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 Nigeria and from Hong Kong.
But I was there.
I was there in 1977.
I was there at the first Mistral show in Amsterdam.
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 1971.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Tokyo and Seoul.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Manchester 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 synthesizer sounds with much patience.
I was there when Nile Rodgers 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 the Normal to the electroclash 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 Can. All the underground hits.
All Liliput tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Outsiders record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal crunk 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 an organ and an arpeggiator and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Dead Boys record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your 808 and bought a mellotron.
I hear that you and your band have sold your mellotron and bought a 808.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Drexciya,
Public Enemy,
Sonic Youth,
Gregory Isaacs,
Davy DMX,
Heavy D & The Boyz,
Delta 5,
Bang On A Can,
David Axelrod,
Eddi Front,
Patti Smith,
Quadrant,
Swans,
Bobby Hutcherson,
Kango’s Stein Massive,
Motorama,
Chris Corsano,
Shoche,
Kool Moe Dee,
Arthur Verocai,
Kayak,
Scratch Acid,
Laurel Aitken,
The Five Americans,
David McCallum,
The Remains,
Gerry Rafferty,
Ajijia Myrayebe,
Robert Wyatt,
Letta Mbulu,
Aswad,
Nas,
Intrusion,
Main Source,
James Chance & The Contortions,
The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band,
Rekid,
Godley & Creme,
The Martian,
Bluetip,
Reagan Youth,
Porter Ricks,
Electric Prunes,
CMW,
Newcleus,
Quando Quango,
Gastr Del Sol,
Man Parrish,
DJ Sneak,
Oblivians,
Ornette Coleman,
DNA,
The Gories,
Black Flag,
The Real Kids,
Public Image Ltd.,
Radio Birdman,
Procol Harum,
Moby Grape,
Cybotron,
Brick, Brick, Brick, Brick.
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.