Vinyl DJ Experience – music from vinyl – a sensational, classic sound.

Vinyl DJ! – There are three things in life I cannot live without: coffee, cats, and music, particularly vinyl! Being a DJ is one of the most cherished experiences in my life.

I’ve resumed my favourite routines: Admiring my bookcase of vinyl. This recent experience with technology made me nostalgic and led me to wonder: wouldn’t it be nice to work with music without a computer? Back in the disco era – years ago – I relied solely on vinyl and cassette tapes. Bliss!

I miss the simplicity of those days, though not lugging heavy boxes of singles. Thinking about this, and reflecting on my wide vinyl collection, I wondered: why not do it again? What’s stopping me?

To answer that, I searched online for double-decks and found many old second-hand options I’d always wanted. But I questioned the safety of decades-old turntables, the potential need for testing, and the availability of replacement parts. With those uncertainties, I chose to buy new equipment. My nerves thanked me, but my credit card didn’t. I really need to return to the Vinyl DJ experience.

After weeks of laptop frustration, I decided to upgrade. Four weeks later, I have new turntables and a mixer. Luckily, I already have all the speakers and amplifiers I need!

With my new setup ready, I spent a couple of days exploring every second-hand shop and record store in Swansea and Llanelli. Soon, I plan to expand my search – this Thursday, I’m heading to Bridgend and Cardiff to repeat the hunt. I can’t wait to spend hours in Cardiff market, sifting through endless stacks of 7-inch singles to regain my vinyl DJ experience.

When we transitioned from vinyl to CD, I immediately noticed a change: the sound became very clinical, and I missed the richer experience of vinyl. This transition also meant buying songs all over again – many tracks didn’t transfer to the new medium.

Eventually, with digital formats emerging, I realised I would need to repurchase everything once more -this time converting from CDs to MP3s – meaning I bought my music three times over across different eras. It’s not ideal. I remember when, years ago, I could just sit, relax, and enjoy an album.

Listening to a full vinyl album is a multi-sensory experience – good therapy, really. With vinyl, you see the album art, hold the covers, and hear the music. Sometimes, you even pick up unique smells from old record stores. This richness is missing from modern music formats, which often feel more clinical.

When I did discos, one pair of Bose speakers gave a full range of music. With CDs, I needed two pairs for the same depth. After vinyl discos, wooden boxes absorbed the smells of beer and tobacco, and old record stores have that scent too.

Playing vinyl truly engages the senses, unlike digital music.

A unique aspect of vinyl is its formats: 12-inch singles usually run at 45 rpm, while 12-inch albums run at 33 1/3 rpm, often confusing DJs. EPs and 12-inch singles add to the mix. The main issue is switching speeds: 12-inch albums are 33 1/3 rpm, 7-inch singles are 45 rpm, and 7-inch EPs are 33 1/3 rpm. There are also 10-inch singles.

The game changer was Boney M’s “Night Flight to Venus”. THE album, with all the tracks running continuously until the end! You could take a break while it played, a completely new option then.

This brings me to my new crew, who had never seen vinyl before. Anyone under 30 might not know what they’re missing. Feeling a sense of responsibility, I’m now passing the torch by launching the Vinyl DJ Experience Roadshow with my digital set. Many encountered vinyl through magazine gifts or promos, and picture discs exist as well.

Singles once had small ridges around the label so you could stack several on the player; each would drop down when the last finished. The ridges kept records from slipping. Over time, singles switched to a different ring that lacked these ridges, changing how playlists worked.

Not only were they round, but sometimes they came in all sorts of weird shapes and sizes! A detail that sometimes caught DJs off guard.

Looking back to the days when vinyl was dominant, the sound was far richer. At first, I used a valve amplifier, experiencing a unique warmth not found in modern systems. Over time, as technology evolved, I progressed from transistors to digital amplifiers. But today’s music, in the digital era, is often heavily compressed. These advances bring gains, but at the cost of trade-offs.

To demonstrate the difference, I’ll play Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” on both laptop and vinyl. The difference is astounding – even the crackling adds character and memories. Since my late teens, music has been my companion through hard and happy times. With this in mind, I feel it’s time to pass on the torch.

I feel the current generation is missing out on what vinyl music evokes. Engaging with vinyl offers a unique sensory experience not found in newer formats.

Certain songs trigger memories – both good and bad, and this is especially true on vinyl. I’m positive that the Vinyl DJ Experience will be a good one. Nowadays, most just listen in the car. Some songs recall tough times, others joy. Scorpions’ “Wind of Change” recalls the fall of the Berlin Wall, and Neil Armstrong’s moon landing had its own songs. For me, Public Service Broadcasting – “The Other Side” reminds me of this.

It’s current, as we watch the return of Artemis II and her crew to the moon and back. This time, we’re watching in crystal-clear colour, not on our fuzzy analogue black-and-white TV sets of yesteryear. Think of David Bowie’s “Life on Mars,” “Space Oddity,” and the “Major Tom” story.

I’ve been DJing for about 50 years, and until recently, the longest I had ever gone without a gig was two weeks. However, when COVID hit in 2020, I couldn’t gig for over 18 months – something I had been doing my whole life. We were forbidden. That was a major break from my usual schedule.

Okay, there was the weekly moment during the pandemic when we would stand outside or look out the window to give a nice big clap for the NHS and the bin men. We don’t do that anymore. We take these people for granted now.

During that period, I was lucky to have a good friend who took me out twice a week; together, we made supply runs for medical and first-aid supplies, travelling throughout Wales, particularly North Wales. That was my only real escape from the house during lockdown.

During lockdown, few new songs or films were made, so the charts stayed mostly the same. Certain tracks, especially Snow Patrol – “Run”, defined that time for me. There’s one more song I need to look up that truly encapsulates that period.

School proms were cancelled. One group of pupils missed their year six prom, and later missed another in year eleven. These milestones are important, and losing them had an impact.

When I returned to this course, we wore masks, and I was very nervous to DJ again after 18 months away.  Adele’s – “Easy on me” helped put things in perspective. Life-changing events often evoke strong memories. After leaving college, I couldn’t get a job – so I became a disc jockey, to my family’s displeasure. Yet DJing has paid my mortgage, kept food on the table, and, most important, cat food for the cats.

They never thought I’d still be doing this past my 30s. But here I am, 69 and still DJing, with help from my crew. I’ve always used trolleys, looked after my crew, and treated them as family. I must be doing something right.

Vinyl DJ Experience adventure begins!

Music has made my life richer. However, the shift to digital has left me feeling something is missing, so I’m excited to return to vinyl and revisit my roots. Many songs from the 60s, 70s, and 80s were originally recorded on vinyl. I hope you’ll join me on this adventure as I pass on my experience to the next generation.

So, the adventure begins. We are doing a test run and a photo shoot of all this. Every time I mention the Vinyl DJ Experience Roadshow, people seem interested. I sense a vinyl revival is coming. Many will experience vinyl for the first time, and I hope they enjoy it as much as I do. I believe it will enrich their lives.

Food, music is food for the soul, so I think their souls will be richer, even if their pockets are a bit poorer. In the end, you have only one life, so live it.

Thank you for reading about my new adventure. I hope I convinced you to partake in the vinyl experience, and it’ll give you wonderful memories, end of story.

By being a Vinyl DJ, I’m helping the environment. Rather than being dumped in a landfill, my precious vinyl collection is being reused and not adding to the landfill waste! Win, win!

Best wishes,

Martin

April 2026

My top five party tunes:

Abba – Dancing Queen

Snap – Rhythm is a dancer

Taylor Swift – Style

Bon Jovi – Livin’ on a Prayer

LMFAO – Party Rock Anthem

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