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 Ethiopia and from Madrid.
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 1968 to 1974.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Philadelphia and London.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school London 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 Feelies practice in a loft in Haledon.
I was working on the theremin sounds with much patience.
I was there when Michael McDonald 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 Arthur Verocai to the funk kids.
I played it at the Astoria.
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 Sun City Girls. All the underground hits.
All Brand Nubian tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Mantronix 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 '50s cut and another box set from the '90s.
I hear you're buying a synthesizer and a harpsichord and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a James Chance & The Contortions record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your 808 and bought a synthesizer.
I hear that you and your band have sold your synthesizer and bought a 808.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Flamin' Groovies,
R.M.O.,
Model 500,
Malaria!,
Minnie Riperton,
Ice-T,
Ultramagnetic MC's,
Jawbox,
The Fugs,
Eric Copeland,
Yusef Lateef,
Notorious BIG live in Amsterdam,
One Last Wish,
Young Marble Giants,
Black Flag,
Donald Byrd,
Gang Green,
Cluster,
Schoolly D,
Country Teasers,
the Human League,
The Techniques,
B.T. Express,
Liliput,
Television Personalities,
Sarah Menescal,
Ajijia Myrayebe,
Fear,
Scott Walker,
The Divine Comedy,
Smog,
Dark Day,
The Trojans,
Cheater Slicks,
Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx,
kango's stein massive,
The Cowsills,
The Chocolate Watch Band,
Y Pants,
The Modern Lovers,
Mark Hollis,
The Kinks,
Louis and Bebe Barron,
Guru Guru,
Kaleidoscope,
Ornette Coleman,
The Angels of Light,
Maleditus Sound,
Black Moon,
Rahsaan Roland Kirk,
Strawberry Alarm Clock,
Marshall Jefferson,
This Heat,
Grey Daturas,
Avey Tare & Kría Brekkan,
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo,
Matthew Bourne,
Vladislav Delay,
Boogie Down Productions,
Max Romeo,
Bobbi Humphrey,
K-Klass,
Scan 7, Scan 7, Scan 7, Scan 7.
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.