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 Peru and from Spokane.
But I was there.
I was there in 1983.
I was there at the first Bronski Beat show in Brixton.
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 1963 to 1976.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Glasgow and Milan.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Glasgow 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 güiro sounds with much patience.
I was there when David Bowie 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 Chris Corsano to the rock kids.
I played it at the Crocodile.
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 Patti Smith. All the underground hits.
All Bronski Beat tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every The Detroit Cobras record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal grime hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '70s cut and another box set from the '70s.
I hear you're buying a marimba and a theremin and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Mars record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your güiro and bought a guitar.
I hear that you and your band have sold your guitar and bought a güiro.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Rahsaan Roland Kirk,
Marc Almond,
The Knickerbockers,
Röyhkä ja Rättö ja Lehtisalo,
Monks,
The Beau Brummels,
Terrestrial Tones,
Yellowson,
Lower 48,
Boogie Down Productions,
Yusef Lateef,
Barbara Tucker,
Gregory Isaacs,
Bang On A Can,
Brothers Johnson,
Joe Finger,
Pere Ubu,
Eddi Front,
Dave Gahan,
Crash Course in Science,
Skaos,
the Fania All-Stars,
Swans,
Cecil Taylor,
Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx,
Bobbi Humphrey,
Franke,
The Sound,
Sunsets and Hearts,
Arthur Verocai,
The Red Krayola,
Reuben Wilson,
London Community Gospel Choir,
Gang Green,
Cymande,
Minnie Riperton,
the Sonics,
The Sisters of Mercy,
Henry Cow,
Gabor Szabo,
The Human League,
Nils Olav,
Al Stewart,
Isaac Hayes,
Au Pairs,
K-Klass,
Stetsasonic,
Bobby Womack,
Iggy Pop,
Archie Shepp,
Sonny Sharrock,
The Five Americans,
Art Ensemble Of Chicago,
Trumans Water,
Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson,
Lou Christie,
Althea and Donna,
Crime,
Ornette Coleman,
Maleditus Sound,
Neil Young & Crazy Horse,
Rufus Thomas, Rufus Thomas, Rufus Thomas, Rufus Thomas.
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.