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 Mauritius and from Taipei.
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 1974.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Lagos and Calgary.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Mexico City 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 1979 at the first Second Layer practice in a loft in South London.
I was working on the arpeggiator sounds with much patience.
I was there when Lou Reed 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 Ludus to the grime kids.
I played it at the Crocodile.
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 Fear. All the underground hits.
All The Wake tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Traffic Nightmare record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal dance hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '80s cut and another box set from the '90s.
I hear you're buying a synthesizer and an organ and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Danielle Patucci record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your arpeggiator and bought a snare.
I hear that you and your band have sold your snare and bought an arpeggiator.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry,
Donald Byrd,
Eric B and Rakim,
Mr. Review,
Sight & Sound,
The Birthday Party,
Visage,
Grandmaster Flash,
Mark Hollis,
Youth Brigade,
Arthur Verocai,
Avey Tare's Slasher Flicks,
Eric Dolphy,
Trumans Water,
Franke,
Y Pants,
Dennis Brown,
Severed Heads,
Ajijia Myrayebe,
Pere Ubu,
Notorious Big And Bone Thugs,
The Dirtbombs,
Joe Finger,
Jandek,
Bobby Hutcherson,
Rhythm & Sound,
Nils Olav,
B.T. Express,
Panda Bear,
Ralphi Rosario,
The Martian,
E-Dancer,
Thee Headcoats,
Ice-T,
John Lydon,
Mad Mike,
Minny Pops,
Brass Construction,
Neu!,
F. McDonald,
Pierre Henry,
Country Teasers,
Crispian St. Peters,
Negative Approach,
Groovy Waters,
Television Personalities,
Terror Squad Feat. Camron,
Public Image Ltd.,
The Techniques,
Lalo Schifrin,
Johnny Osbourne,
Marc Romboy vs. Booka Shade,
Sun Ra Arkestra,
The Slackers,
Quadrant,
The Human League,
Electric Light Orchestra,
Ronnie Foster,
The Mighty Diamonds,
Neil Young,
Young Marble Giants,
Slick Rick,
David Bowie,
Thompson Twins, Thompson Twins, Thompson Twins, Thompson Twins.
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.