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 Thailand and from Manila.
But I was there.
I was there in 1980.
I was there at the first Cybotron 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 1964 to 1977.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Mumbai and Houston.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Toronto 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 linndrum 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 Sight & Sound to the techno 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 Lightning Bolt. All the underground hits.
All The Move tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Manfred Mann's Earth Band 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 '70s cut and another box set from the '90s.
I hear you're buying an organ and a clarinet and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a James Chance & The Contortions record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your organ and bought a guitar.
I hear that you and your band have sold your guitar and bought an organ.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Sun Ra,
Unwound,
Television Personalities,
Aural Exciters,
T.S.O.L.,
X-102,
Judy Mowatt,
The Velvet Underground,
Mad Mike,
Peter Gordon & Love of Life Orchestra,
The Human League,
The Dave Clark Five,
Michelle Simonal,
The Sisters of Mercy,
June of 44,
Delon & Dalcan,
Slave,
Depeche Mode,
Notorious Big And Bone Thugs,
The Trojans,
kango's stein massive,
The Mighty Diamonds,
James Chance & The Contortions,
Byron Stingily,
Freddie Wadling,
Kerrie Biddell,
Niagra,
The Offenders,
Glenn Branca,
Blake Baxter,
Barclay James Harvest,
Wighnomy Brothers & Robag Wruhme,
Gian Franco Pienzio,
Ponytail,
Godley & Creme,
Major Organ And The Adding Machine,
Joy Division,
Model 500,
John Foxx,
The Smoke,
Robert Görl,
Gregory Isaacs,
Todd Rundgren,
Whodini,
Al Stewart,
Roy Ayers,
Ash Ra Tempel,
Young Marble Giants,
Big Daddy Kane,
Newcleus,
Grauzone,
Scientists,
Yellowson,
Lower 48,
Albert Ayler,
Funky Four + One,
Rufus Thomas,
Bobbi Humphrey,
Bad Manners,
Jimmy McGriff,
Lafayette Afro Rock Band,
The Victims, The Victims, The Victims, The Victims.
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.