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 Samoa and from Winnipeg.
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 1966 to 1972.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Accra and Mumbai.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Glasgow 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 arpeggiator sounds with much patience.
I was there when Holger Czukay 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 Pagans to the dance kids.
I played it at the Spitz.
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 Vainqueur. All the underground hits.
All Nation of Ulysses tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Yellowson record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal funk hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '50s cut and another box set from the '80s.
I hear you're buying a guitar and a synthesizer and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Sonic Youth record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your spring reverb and bought a guitar.
I hear that you and your band have sold your guitar and bought a spring reverb.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Lou Reed,
Howard Jones,
Mo-Dettes,
the Slits,
the Association,
The Gladiators,
Heaven 17,
Charles Mingus,
The Raincoats,
It's A Beautiful Day,
Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx,
Dave Gahan,
Sun Ra Arkestra,
Model 500,
Glambeats Corp.,
The Peanut Butter Conspiracy,
Boredoms,
Dead Boys,
Manfred Mann's Earth Band,
Anakelly,
Sunsets and Hearts,
Sparks,
JFA,
Avey Tare,
Fear,
Kayak,
The Fire Engines,
Bobby Sherman,
The New Christs,
Kings Of Tomorrow,
Pierre Henry,
Lafayette Afro Rock Band,
Rekid,
The Techniques,
Ajijia Myrayebe,
Dark Day,
Lee Hazlewood,
Marc Romboy vs. Booka Shade,
Index,
Barbara Tucker,
Jimmy McGriff,
Arcadia,
the Sonics,
Gang Green,
Kas Product,
Harpers Bizarre,
Matthew Halsall,
Skriet,
Carl Craig,
Eric Dolphy,
B.T. Express,
Duran Duran,
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo,
Skaos,
Cal Tjader,
Ralphi Rosario,
Loose Ends,
Funky Four + One,
Lalann,
Faust,
The Human League,
Darondo,
Bush Tetras, Bush Tetras, Bush Tetras, Bush Tetras.
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.