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 Korea South and from Bologna.
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 1978.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Stockholm and Edmonton.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Seoul 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 1983 at the first Bronski Beat practice in a loft in Brixton.
I was working on the theremin sounds with much patience.
I was there when Tom Verlaine 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 It's A Beautiful Day to the punk kids.
I played it at Cafe Wha.
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 Quantec. All the underground hits.
All Shuggie Otis tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Simply Red record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal techno 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 theremin and a sitar and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a X-Ray Spex record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your harpsichord and bought an arpeggiator.
I hear that you and your band have sold your arpeggiator and bought a harpsichord.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
The Modern Lovers,
Thinking Fellers Union Local 282,
the Slits,
Glenn Branca,
Peter and Kerry,
Amon Düül,
Stetsasonic,
Kurtis Blow,
Newcleus,
Jacques Brel,
Can,
The Tremeloes,
Peter Gordon & Love of Life Orchestra,
Jeff Lynne,
Al Stewart,
DNA,
Hasil Adkins,
Boredoms,
Bang on a Can All-Stars,
The Trojans,
The Knickerbockers,
Ultramagnetic MC's,
The Cure,
Dark Day,
David Bowie,
The Smiths,
The Real Kids,
Lou Reed & Metallica,
Larry & the Blue Notes,
The Last Poets,
Liliput,
The Names,
The Velvet Underground,
Talk Talk,
Donald Byrd,
the Association,
Patti Smith,
Howard Jones,
Negative Approach,
Sixth Finger,
The Smoke,
One Last Wish,
Lyres,
Mandrill,
Visionaries,LMNO, T- Love & Iriscience,
Eve St. Jones,
Niagra,
Gregory Isaacs,
Dead Boys,
Faraquet,
Connie Case,
Radio Birdman,
Loose Ends,
Art Ensemble Of Chicago,
Parry Music,
Gang of Four,
Alton Ellis,
H. Thieme,
Ludus,
Sexual Harrassment,
T. Rex,
Barrington Levy,
The Techniques, The Techniques, The Techniques, The Techniques.
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.