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 Yemen and from Manila.
But I was there.
I was there in 1979.
I was there at the first Second Layer show in South London.
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 1977.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Winnipeg and Toronto.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Calgary 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 1975 at the first Ubu practice in a loft in Cleveland.
I was working on the 808 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 Scion to the jazz kids.
I played it at Cafe Wha.
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 Lalo Schifrin. All the underground hits.
All the Sonics tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Scratch Acid record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal disco hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '60s cut and another box set from the '70s.
I hear you're buying a marimba and a mellotron and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Livin' Joy record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your rhodes and bought an oboe.
I hear that you and your band have sold your oboe and bought a rhodes.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Eric B and Rakim,
Schoolly D,
Zero Boys,
Ituana,
Prince Buster,
Excepter,
Bronski Beat,
Joensuu 1685,
Major Organ And The Adding Machine,
Todd Terry,
Chris & Cosey,
B.T. Express,
Electric Light Orchestra,
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark,
Index,
Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx,
Jeff Mills,
The Fugs,
Morten Harket,
Skriet,
Ralphi Rosario,
Marmalade,
Big Daddy Kane,
Isaac Hayes,
Smog,
Little Man,
Arthur Verocai,
Michelle Simonal,
Half Japanese,
Public Enemy,
Crispy Ambulance,
De La Soul & Jungle Brothers,
The New Christs,
The Gories,
The Dirtbombs,
Joe Smooth,
Jerry's Kids,
One Last Wish,
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band,
Black Moon,
E-Dancer,
Barrington Levy,
June of 44,
Spandau Ballet,
Lucky Dragons,
The Human League,
Sonny Sharrock,
Gregory Isaacs,
Danielle Patucci,
Rhythim Is Rhythim,
Alphaville,
Rod Modell,
The Kinks,
Vaughan Mason & Crew,
Sun Ra Arkestra,
Sexual Harrassment,
The Walker Brothers,
Marcia Griffiths,
Althea and Donna,
Connie Case,
Magazine,
The Pop Group,
Shuggie Otis, Shuggie Otis, Shuggie Otis, Shuggie Otis.
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.