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 Italy and from Edmonton.
But I was there.
I was there in 1979.
I was there at the first Josef K show in Edinburgh.
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 1979.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Manchester and Accra.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Shanghai 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 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 Andrew Ashong & Theo Parrish to the disco 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 Funky Four + One. All the underground hits.
All London Community Gospel Choir tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Mo-Dettes 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 '90s.
I hear you're buying a marimba and a spring reverb and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Unrelated Segments record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your synthesizer and bought a güiro.
I hear that you and your band have sold your güiro and bought a synthesizer.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Gichy Dan,
Make Up,
Bootsy's Rubber Band,
Ralphi Rosario,
Roy Ayers Ubiquity,
Kaleidoscope,
Andrew Hill,
The Move,
The Index,
Pantaleimon,
Banda Bassotti,
Patti Smith,
Easy Going,
Freddie Wadling,
Rowland S Howard / Lydia Lunch,
Sandy B,
Boz Scaggs,
Sparks,
Duran Duran,
Lou Reed & Metallica,
Rhythm & Sound,
A Flock of Seagulls,
Monks,
Peter & Gordon,
The Angels of Light,
The Durutti Column,
Pierre Henry,
Symarip,
Thee Headcoats,
Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dog,
Avey Tare's Slasher Flicks,
The Gories,
Be Bop Deluxe,
Rakim,
Bang on a Can All-Stars,
Malaria!,
Tomorrow,
Sound Behaviour,
Gerry Rafferty,
Bang On A Can,
Vainqueur,
Interpol,
The Doors,
Bluetip,
Tropical Tobacco,
Bronski Beat,
Minny Pops,
H. Thieme,
Chrome,
Television Personalities,
Aloha Tigers,
X-Ray Spex,
Röyhkä ja Rättö ja Lehtisalo,
Supertramp,
Swell Maps,
Lower 48,
This Heat,
Mr. Review,
Vladislav Delay,
Darondo,
John Lydon,
Fatback Band,
Jerry's Kids,
Chris & Cosey, Chris & Cosey, Chris & Cosey, Chris & Cosey.
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.