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 the UAE and from Spokane.
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 1967 to 1976.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Salvador and Lagos.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Cairo 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 Buzzcocks practice in a loft in Bolton.
I was working on the 808 sounds with much patience.
I was there when David Bowie 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 Basic Channel to the techno kids.
I played it at CBGB's.
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 Arab on Radar. All the underground hits.
All Red Lorry Yellow Lorry tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Rhythim Is Rhythim 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 '80s cut and another box set from the '90s.
I hear you're buying a rhodes and a clarinet 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 linndrum and bought a harpsichord.
I hear that you and your band have sold your harpsichord and bought a linndrum.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Archie Shepp,
Joensuu 1685,
Strawberry Alarm Clock,
Jerry Gold Smith,
Matthew Halsall,
Rapeman,
Young Marble Giants,
Scientists,
World's Most,
Minnie Riperton,
The Buckinghams,
Major Organ And The Adding Machine,
The Cure,
Franke,
The Martian,
The Slackers,
Circle Jerks,
Scan 7,
Hardrive,
Unrelated Segments,
Marmalade,
Stockholm Monsters,
the Fania All-Stars,
A Flock of Seagulls,
The Saints,
The Skatalites,
the Association,
Alphaville,
James Chance & The Contortions,
Depeche Mode,
Gian Franco Pienzio,
Maleditus Sound,
The Barracudas,
Eden Ahbez,
Fifty Foot Hose,
Au Pairs,
Rakim,
Richard Hell and the Voidoids,
Graham Central Station,
Selector Dub Narcotic,
Sällskapet,
Aloha Tigers,
Eddi Front,
Wings,
Lakeside,
The Pop Group,
Arthur Verocai,
Technova,
Lebanon Hanover,
E-Dancer,
The Sisters of Mercy,
Shoche,
Kevin Saunderson,
Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson,
Godley & Creme,
Sonny Sharrock,
DeepChord presents Echospace,
Fela Kuti,
Tropical Tobacco,
Flamin' Groovies, Flamin' Groovies, Flamin' Groovies, Flamin' Groovies.
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.