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 Nigeria and from Spokane.
But I was there.
I was there in 1976.
I was there at the first Wire show in Watford.
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 1965 to 1976.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Taipei and Bremen.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Madrid 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 snare 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 Marine Girls to the jazz kids.
I played it at the Spitz.
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 Wighnomy Brothers & Robag Wruhme. All the underground hits.
All The Jesus and Mary Chain tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Tommy Roe record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal jazz 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 harpsichord and a marimba and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Qualms record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your synthesizer and bought an organ.
I hear that you and your band have sold your organ and bought a synthesizer.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Scientists,
Vainqueur,
New Age Steppers,
Negative Approach,
ABC,
Alton Ellis,
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry,
Chris & Cosey,
Peter and Kerry,
Soulsonic Force,
Monks,
Freddie Wadling,
Mo-Dettes,
the Normal,
Half Japanese,
Marcia Griffiths,
UT,
Blancmange,
Neil Young,
Sight & Sound,
David Axelrod,
David Bowie,
Index,
Albert Ayler,
Ohio Players,
Justin Hinds & The Dominoes,
Chris Corsano,
Fatback Band,
Masta Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane,
The Cowsills,
Banda Bassotti,
Intrusion,
The Five Americans,
Slick Rick,
Lou Reed & John Cale,
Mr. Review,
Sad Lovers and Giants,
Circle Jerks,
Spoonie Gee,
The Peanut Butter Conspiracy,
Donald Byrd,
Liliput,
Newcleus,
Scan 7,
Manfred Mann's Earth Band,
Von Mondo,
Wire,
The Stooges,
T.S.O.L.,
Moss Icon,
Pere Ubu,
Deakin,
Lonnie Liston Smith,
Gong,
Desert Stars,
Cabaret Voltaire,
The Move,
The Offenders,
Grey Daturas,
Joy Division,
Lalann,
Royal Trux,
Stereo Dub,
Mad Mike, Mad Mike, Mad Mike, Mad Mike.
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.