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 Honduras and from Shanghai.
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 1970.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Mexico City and Paris.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Johannesburg 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 Mistral practice in a loft in Amsterdam.
I was working on the güiro 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 Charles Mingus to the punk kids.
I played it at the 40 Watt.
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 Gichy Dan. All the underground hits.
All Royal Trux tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every OOIOO record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal punk hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '60s cut and another box set from the '90s.
I hear you're buying a chamberlin and a theremin and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Scott Walker record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your mellotron and bought a güiro.
I hear that you and your band have sold your güiro and bought a mellotron.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
The Peanut Butter Conspiracy,
Pantytec,
Sparks,
Bob Dylan,
Royal Trux,
X-101,
Kevin Saunderson,
Tim Buckley,
Ajijia Myrayebe,
Sonny Sharrock,
Wighnomy Brothers & Robag Wruhme,
Toni Rubio,
John Cale,
Soul Sonic Force,
Rahsaan Roland Kirk,
Quando Quango,
Dave Gahan,
The Associates,
Barry Ungar,
Reagan Youth,
8 Eyed Spy,
Donald Byrd,
Amazonics,
Neu!,
Main Source,
Pantaleimon,
Gang Gang Dance,
Kayak,
Guru Guru,
Index,
The J.B.'s,
Faust,
Alton Ellis,
The Chocolate Watch Band,
Freddie Wadling,
Wire,
Robert Wyatt,
John Holt,
Stereo Dub,
Q and Not U,
Blossom Toes,
Strawberry Alarm Clock,
Pierre Henry,
Bronski Beat,
Los Fastidios,
Ornette Coleman,
Scan 7,
Anthony Braxton,
Hot Snakes,
The Smiths,
Youth Brigade,
Chris Corsano,
ABC,
Bobby Byrd,
Ponytail,
The Music Machine,
Crispy Ambulance,
Kauko Röyhkä ja Narttu,
Deakin,
Angels of Light & Akron/Family,
Pagans,
Ronnie Foster,
Absolute Body Control, Absolute Body Control, Absolute Body Control, Absolute Body Control.
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.