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 St Kitts & Nevis and from New York.
But I was there.
I was there in 1977.
I was there at the first Human League show in Sheffield.
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 1976.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Accra and Johannesburg.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Lille 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 Zapp practice in a loft in Hamilton.
I was working on the 808 sounds with much patience.
I was there when David Bowie 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 Kool G Rap & DJ Polo to the techno kids.
I played it at the Troubador.
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 Bobby Byrd. All the underground hits.
All Marc Romboy vs. Booka Shade tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every John Holt 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 '70s cut and another box set from the '90s.
I hear you're buying a harpsichord and a guitar and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Warren Ellis record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your rhodes and bought a marimba.
I hear that you and your band have sold your marimba and bought a rhodes.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Avey Tare & Kría Brekkan,
Eric Copeland,
The Fugs,
Spoonie Gee,
LL Cool J,
Harry Pussy,
Lizzy Mercier Descloux,
The Standells,
Schoolly D,
the Germs,
Lucky Dragons,
Ludus,
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five,
Vladislav Delay,
The Mighty Diamonds,
Janne Schatter,
Rakim,
Curtis Mayfield,
Wasted Youth,
Slave,
Charles Mingus,
Iggy Pop,
Zero Boys,
The Vogues,
Model 500,
The Stooges,
Tom Boy,
Sam Rivers,
Swans,
the Slits,
Saccharine Trust,
James Chance & The Contortions,
Faust,
Sugar Minott,
Terror Squad Feat. Camron,
Joey Negro,
Gang Starr,
Pharoah Sanders,
Coldchain, Rosco P., Featuring Pusha T from Clipse & Boo-Bonic,
Alton Ellis,
Popol Vuh,
The J.B.'s,
Loose Ends,
Youth Brigade,
The Martian,
Marmalade,
The Monks,
Notorious Big And Bone Thugs,
Mars,
Cal Tjader,
Average White Band,
The Buckinghams,
Hoover,
The Blues Magoos,
Beasts of Bourbon,
Ultra Naté,
Livin' Joy,
The Litter,
Rotary Connection,
Pussy Galore,
The Five Americans,
Talk Talk,
Anthony Braxton, Anthony Braxton, Anthony Braxton, Anthony Braxton.
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.