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 Mozambique and from Manila.
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 1960 to 1972.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Mumbai and Spokane.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Paris 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 1968 at the first Bowie practice in a loft in Bromley.
I was working on the sitar sounds with much patience.
I was there when Lou Reed 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 Magma to the rock kids.
I played it at Cafe Wha.
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 Wolf Eyes. All the underground hits.
All Brass Construction tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Beasts of Bourbon record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal disco 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 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 The Monochrome Set record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your clarinet and bought a güiro.
I hear that you and your band have sold your güiro and bought a clarinet.
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,
cv313,
Echospace,
Ajijia Myrayebe,
Outsiders,
Banda Bassotti,
Ken Boothe,
Graham Central Station,
Tim Buckley,
Dual Sessions,
Fort Wilson Riot,
The New Christs,
Jeru the Damaja,
Isaac Hayes,
Pagans,
Average White Band,
Pere Ubu,
Goldenarms,
The Dirtbombs,
Lou Reed,
Ohio Players,
the Germs,
Shoche,
H. Thieme,
The Saints,
Rhythm & Sound,
The Trojans,
D'Angelo,
The American Breed,
Angels of Light & Akron/Family,
Tom Boy,
Quando Quango,
Heavy D & The Boyz,
The Buckinghams,
Fugazi,
Alison Limerick,
Joe Finger,
The Cramps,
Kas Product,
Liliput,
Rotary Connection,
Neu!,
Cheater Slicks,
Icehouse,
The Litter,
Ralphi Rosario,
The Flesh Eaters,
Eyeless In Gaza,
The Dave Clark Five,
The Move,
Cecil Taylor,
Stockholm Monsters,
Agent Orange,
Trumans Water,
Selector Dub Narcotic,
Ornette Coleman,
The Moleskins,
Connie Case,
The Young Rascals,
Tears for Fears,
Inner City,
Bootsy's Rubber Band,
Grandmaster Flash, Grandmaster Flash, Grandmaster Flash, Grandmaster Flash.
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.