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 Mumbai.
But I was there.
I was there in 1984.
I was there at the first Arcadia show in London.
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 Lagos and Manchester.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Lagos 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 organ 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 PIL to the jazz kids.
I played it at the Crocodile.
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 Sister Nancy. All the underground hits.
All Nik Kershaw tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Donny Hathaway record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal crunk hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '60s cut and another box set from the '70s.
I hear you're buying a 808 and a harpsichord and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Clear Light record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your mellotron and bought a theremin.
I hear that you and your band have sold your theremin and bought a mellotron.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Heaven 17,
Man Parrish,
ABC,
Cal Tjader,
Saccharine Trust,
Lalo Schifrin,
Hasil Adkins,
Nik Kershaw,
Q and Not U,
Bang on a Can All-Stars,
The Smoke,
UT,
The Sonics,
Nico,
Ronan,
Delta 5,
T. Rex,
Anthony Braxton,
Rahsaan Roland Kirk,
Spoonie Gee,
Gil Scott Heron,
Girls At Our Best!,
Archie Shepp,
Joensuu 1685,
Ralphi Rosario,
John Lydon,
Public Image Ltd.,
Soft Machine,
Neil Young & Crazy Horse,
The Blues Magoos,
U.S. Maple,
Section 25,
Zapp,
The J.B.'s,
The Angels of Light,
Blossom Toes,
Rotary Connection,
The Dave Clark Five,
Second Layer,
Pet Shop Boys,
Dead Boys,
The Count Five,
Kango’s Stein Massive,
Alison Limerick,
Public Enemy,
Wire,
The Beau Brummels,
The Detroit Cobras,
The Gap Band,
Gang Gang Dance,
Althea and Donna,
It's A Beautiful Day,
Grauzone,
The Gladiators,
Art Ensemble Of Chicago,
Fort Wilson Riot,
Mark Hollis,
Agent Orange,
Tim Buckley,
The Moleskins,
The United States of America,
Sam Rivers,
The Offenders, The Offenders, The Offenders, The Offenders.
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.