HELP! - Bright ideas needed - (mp3 DJing - ugh)

[Khazul]

OK - so some mates are thinking of throwing a big new year party and muttering about me DJing for a large part of it - something I havnt done for years, apart when pissed and on other peoples rigs - seems some idiots actually like my inane frigging around.

So these days I have stacks of CDs, mp3s etc, a computer and no DJIng rig whatsoever these days, nor any of my old vinyl.

Any bright ideas for a decent computer based system that can run of MP3s, allows for fine speed control (for matching) and includes or works with a useful hardware controller for the job?

I have no current plans to buy a CD/MP3 rig, though hiring my be an option - Pioneer DJM600/800+CD decks rig for eg as Im vaguely familar with them.

But anyway - Ive been think for a while about options for getting back into mix cds, remixing etc so wondering if there exists these day a viable software approach for MP3s. My #1 need is good hand on cntrol and very fine pitch control - I like to do long transitions sometimes and dont like to have to mess around with pitch all the time once im synced (as you do with most CD decks with their crappy jumpy pitch controls).

Oh yeh - justy to throw another spanner inthe works - would be nice if such software could output a midi beat clock via a midi interface - might make some use of the MD and TI on the night as I doing a couple of tracks for it and may decide to do parts of them live and otherwise add a bit of MD looping abuse.

All ears for ideas

ta all (god help me...)