Poor old “Lucy Locket”. In the world of the 19th Century nursery rhyme, she was a penniless little girl who was made fun of by the privileged elite around her. Then, in the 1990s, she became quite the opposite: for young visitors to Toys R Us, she was the owner of a pretty-in-pink “dream cottage” – and for the Polly Pocket company owners a real money-maker, I would imagine.
Re-appropriating the Locket name for her DJ work, Lucy Scarisbrick is at once rewriting the nursery rhyme Lucy’s poverty, and the ultra-feminine and consumer-focussed nature of the later Lucy. The one you’ll find in Leeds is blessed with a different kind of riches (one that really matters): vinyl records. We asked her about her about some of the highlights of her collection.
First record ever bought?
Bought for a quid from Boots on Berwick High Street. I could reply to half of your questions with this one, easily.
Best floorfiller?
It’s so dependable I could use it as a guarantor for my mortgage. I keep wondering if the magic is going to run out and even at one stage ‘retired’ it because I thought people would be bored of hearing me play it but this is absolutely not the case. I’ve played it out three times in the last 15 months and each time it’s imprinted on my memory because of the reaction and the energy it creates.
Best crate dig?
I had an amazing dig in Vinyl Tap in Huddersfield in February 2016. I spent about 6 hours in the bargain basement, went out for fish and chips mid-dig, came out with 80 records and then won 5 games of pool in a row. It was a good day. Didn’t see the Goodyear Blimp though.
Sleaziest record?
I’m choosing to interpret sleaze in the traditional disco sense of morning music as played after a night of Hi NRG at the Saint. In which case, it is most certainly Gregg Diamond Bionic Boogie – Hot Butterfly as played in Jim Burgess’ set at the closing party, where you can hear his heart breaking during the mix. It’s also one of my top three Luther Vandross moments.
Best warehouse/stadium filler?
Erm, I wouldn’t class this as my field of expertise at all. Let’s go with It’s Raining Men by the Weather Girls.
Best chill-out record?
It’s the first song on the DJ Harvey Late Night Sessions mix and I used to listen to this loads post clubbing when I first moved to Leeds. It’s very floaty.
Most nostalgic record?
There are so many I could reply with here that remind me of a specific time, place and point in my life and the one I settle on will change with my mood but today I’ll go with Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill. I associate nostalgia with a feeling of security and an absence of cynicism and this song reminds me of being at home after school with my sister.
Most valuable record?
I reckon it’s The Terrell Company – Dancin’ Wheels. I first heard it on Rahaan’s disco love mix and it relates to a time when I started to dig a bit deeper, expanded my musical horizons and met some top disco nerds.
Weirdest record?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gohDAo04aE
Not the record in its entirety, but there is a weird outro on Destination – My Number One Request where it switches into the Addams Family theme tune. It’s really rather unnecessary and causes me loads of anxiety whenever I play it that I’m not going to mix it out in time, so I always end up cutting the song short and mixing out during the break. Or maybe it’s the Howard’s Way theme tune, but I’m pretty sure some of my balearic-loving chums would challenge that.
The last record you bought?
The Dimitri from Paris instrumental of Love Committee – Law and Order.
A record you wish you could own?
There’s one, but I made a pact with Paul Beckett that we wouldn’t talk about it on the internet.
See Lucy play alongside Kon at Brotherhood at the end of this month.