Mike’s DJing next Sunday. Check it out and read our feature on him

Hey, this event is FREE! Shake your moneymaker as three of Austin’s finest DJs spin impeccably danceable garage, psych, mod, frat rock, freakbeat and soul sounds of the ’60s. This monthly event will also feature The Ready Steady Go-Gos, shimmying and shaking the night away along with screenings of vintage films. Retro mod attire is strongly encouraged, as well as, of course, your dancing shoes.

Who:
DJs Mike Hooker and Scotty Upton, with special guest DJ Sue Purr (Fuzz Club)

Where:
Rio Rita
1308 East 6th Street
Austin, TX 78702

Meet DJ #4, Bennett Leader. ”I was told there was going to be green Skittles,” Bennett says as we start the interview. I can’t tell if he’s mocking the attitude of a fawned-over celebrity or just joking around with an old college friend, but it’s probably a bit of both, knowing him. In some ways you can credit Bennett for Austin Vinyl even existing, as he was the only friend I had in Austin and let me stay on his couch his first night here. Thanks, Burp. Aside from being an old friend, it’s been awesome to see Bennett develop his style from two ACLs ago when he was just getting his feet wet, to now when he’s got it on lockdown with his “topless, all-embracing Disco” self.

Austin Vinyl: What DJ names do you go by? List all:

Bennett Leader: DJ Burp Reynolds, fancy feast

A.V: If any DJ could come to Austin tonight for a free show, who would you want it to be?

B.L: Morgan Geist

A.V: If there was a fire in your house and you could only save one album on vinyl, what would it be? (more…)

Meet DJ #3, James Jones. He’s a sound engineer, original recording artist, DJ and a jack of all trades. When he was 15, he bought his first pair of turntables and a mixer and all he mixed was hip-hop and underground and soon started buying as much vinyl as he could online. Now the man who goes by such aliases as Juice Boxx, Juicy J, James Bear, Hank and Tambo-Reverb brings his “Freaky, style-y, party vavy” action to you at 122 BPM. But if you’re a drunk-ass girl begging for Lil’ Wayne, he might hop the next spaceship for Outer Space to open for Outkast.

Austin Vinyl: What nicknames do you go by? List all.

James Jones: Jim, Jimmy, Jammy, Juice, Juice Boxx, Juicy J, James Bear, Hank, Tambo-Reverb

A.V: If any DJ could come to Austin tonight for a free show, who would you want it to be?

J.J: Thomas Banghalter, duh

A.V: If there was a fire in your house and you could only save one album on vinyl, what would it be? (more…)

Meet DJ #2, Derek Brown. He grew up in Midland and got into vinyl when he “bought a shit ton from my dad’s friend.” He and James also go under the moniker Businessman DJs, but when you get to know them, they’re more business casual kind of guys. I don’t know him well enough to call him “D Dekka Tha P Wrecka,” but when he’s DJing a party I’m at with his “Funky, sexed-up party music” style, I’ll get down with the get down.

Austin Vinyl: What nicknames do you go by? List all.

Derek Brown: Some Man, The Plaid Warrior, D Dekka Tha P Wrecka

A.V: If any DJ could come to Austin tonight for a free show, who would you want it to be?

D.B: David Mancuso

A.V: If there was a fire in your house and you could only save one album on vinyl, what would it be? (more…)

Rhythm Sektion is evolving. What started as a blog and idea for a record label is now a five-pronged creative juggernaut set to take Austin by storm. Well, that’s the plan anyway.

Friday February 26th is the big Web site launch party for Rhythm Sektion at Ghost Room. Doors open at 8, and Austin bands Oh No Oh My, Corto Maltese and Watch Out For Rockets are performing, with “dead air being filled in by our own Rhythm Sektion DJs.” It’s $10 to get in, but RSVP now and get a free t-shirt.

Bennett Leader, Derek Brown, James Jones and Samantha Garrett (from left to right) are Rhythym Sektion. Four multi-talented Austin DJ’s who now offer booking, design, promotion and a recording studio in addition to the blog. So, if you wanted to record an album, have the sleeve designed, get a gig, have it promoted and then written up on a blog, they could pretty much do that all for you in one master stroke. (more…)

Meet Samantha Garrett, DJ #1. She loves the tactile feeling of spinning vinyl ever since she got James Murphy’s Fabric Life and decided she needed to get a turntable and dedicate her life to spinning. Don’t even think about asking her to play Black Eyed Peas while she’s in a groove. You might as well just call her “Samantha Gaywad” if you’re gonna do that…

Austin Vinyl: What nicknames do you go by?

Samantha Garrett: Sam&tha, Cap’n Tits, Ampersam, some boys used to call me “Samantha Gaywad” when i was young, I’d really love to start using that

A.V: If any DJ could come to Austin tonight for a free show, who would you want it to be?

S.G: Something classic like Frankie Knuckles, or Craig Smith aka The Revenge

A.V: If there was a fire in your house and you could only save one album on vinyl, what would it be? (more…)

Don’t come in here, I’m naked!

Well, now that you’re here, hi. This section of the site will be reserved for all DJ’s in Austin who spin vinyl. We’ll go digging for records with them, sit with them as they work on their mixes and see how it all plays out at their gigs. We have interviews scheduled with the following DJ’s, but we’re looking for more. If you know anyone spinning vinyl in Austin, let us know: Austinvinyl (at) gmail (dot) com