DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist

DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist influenced an entire generation of turntablists — Shadow with his critically acclaimed 1996 debut, ...Endtroducing, built entirely from other records, and Cut by constructing beats for Jurassic 5. The two Californians joined forces in 1998 for Brainfreeze, an hour-long mix that served as a response to Double Dee and Steinski's breakthrough series, "The Lessons." Instead of using studio equipment to compose their complex set of rare funk and soul breaks, Shadow and Cut did it live with four turntables, spinning 45s. A few years later, the two returned with Product Placement, an album and tour that revolved around dated public-service announcements and retro advertising. This time around, the DJs are upping the ante with The Hard Sell (both an album and accompanying tour), the third chapter in their quest to manhandle every seven-inch piece of vinyl on the planet, no matter how rare — and with twice as many decks.