dark feel are perfect too.

Precision engineering! Featuring chief engineer Dale Warren!

The Precisions - What I Want 1967

PS: I understand there is a better mix of this track on (I think) a styrene issue of this 45 that has a different label design. But this one is good enough for me right now.