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 Marshall Islands and from Philadelphia.
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 1966 to 1975.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Accra and Shanghai.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Winnipeg 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 1987 at the first Nirvana practice in a loft in Seattle.
I was working on the 808 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 Howard Jones to the grunge kids.
I played it at Trash.
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 The Velvet Underground. All the underground hits.
All The American Breed tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every The Sisters of Mercy record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal rock hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '70s cut and another box set from the '90s.
I hear you're buying a clarinet and a synthesizer and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Vainqueur record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your harpsichord and bought a spring reverb.
I hear that you and your band have sold your spring reverb and bought a harpsichord.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
the Fania All-Stars,
Archie Shepp,
London Community Gospel Choir,
Bobbi Humphrey,
L. Decosne,
Theoretical Girls,
Surgeon,
Supertramp,
Lower 48,
Anthony Braxton,
Lou Reed & Metallica,
Marc Romboy vs. Booka Shade,
Davy DMX,
Kings Of Tomorrow,
Sun Ra Arkestra,
Delon & Dalcan,
Fela Kuti,
Justin Hinds & The Dominoes,
Excepter,
Porter Ricks,
Scientists,
Bobby Womack,
Soft Cell,
Yazoo,
Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth,
Laurel Aitken,
New Age Steppers,
Anakelly,
Bang On A Can,
The Blues Magoos,
Wasted Youth,
Roy Ayers Ubiquity,
Intrusion,
Radiopuhelimet,
Neil Young & Crazy Horse,
Can,
Quando Quango,
The Selecter,
Super Lover Cee & Casanova Rud,
The Smiths,
Grey Daturas,
Be Bop Deluxe,
The Skatalites,
Nick Fraelich,
The Doors,
Lyres,
John Holt,
Drive Like Jehu,
Marvin Gaye,
Rotary Connection,
Jandek,
Selector Dub Narcotic,
Flamin' Groovies,
Sad Lovers and Giants,
Man Parrish,
The Gap Band,
Young Marble Giants,
Altered Images,
Avey Tare's Slasher Flicks,
Television Personalities,
Brand Nubian,
The Royal Family And The Poor,
U.S. Maple, U.S. Maple, U.S. Maple, U.S. Maple.
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.