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 Philippines and from Toronto.
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 1961 to 1971.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Winnipeg and Edmonton.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Toronto 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 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 Thee Headcoats to the techno 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 Scan 7. All the underground hits.
All The Mojo Men tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Angry Samoans 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 '60s cut and another box set from the '80s.
I hear you're buying a snare and a chamberlin and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a The Jesus and Mary Chain record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your theremin and bought a synthesizer.
I hear that you and your band have sold your synthesizer and bought a theremin.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Porter Ricks,
Marc Romboy vs. Booka Shade,
The Royal Family And The Poor,
Gang Green,
Circle Jerks,
F. McDonald,
Peter Gordon & Love of Life Orchestra,
Cybotron,
Kayak,
Lou Christie,
Toni Rubio,
Lindisfarne,
Country Teasers,
The Associates,
June of 44,
Jawbox,
Anthony Braxton,
The Red Krayola,
H. Thieme,
Audionom,
Fifty Foot Hose,
Gang Gang Dance,
Delta 5,
Black Flag,
Peter and Kerry,
The Martian,
Crispian St. Peters,
Eli Mardock,
The Smiths,
Gong,
The Young Rascals,
Newcleus,
The Mummies,
Grandmaster Flash,
48th St. Collective,
Roger Hodgson,
Spoonie Gee,
Pere Ubu,
The Trojans,
Thee Headcoats,
AZ,
Danielle Patucci,
The Skatalites,
Whodini,
Bill Near,
Soft Machine,
Sonny Sharrock,
The Alarm Clocks,
the Fania All-Stars,
Swans,
Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft,
T.S.O.L.,
Roxy Music,
Quando Quango,
The Monks,
Johnny Clarke,
Deepchord,
Ohio Players,
The Men They Couldn't Hang,
Radio Birdman,
Soulsonic Force,
Drexciya,
Trumans Water, Trumans Water, Trumans Water, Trumans Water.
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.