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 Ukraine and from Glasgow.
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 1963 to 1978.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Tokyo and Manchester.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Paris 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 1962 at the first Guess Who practice in a loft in Winnipeg.
I was working on the clarinet sounds with much patience.
I was there when Nile Rodgers 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 Swell Maps to the crunk kids.
I played it at the Hacienda.
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 Funkadelic. All the underground hits.
All Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Tears for Fears record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal rock 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 snare and a clarinet and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Tomorrow record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your harpsichord and bought a spring reverb.
I hear that you and your band have sold your spring reverb and bought a harpsichord.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
10cc,
Buzzcocks,
Crispian St. Peters,
Manfred Mann's Earth Band,
The New Christs,
Matthew Halsall,
Marmalade,
Rahsaan Roland Kirk,
The Count Five,
Oblivians,
Kenny Larkin,
Jacob Miller,
Rhythim Is Rhythim,
Hashim,
Fear,
The Misunderstood,
Rekid,
Michelle Simonal,
Stereo Dub,
The Divine Comedy,
Delon & Dalcan,
Pussy Galore,
Black Sheep,
The Detroit Cobras,
a-ha,
Ajijia Myrayebe,
The Five Americans,
Black Pus,
Black Bananas,
The Fugs,
Richard Hell and the Voidoids,
Make Up,
Youth Brigade,
Man Eating Sloth,
Josef K,
London Community Gospel Choir,
Cymande,
DJ Sneak,
Roy Ayers Ubiquity,
R.M.O.,
the Soft Cell,
Roxette,
Bang on a Can All-Stars,
Bluetip,
Juan Atkins,
Lakeside,
Adolescents,
Camron Feat. Jay Z And Juelz,
Nation of Ulysses,
Lizzy Mercier Descloux,
X-Ray Spex,
Essential Logic,
Flipper,
Funky Four + One,
Sun City Girls,
Quando Quango,
Vainqueur,
Gregory Isaacs,
Maleditus Sound,
Black Flag,
Pet Shop Boys,
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds,
Whodini, Whodini, Whodini, Whodini.
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.