The last time I scratched vinyl was when I dropped the needle on my sister’s Kids From Fame album.

That was back when a DJ was someone who played Our Tune on the radio, or wore a shiny jacket and knew the moves to Agadoo.

Today, it’s all about the scratching. Influenced by Eighties New York hip hop stars like Grandmaster Flash, the ‘turntablist’ DJ scene is massive.

Bradford music initiative Waxworks provides training in DJ skills, vocal recording, music production and design. Led by Ed Williams, Nick Merrick and Gaz Kitcher – alias Mista Ed, DJ Camaro and drum and bass star Kitcha – and partly funded by Bradford Council, Waxworks has a fully-equipped studio in Manningham.

Everyone leaves with a CD of their work, and the team holds regular Mic Matters, open mic sessions for urban acts, and helps aspiring DJs and rappers get started.

This week the Waxworks crew performed at the launch of Bradford Council’s b someone campaign, which aims to boost youth skills and educational achievement.

With programmes tailored for organisations like Bradford Youth Offending Team, Waxworks builds skills, confidence and self-esteem. But anyone can have a go, from teenage rappers to grown-ups like me.

In a feeble attempt to ‘get down with the kids’, I Google some DJ lingo and end up with a headache. I still can’t tell a ‘Hydrophonic scratch’ from a ‘crossfader’.

In the studio, there’s a bewildering array of equipment, from turntables and keyboards to digital music consoles. The future of scratching lies in the memory stick.

“Vinyl is dying out,” says Nick. “I’m gutted. You spend years building a record collection and when you get your hands on something you’ve been after, you’re elated. Putting in a memory stick and downloading music isn’t the same. Even CD turntables are becoming a thing of the past.”

But, adds Ed, the digital age offers new creative opportunities. “Kids are drawn to the mixing desk. Making music here is IT-based; creating a CD is like making a Word document, it helps with academic skills,” he says, playing some dance music, created in an hour, that wouldn’t sound out of place in a club. I can hear layers of beats and sound sample vocals.

“It’s all about layers – copying and pasting sound,” says Ed. “This is all top-range equipment, like you’d find in a London recording studio. Kids would never normally get to use it.”

Aged 11, Ed started on an old hi-fi turntable, practising for hours in his bedroom. He and Nick met on the DJ circuit and set up Waxworks to provide opportunities they didn’t have.

“There’s a sense of community and respect here. We have membership cards and Waxworks T-shirts,” says Ed. “Rival MCs with a gang culture background come and settle scores on the mic.” One success story is 21-year-old rapper Dorzi, a former gang member now signed by record label Rumour.

“There’s a lot of talent out there. A group of lads from here are working the circuit and delivering their own workshops,” says Nick. “I was a scally; I would’ve benefited from this. There’s a real feeling of achievement in creating music. Between us we have the skills to help with production, artwork and promotion of CDs.”

Adds Ed: “We don’t turn everyone into stars, but we see people develop in confidence.”

Scratching records to make music remains a DJ’s staple skill. Ed shows me a turntable with a ‘scratch disc’ on the right and another record, playing a basic ‘tune’, on the left.

The scratch disc is used to create the DJ’s sound. I’m lefthanded but have to scratch with my right hand so I can operate the mixer, controlling the volume, in the centre of the turntable at the same time. Call me ‘MC Ambidextrous’.

Moving the record one way, then another, creates that scratching dance-scene sound. As someone who grew up listening to vinyl, checking the needle for dust, it seems wrong to deliberately scratch a record.

I move it tentatively, with no co-ordination, feeling very uncool. “It’s like patting your head and rubbing your tummy at the same time,” says Nick.

Gradually I get into it, moving it backwards for short spurts to create more energy. The beat feels primal, rising inside me.

“You can freestyle using different scratching techniques and rhythms, ” says Ed. When he and Nick take to the turntable it looks effortless. It becomes a musical instrument.

For rappers, there’s a vocal booth – a converted broom cupboard covered in acoustic tiling. “Rapping is a big thing with kids, Eminem is a huge influence,” says Ed. “Most kids here have low self esteem. Vocalising issues is self-therapy.”

This summer, Waxworks received £28,545 from a £2.3 million Home Office pot aimed at tackling knife culture. The cash will be spread over three years but more funding is needed for it to continue.

“We’re a small social enterprise. We started out with European funding and Bradford Council has been a big support,” says Nick.

“We’d like more local organisations and businesses to get involved, through sponsorship. Few schools use us, which is a shame as what we do really engages kids in a learning process.”

Later on, in the car, I play a Waxworks DJ crew CD, recorded with the Threads Orchestra. It sounds amazing.

Now, is that a ‘scribble’ or an ‘orbit’ scratch they’re using..?

  • For more about Waxworks, ring (01274) 747598 or 07933 757125, or e-mail waxworks_music@hotmail.com.