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 Gambia and from Bologna.
But I was there.
I was there in 1970.
I was there at the first Onyeabor show in Enugu.
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 1973.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Shanghai and Salvador.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Spokane 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 at the first Suicide practice in a loft in New York.
I was working on the marimba sounds with much patience.
I was there when Donald Fagen 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 David McCallum to the crunk kids.
I played it at the 40 Watt.
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 Rhythm & Sound. All the underground hits.
All Dorothy Ashby tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every The Birthday Party record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal rap 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 güiro and a spring reverb and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a The Zeros record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your clarinet and bought a synthesizer.
I hear that you and your band have sold your synthesizer and bought a clarinet.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Second Layer,
The Count Five,
FM Einheit,
Tres Demented,
Hashim,
Rites of Spring,
48th St. Collective,
Althea and Donna,
Junior Murvin,
Brick,
Sam Rivers,
Popol Vuh,
the Fania All-Stars,
Tommy Roe,
The Blackbyrds,
Motorama,
Television Personalities,
The Modern Lovers,
Ken Boothe,
The Techniques,
Qualms,
Cal Tjader,
Quantec,
Ituana,
Bobby Hutcherson,
The Sisters of Mercy,
Public Enemy,
H. Thieme,
Moss Icon,
The Angels of Light,
Gang Starr,
Gichy Dan,
Flash Fearless,
Rotary Connection,
Eddi Front,
The United States of America,
John Foxx,
Blake Baxter,
Nick Fraelich,
Rapeman,
The Fuzztones,
Gang Gang Dance,
DJ Style,
Rod Modell,
Massinfluence,
The Invisible,
Organ,
Mantronix,
Tom Boy,
Minor Threat,
Deakin,
The Flesh Eaters,
The Selecter,
The Human League,
Absolute Body Control,
Radiohead,
Chris & Cosey,
Con Funk Shun,
Outsiders,
The Searchers,
Man Eating Sloth,
Rhythm & Sound, Rhythm & Sound, Rhythm & Sound, Rhythm & Sound.
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.