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 China and from Lille.
But I was there.
I was there in 1967.
I was there at the first Rodriguez show in Detroit.
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 1962 to 1972.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Salvador and Paris.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Delhi 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 mellotron 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 Slave to the techno 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 cv313. All the underground hits.
All Faust tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Red Lorry Yellow Lorry 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 '60s cut and another box set from the '80s.
I hear you're buying an oboe and a guitar and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Bill Near record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your clarinet and bought a guitar.
I hear that you and your band have sold your guitar and bought a clarinet.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Easy Going,
Bizarre Inc.,
The Doors,
Roxy Music,
Rekid,
the Human League,
Mary Jane Girls,
Scott Walker,
Ajijia Myrayebe,
PIL,
Whodini,
Pussy Galore,
Lou Reed & Metallica,
The Martian,
Agent Orange,
Gil Scott Heron,
Nick Fraelich,
The Selecter,
Thee Headcoats,
Los Fastidios,
Sonic Youth,
Sandy B,
The Five Americans,
The Sound,
Freddie Wadling,
A Flock of Seagulls,
Cymande,
Tears for Fears,
Scratch Acid,
Ultravox,
Amon Düül II,
Brand Nubian,
Donny Hathaway,
Wings,
Gary Puckett & The Union Gap,
The Zeros,
Godley & Creme,
Throbbing Gristle,
Sad Lovers and Giants,
Absolute Body Control,
Lower 48,
Sixth Finger,
Clear Light,
Funkadelic,
Rhythim Is Rhythim,
Guru Guru,
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry,
Gichy Dan,
These Immortal Souls,
Barbara Tucker,
The Misunderstood,
Marine Girls,
Rotary Connection,
DJ Style,
Art Ensemble Of Chicago,
New Order,
The Red Krayola,
Grey Daturas,
Eurythmics,
Eric Copeland,
The Star Department,
MC5,
Country Teasers,
Marcia Griffiths, Marcia Griffiths, Marcia Griffiths, Marcia Griffiths.
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.