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 Iran and from Cairo.
But I was there.
I was there in 1970.
I was there at the first Onyeabor show in Enugu.
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 1976.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Bologna and Beijing.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Paris 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 1976 at the first Soft Boys practice in a loft in Cambridge.
I was working on the organ sounds with much patience.
I was there when Nile Rodgers 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 Jesper Dahlback to the rock kids.
I played it at Cafe Wha.
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 Strawberry Alarm Clock. All the underground hits.
All Freddie Wadling tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Coldchain, Rosco P., Featuring Pusha T from Clipse & Boo-Bonic record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal punk hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '50s cut and another box set from the '90s.
I hear you're buying a synthesizer and a guitar and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Blake Baxter record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your spring reverb and bought a clarinet.
I hear that you and your band have sold your clarinet and bought a spring reverb.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Justin Hinds & The Dominoes,
Soul Sonic Force,
The Grass Roots,
Andrew Hill,
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo,
Leonard Cohen,
Barclay James Harvest,
Reuben Wilson,
Scion,
Saccharine Trust,
Kango’s Stein Massive,
Deakin,
The Divine Comedy,
Babytalk,
The Angels of Light,
the Association,
Roxy Music,
John Lydon,
Vaughan Mason & Crew,
Gang Starr,
Masta Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane,
Harry Pussy,
The Leaves,
Radiohead,
Camberwell Now,
Camouflage,
Quando Quango,
Rowland S Howard / Lydia Lunch,
Agent Orange,
Angels of Light & Akron/Family,
Circle Jerks,
Brass Construction,
Lafayette Afro Rock Band,
Fugazi,
Blake Baxter,
Black Bananas,
Sight & Sound,
EPMD,
Sun Ra,
Blancmange,
Desert Stars,
Make Up,
Pharaoh Sanders and the Fire Engines,
Q65,
Nirvana,
Judy Mowatt,
Lou Reed,
Metal Thangz,
LL Cool J,
Bad Manners,
Siglo XX,
Kings Of Tomorrow,
Joe Smooth,
The Gories,
New Age Steppers,
Spandau Ballet,
Groovy Waters,
Idris Muhammad,
Don Cherry,
Bang on a Can All-Stars,
Half Japanese,
Moss Icon, Moss Icon, Moss Icon, Moss Icon.
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.