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 Finland and from Woodstock.
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 1962 to 1972.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Calgary and Manila.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Manila 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 1962 at the first Guess Who practice in a loft in Winnipeg.
I was working on the arpeggiator 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 Mandrill to the crunk 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 The Busters. All the underground hits.
All Dorothy Ashby tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal dance 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 an oboe and a guitar and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Rhythm & Sound record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your clarinet and bought an organ.
I hear that you and your band have sold your organ and bought a clarinet.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Alison Limerick,
Alton Ellis,
Spoonie Gee,
Sam Rivers,
Eli Mardock,
Funky Four + One,
Wings,
China Crisis,
The Jesus and Mary Chain,
Liaisons Dangereuses,
Urselle,
Cameo,
Justin Hinds & The Dominoes,
Davy DMX,
Avey Tare,
Fear,
Index,
Lalann,
Crispian St. Peters,
Neil Young,
Hashim,
Guru Guru,
Johnny Osbourne,
Porter Ricks,
Country Teasers,
Sparks,
Amon Düül II,
Flash Fearless,
The Blues Magoos,
Patti Smith,
Scratch Acid,
New Age Steppers,
Nirvana,
Adolescents,
the Swans,
X-101,
The Techniques,
Skriet,
Surgeon,
Bobbi Humphrey,
The Tremeloes,
Agitation Free,
Banda Bassotti,
U.S. Maple,
the Bar-Kays,
Laurel Aitken,
Reuben Wilson,
Sonny Sharrock,
Byron Stingily,
Soft Cell,
Half Japanese,
A Certain Ratio,
Jesper Dahlback,
The Shadows of Knight,
the Association,
The Grass Roots,
The Invisible,
Supertramp,
The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band,
Marcia Griffiths,
Loose Ends,
Alphaville,
Sex Pistols,
Marvin Gaye, Marvin Gaye, Marvin Gaye, Marvin Gaye.
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.