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 Iraq and from Lille.
But I was there.
I was there in 1983.
I was there at the first Lewis show in Vancouver.
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 1966 to 1970.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Tokyo and Lille.
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 1977 at the first Human League practice in a loft in Sheffield.
I was working on the clarinet 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 The New Christs to the punk kids.
I played it at the Hacienda.
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 Lungfish. All the underground hits.
All Dennis Brown tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every The Cramps 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 '80s cut and another box set from the '70s.
I hear you're buying a theremin and a linndrum and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a New Age Steppers record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your spring reverb and bought a 808.
I hear that you and your band have sold your 808 and bought a spring reverb.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Soul Sonic Force,
Adolescents,
Judy Mowatt,
Pantytec,
The Last Poets,
Stetsasonic,
Joy Division,
Amazonics,
Ajijia Myrayebe,
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark,
the Sonics,
The Martian,
Roy Ayers Ubiquity,
Soft Cell,
Dark Day,
Mission of Burma,
China Crisis,
X-102,
Jerry Gold Smith,
Harmonia,
Lightning Bolt,
Echospace,
Mandrill,
Kayak,
Bang on a Can All-Stars,
Matthew Bourne,
The Golliwogs,
The Doors,
Juan Atkins,
Ultra Naté,
The Real Kids,
Make Up,
CMW,
Art Ensemble Of Chicago,
Archie Shepp,
Porter Ricks,
Gary Puckett & The Union Gap,
The Smoke,
The Standells,
Boogie Down Productions,
Mo-Dettes,
Bronski Beat,
The Vogues,
The Names,
Swell Maps,
Guru Guru,
James White and The Blacks,
Dennis Brown,
Unwound,
Schoolly D,
Severed Heads,
Newcleus,
Al Stewart,
The Searchers,
The Mighty Diamonds,
Shuggie Otis,
DJ Sneak,
Ultravox,
Ralphi Rosario,
Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson,
Minor Threat,
Gichy Dan,
The Chocolate Watch Band,
Bang On A Can, Bang On A Can, Bang On A Can, Bang On A Can.
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.