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 Tanzania and from Salvador.
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 1964 to 1977.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Toronto and Salvador.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Mumbai 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 clarinet sounds with much patience.
I was there when Captain Beefheart 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 Mission of Burma to the crunk kids.
I played it at the Spitz.
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 Lou Reed & Metallica. All the underground hits.
All Thee Headcoats tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Reagan Youth record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal rock hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '80s cut and another box set from the '80s.
I hear you're buying an oboe and a synthesizer and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Janne Schatter record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your mellotron and bought a clarinet.
I hear that you and your band have sold your clarinet and bought a mellotron.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five,
Spandau Ballet,
Terry Callier,
Sun Ra Arkestra,
Don Cherry,
Barrington Levy,
The Martian,
Donny Hathaway,
Michelle Simonal,
The Cosmic Jokers,
Radio Birdman,
Arcadia,
Ituana,
Motorama,
A Flock of Seagulls,
Bronski Beat,
Lower 48,
Glambeats Corp.,
Super Lover Cee & Casanova Rud,
Livin' Joy,
Joy Division,
The Leaves,
U.S. Maple,
Soft Machine,
John Cale,
the Swans,
Kings Of Tomorrow,
Strawberry Alarm Clock,
Pantaleimon,
Nils Olav,
Technova,
The Mighty Diamonds,
Pussy Galore,
The Monochrome Set,
Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft,
T.S.O.L.,
Blossom Toes,
The Divine Comedy,
Cybotron,
Patti Smith,
Little Man,
Marcia Griffiths,
The Jesus and Mary Chain,
Mark Hollis,
Mars,
Monolake,
Kerri Chandler,
The Neon Judgement,
Minny Pops,
Kauko Röyhkä ja Narttu,
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry,
Oneida,
New Order,
The Flesh Eaters,
World's Most,
Depeche Mode,
Dave Gahan,
Grey Daturas,
Avey Tare & Kría Brekkan,
Ultimate Spinach,
Derrick May,
Larry & the Blue Notes,
Cameo,
Dual Sessions, Dual Sessions, Dual Sessions, Dual Sessions.
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.