Infinitely Losing My Edge
Yeah, I'm losing my edge.
I'm losing my edge.
The kids are coming up from behind.
I'm losing my edge.
I'm losing my edge to the kids from Rwanda and from Accra.
But I was there.
I was there in 1983.
I was there at the first Bronski Beat show in Brixton.
I'm losing my edge.
I'm losing my edge to the kids whose footsteps I hear when they get on the decks.
I'm losing my edge to the internet seekers who can tell me every member of every good group from 1960 to 1970.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in London and Philadelphia.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Milan kids in little jackets and borrowed nostalgia for the unremembered nineties.
I'm losing my edge.
I'm losing my edge.
I can hear the footsteps every night on the decks.
But I was there.
I was there in 1979 at the first Second Layer practice in a loft in South London.
I was working on the linndrum sounds with much patience.
I was there when Lou Reed started up his first band.
I told him, "Don't do it that way. You'll never make a dime."
I was there.
I was the first guy playing Beasts of Bourbon to the grime kids.
I played it at the Roxy.
Everybody thought I was crazy.
We all know.
I was there.
I was there.
I've never been wrong.
But I'm losing my edge to better-looking people with better ideas and more talent.
And they're actually really, really nice.
I'm losing my edge.
I heard you have a compilation of every good song ever done by anybody.
Every great song by Angry Samoans. All the underground hits.
All Inner City tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Sun Ra Arkestra record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal disco hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '80s cut and another box set from the '70s.
I hear you're buying a snare and a linndrum and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a The Gladiators record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your mellotron and bought a chamberlin.
I hear that you and your band have sold your chamberlin and bought a mellotron.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
The Cowsills,
Rekid,
The Gun Club,
Banda Bassotti,
The United States of America,
The Grass Roots,
Godley & Creme,
Derrick May,
Archie Shepp,
Intrusion,
Mars,
Ralphi Rosario,
Ken Boothe,
Minny Pops,
Jandek,
Vaughan Mason & Crew,
Lou Reed & Metallica,
Camron Feat. Jay Z And Juelz,
The Happenings,
Circle Jerks,
Electric Prunes,
Kerri Chandler,
James Chance & The Contortions,
Animal Collective,
The Evens,
Barry Ungar,
Stetsasonic,
Crime,
the Sonics,
Soulsonic Force,
Chris Corsano,
Eric Dolphy,
Livin' Joy,
Blake Baxter,
Whodini,
Michelle Simonal,
Rufus Thomas,
Guru Guru,
Juan Atkins,
Silicon Teens,
Bang On A Can,
Althea and Donna,
Hot Snakes,
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo,
The Doors,
The Fuzztones,
Al Stewart,
Glambeats Corp.,
Altered Images,
Glenn Branca,
Ultimate Spinach,
Rites of Spring,
Mr. Review,
Interpol,
Scion,
Neil Young & Crazy Horse,
Amon Düül,
X-101,
Heavy D & The Boyz,
Mandrill,
Henry Cow,
The Residents,
Andrew Hill,
Y Pants, Y Pants, Y Pants, Y Pants.
You don't know what you really want.
You don't know what you really want.
You don't know what you really want.
You don't know what you really want.
You don't know what you really want.
You don't know what you really want.
You don't know what you really want.
You don't know what you really want.
You don't know what you really want.
You don't know what you really want.
You don't know what you really want.
You don't know what you really want.
You don't know what you really want.
You don't know what you really want.
You don't know what you really want.