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 Cambodia and from Taipei.
But I was there.
I was there in 1977.
I was there at the first Zapp show in Hamilton.
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 1966 to 1970.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Glasgow and Lyon.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Hong Kong 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 1970 at the first Onyeabor practice in a loft in Enugu.
I was working on the theremin sounds with much patience.
I was there when Robert Palmer 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 Yusef Lateef to the crunk kids.
I played it at the 40 Watt.
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 Saccharine Trust. All the underground hits.
All Nick Fraelich tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Bill Wells record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal funk 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 808 and a mellotron and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a N.O.R.E. Featuring Pharrell record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your clarinet and bought a rhodes.
I hear that you and your band have sold your rhodes and bought a clarinet.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Colin Newman,
Marc Almond,
Metal Thangz,
Davy DMX,
Barry Ungar,
Rekid,
Minutemen,
ABC,
Tomorrow,
Flash Fearless,
F. McDonald,
Andrew Hill,
Babytalk,
Country Teasers,
Gang Starr,
Thompson Twins,
The Divine Comedy,
Rapeman,
David McCallum,
Gang of Four,
The Velvet Underground,
Dawn Penn,
Main Source,
Severed Heads,
Avey Tare & Kría Brekkan,
Bizarre Inc.,
Flamin' Groovies,
Isaac Hayes,
Oppenheimer Analysis,
Girls At Our Best!,
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five,
Youth Brigade,
The Invisible,
Sunsets and Hearts,
L. Decosne,
The Saints,
Wasted Youth,
Gang Gang Dance,
Alton Ellis,
Sugar Minott,
Moebius,
Art Ensemble Of Chicago,
Scott Walker + Sunn O))),
H. Thieme,
Leonard Cohen,
Spandau Ballet,
Black Pus,
It's A Beautiful Day,
Gian Franco Pienzio,
the Fania All-Stars,
Liaisons Dangereuses,
Marvin Gaye,
Eyeless In Gaza,
Larry & the Blue Notes,
Spoonie Gee,
Scott Walker,
Shuggie Otis,
Ajijia Myrayebe,
Black Sheep,
Stetsasonic,
The Cosmic Jokers,
Oblivians,
The Misunderstood, The Misunderstood, The Misunderstood, The Misunderstood.
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.