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 Lebanon and from Glasgow.
But I was there.
I was there in 1977.
I was there at the first Human League show in Sheffield.
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 1961 to 1979.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Portland and Sao Paulo.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school New York 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 synthesizer 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 Kevin Saunderson to the grime 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 Alton Ellis. All the underground hits.
All the Association tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Clear Light record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal rap hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '70s cut and another box set from the '70s.
I hear you're buying a theremin and a synthesizer and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a The Associates record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your arpeggiator and bought a rhodes.
I hear that you and your band have sold your rhodes and bought an arpeggiator.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Amon Düül,
D'Angelo,
The Skatalites,
Spandau Ballet,
The Detroit Cobras,
Pole,
Bobby Hutcherson,
Delta 5,
Gang Starr,
Suicide,
The Chocolate Watch Band,
The Gladiators,
The Cure,
The Stooges,
Vladislav Delay,
Masta Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane,
Barry Ungar,
Ohio Players,
Piero Umiliani,
Alphaville,
The Index,
Parry Music,
Michelle Simonal,
The Pop Group,
Bob Dylan,
The Barracudas,
Yazoo,
De La Soul & Jungle Brothers,
Beasts of Bourbon,
the Bar-Kays,
Johnny Osbourne,
the Slits,
Gil Scott Heron,
Judy Mowatt,
DJ Sneak,
Kas Product,
Radio Birdman,
The Mummies,
The Velvet Underground,
Eden Ahbez,
Thee Headcoats,
Bauhaus,
Donny Hathaway,
Donald Byrd,
Dead Boys,
Strawberry Alarm Clock,
The Names,
Neu!,
Depeche Mode,
The Shadows of Knight,
Slick Rick,
John Coltrane,
Scion,
The Kinks,
Lebanon Hanover,
Avey Tare's Slasher Flicks,
Ten City,
Barbara Tucker,
David Bowie,
The Gories,
Soul Sonic Force,
Groovy Waters, Groovy Waters, Groovy Waters, Groovy Waters.
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.