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Vintage Vinyl

Mix in some Bob Marley.

She was more like a beauty queen from a movie scene!

Old-skool Michael Jackson

If you're into mixing then you know how expensive it is to buy the latest vinyl releases. Records can cost anywhere from about $10 to $30 US or even more for UK imports. Those are usually the best records too. Buying records can put a big dent in your allowance - fast. I guess that's why DJs say they're addicted to "black crack" a.k.a. buying records.

Records don't have to be new to be good. In fact some of the coolest grooves are from the '60s, '70s and '80s. Have you checked to see what records your parents have collecting cobwebs in the attic? Don't just assume they wouldn't have anything cool - you might be surprised.

If you don't find any retro grooves at home, try hitting a second hand CD store that carries vinyl too. Yes, they do still exist! You can also try swap meets, garage sales and thrift shops and you'll probably walk out with a huge stack of records for a really good deal. Most places sell records between $1 and $10 US.

Vintage Picks:

Look for old jazz records like those of Charlie Parker or Ella Fitzgerald. Take it home, put in on, speed up your turntable and put one of your favorite drum 'n bass records on your other turntable for an acid jazz feel. I think you'll like what you hear!

Some of the best funk music came out of the '60s and '70s. Just look at how many artists and DJs are mixing and sampling these gems. Fat Boy Slim and the Beastie Boys have sampled a lot of '70s funk classics. How about some James Brown? So find some groovy funk for your first deck and throw a great techno record on the other deck.

Another style to try is lounge music. Lounge uses the sounds of cha-cha beats, bongo drums and space-age organs. If you aren't familiar with lounge music just ask your local record store clerk about it. Artists like Burt Baccarach (check out the Austin Powers soundtrack) played this casual "lounging" style music in the swingin' '60s. Give it a spin.

Or how about mixin' in some Bob Marley or puttin' your grooves to Michael Jackson's Billie Jean. It's up to you where you want to take your mixes -the possibilities are endless. Just make sure that you clean the records before use because you don't want to muck up your needle or turn table. Take a soft cloth and follow the grooves on the vinyl or use a record brush and some record cleaner. So instead of spending all your hard-earned allowance on expensive new stuff - take a dive into the vintage vault.