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 Iran and from Accra.
But I was there.
I was there in 1967.
I was there at the first Rodriguez show in Detroit.
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 1962 to 1972.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Calgary and Taipei.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Hong Kong 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 güiro sounds with much patience.
I was there when Holger Czukay 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 Scientists to the dance kids.
I played it at the Roxy.
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 Donald Byrd. All the underground hits.
All Mission of Burma tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Crooked Eye 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 '50s cut and another box set from the '80s.
I hear you're buying a clarinet and a marimba and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a The Monochrome Set record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your güiro and bought a clarinet.
I hear that you and your band have sold your clarinet and bought a güiro.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson,
Das Ding,
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry,
Jeru the Damaja,
Hashim,
Radiopuhelimet,
Jawbox,
Desert Stars,
Wasted Youth,
Cabaret Voltaire,
Beasts of Bourbon,
The Blackbyrds,
Kas Product,
Bob Dylan,
The Red Krayola,
Camouflage,
Saccharine Trust,
Goldenarms,
Letta Mbulu,
Sad Lovers and Giants,
Gichy Dan,
Grey Daturas,
Niagra,
Scott Walker + Sunn O))),
Metal Thangz,
the Slits,
Ultramagnetic MC's,
Althea and Donna,
Country Joe & The Fish,
The Velvet Underground,
London Community Gospel Choir,
The Invisible,
Traffic Nightmare,
Marc Almond,
48th St. Collective,
Kango’s Stein Massive,
Kurtis Blow,
Trumans Water,
Nirvana,
The Gap Band,
The Blues Magoos,
The Tremeloes,
Fat Boys,
Bootsy's Rubber Band,
DNA,
Dark Day,
Lonnie Liston Smith,
Pagans,
Television,
Donald Byrd,
Curtis Mayfield,
Derrick May,
Electric Light Orchestra,
Ten City,
Rhythm & Sound,
A Flock of Seagulls,
Ultra Naté,
Supertramp,
Barbara Tucker,
Gian Franco Pienzio,
Joe Smooth,
Delon & Dalcan,
Ituana,
Mary Jane Girls, Mary Jane Girls, Mary Jane Girls, Mary Jane Girls.
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.