The internet is changing the face of everything we do in our lives. With video technology being on just about every mobile on the planet, the spiralling increase in Youtube usage and the unstoppable scene-rotting cancer of P2P downloads (RIP skratchshop, Needlework Records etc etc), putting out quality material is proving to be less of a draw than it used to be with no guarantees of financial success. So let's just put all this quality material out for free and hang the profits OK? Well that's what's happening with Cuts of Culture II. Not only is it free, but it's all online in July - podcast stylee.

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In a time before the domination of Shure 447s as the needle of choice for discerning DJs, there was the legendary Stanton 500 cart. And you know what? There still is the Stanton 500 cart as well as few others that we seem to have forgotten about over the years. Stanton will now be putting their revitalised needle range very firmly under your nose this year with an ad campaign designed to give you more choice than perhaps you thought you had.

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...have been informed via email and Sally @ DMC will confirm with you as well. Better luck next time to those who missed out (there will be another comp for the world finals) and have great time next Friday to those who won!

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A few years ago, Ricci Rucker mused, pondered and padded out an idea for a new musical instrument based around a turntable. After publishing it on his own Asisphonics site, this idea was pushed through the Vestax labs and with the help of a few other gifted DJs - including the UK's 2 times world DJ champion DJ Woody - out the other end came the Vestax Controller One musical interface.

It's been seen many times before in show photos and also in one demo from Spain's DJ Loomy but what I have for you here is the first showing from one of the people who helped make the Controller One what it is today. People I give you DJ Woody's first outing on the Controller One.

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Speaking as a fossil of the B-Boy scene, I've carried more rolls of lino and hunted for more cardboard than I care to remember. Sadly, my old body isn't quite as ready to be bent out of shape (especially this week - long story) as much as it used to but should you wish to find out about the past, present and future of B-Boying - and you're in the UK - get yourself to the B-Boys For Life event this coming Saturday in Birmingham. And if I could just stress this part - IT'S FREE. I repeat - FREE. Big up the Punch Records people again!

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When French scratch demon DJ Troubl isn't destroying fools with next level deck skills, he's hand crafting thumping euro turntablist battle wax to destroy the aforementioned fools. Troubl's latest offering - Brik A Breaks - continues the new high tech scratch sound coming from France.

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COMPETITION: Win DMC UK Final Tickets and DVDs



Around the UK, battlers gathered to give each other the scratch beatdown and the victors will soon converge on London to see who will be this year's UK DMC champion. The heats are still happening so I don't know who's in the final just yet. But I decided not to enter this year to allow the young 'uns a chance but when they do finally get together, 5 lucky people will be able to get in for free - and get a copy of the UK Finals DVD when it comes out.

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Finally - I have official news on the state of play of the often seen, sometimes touched but never released Vestax Controller One - including the price.

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Cortex continue to pile the pressure on the competition with the first entirely digital tabletop deck with the official announcement of its rather cool looking HDTT-5000 unit. Shamelessly ripping the Pioneer platter, the HDTTs can be linked together to share one USB device and has a serious arsenal of digital tools.

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Purveyors of fine disco gear Cortex wish to announce the arrival of their latest creation - the dMIX-300 all in one USB thingy. It plays modern pop music and stuff in the new trendy style of no discs and apparently you can even "scratch". Basically Dave Doubledecks can now cram his iPod full of Cher, Hot Chocolate and Tom Jones and do weddings without recourse to old fashioned 7" vinyl.

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We're in a world where music more often exists as a string of ones and zeros on your hard disk, thus the need for physical medium is largely at an end. I know I know - we love vinyl or at least some sort of disk to fondle. But feel that? It's the wind of change and there's a whole new way to play music that we've been wanting for a couple of years - music straight off a hard disk. While not being the first to market, Numark's D² Director is the first product through the skratchworx review machine.

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As I sometimes brag, I get sent stuff in the post. More often that I like bills, but sometimes it's vinyl or CDs. Almost all of it I know is coming but when this package arrived from Canada, I was perplexed to say the least. But I'm mighty glad that Skratch Bastid did take the time out to send me his latest mixtape - Get Up - for it is a cracker indeed.

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News is thin on the ground in DJ land, so it's even worse to report that one of the lead developers of new DJ software Deckadance - Arguru aka Juan Antonio Arguelles - died in a car accident last week.

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We've all been here before - you turn up somewhere, ready to rock an expectant crowd and somehow the only thing stopping you from doing this is the stupid adaptor you left on your kitchen table at home. Or perhaps you're wondering around PLASA and the head of some big corporation bothers you for a cable and never returns it... oh that's probably just me. Well here in my hands is just the thing you need to cover almost all missing cable related emergencies - the Sport Billy bag of the DJ world. Check out the Electronic Musicians's Emergency Adaptor bag.

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