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 Ivory Coast and from Philadelphia.
But I was there.
I was there in 1975.
I was there at the first Throbbing Gristle show in London.
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 1965 to 1974.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Johannesburg and Manila.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Milan 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 Art of Noise practice in a loft in London.
I was working on the harpsichord sounds with much patience.
I was there when David Bowie 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 Saints to the rap kids.
I played it at the Hacienda.
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 Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx. All the underground hits.
All Cecil Taylor tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every The Names 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 '60s cut and another box set from the '70s.
I hear you're buying a synthesizer and a spring reverb and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Joyce Sims record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your theremin and bought an arpeggiator.
I hear that you and your band have sold your arpeggiator and bought a theremin.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Ten City,
James Chance & The Contortions,
Isaac Hayes,
Oneida,
Lakeside,
A Certain Ratio,
Cameo,
Index,
Rosa Yemen,
The Names,
Crispy Ambulance,
The Barracudas,
Aaron Thompson,
Bluetip,
Thompson Twins,
Can,
The Divine Comedy,
The Doobie Brothers,
New Age Steppers,
Howard Jones,
Shoche,
Maurizio,
Fugazi,
Talk Talk,
Idris Muhammad,
Gang Gang Dance,
Metal Thangz,
The Associates,
Cabaret Voltaire,
Skaos,
Mandrill,
Quando Quango,
Pere Ubu,
The Dave Clark Five,
Massinfluence,
Kenny Larkin,
Lalann,
The Smiths,
Pulsallama,
Absolute Body Control,
Delta 5,
Radiopuhelimet,
B.T. Express,
Juan Atkins,
The Busters,
Ohio Players,
Sonic Youth,
Clear Light,
Tears for Fears,
Minny Pops,
Curtis Mayfield,
Todd Terry,
It's A Beautiful Day,
Gregory Isaacs,
Dead Boys,
Manfred Mann's Earth Band,
Lou Christie,
The Fire Engines,
Freddie Wadling,
Electric Prunes,
The Young Rascals,
Basic Channel,
Jeff Mills, Jeff Mills, Jeff Mills, Jeff Mills.
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.