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 Uganda and from Woodstock.
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 1967 to 1977.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Seoul and Houston.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Columbus 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 1979 at the first Josef K practice in a loft in Edinburgh.
I was working on the theremin 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 Lizzy Mercier Descloux to the disco kids.
I played it at Trash.
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 T.S.O.L.. All the underground hits.
All Scan 7 tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Public Enemy record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal electroclash hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '80s cut and another box set from the '80s.
I hear you're buying a synthesizer and a clarinet and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Masta Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your clarinet and bought an arpeggiator.
I hear that you and your band have sold your arpeggiator and bought a clarinet.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Lakeside,
Ludus,
Oppenheimer Analysis,
B.T. Express,
The Trojans,
Jeru the Damaja,
Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx,
Gang of Four,
Scratch Acid,
Alice Coltrane,
Lalo Schifrin,
Grauzone,
Trumans Water,
Swans,
Susan Cadogan,
Letta Mbulu,
Eyeless In Gaza,
Marmalade,
Echo & the Bunnymen,
Technova,
Fluxion,
Pharaoh Sanders and the Fire Engines,
L. Decosne,
OOIOO,
H. Thieme,
Kool Moe Dee,
Drive Like Jehu,
The Slackers,
Black Moon,
James Chance & The Contortions,
Skarface,
Curtis Mayfield,
Y Pants,
Cameo,
Connie Case,
Brass Construction,
Dawn Penn,
Cal Tjader,
Youth Brigade,
Juan Atkins,
Andrew Ashong & Theo Parrish,
Todd Rundgren,
Bluetip,
Severed Heads,
Barrington Levy,
Scion,
Slave,
Super Lover Cee & Casanova Rud,
Deakin,
Warsaw,
Cheater Slicks,
Howard Jones,
Man Eating Sloth,
Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson,
CMW,
Michelle Simonal,
Royal Trux,
Rosa Yemen,
Maleditus Sound,
Josef K,
Moby Grape,
Bauhaus, Bauhaus, Bauhaus, Bauhaus.
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.