Vinyl's Final Solution-

Two of the last eight companies making vinyl records in the UK ceased trading this week, suggesting the long term future for 12 inch records looks increasingly bleak.

London based companies Vinyl Magic and Alpha Magic who specialised in drum &
bass and hardcore "collapsed into receivership" (because of internet downloading, the Standard said, though their demise is also likely to be tied into the increasing number of professional DJs ditching vinyl for CDs or MP3 mixing.

Pete Tong admitted this week that CDs are now comprising 85% of his DJ sets, while progressive house hero Sasha suggested this week that digital mixing could reinvigorate mainstream club culture.

"The idea of going to watch a DJ spinning two pieces of vinyl with a mixer is losing its shine, people are looking for something more," he told the Independent.

"We've had 15 years of this dance culture, it needs something that is really going to put the wow factor around the DJ booth."

Sasha continued his 15 year time-for-change theme in an interview with the BBC this week, suggesting clubbers are becoming more "open-minded".

"It's interesting to see what Manumission are doing in their main room, putting on bands like Electric 6 and Franz Ferdinand in there rather than the big trance DJs," said Sasha, "it's cool, it's evolving." Tags