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 Nauru and from Milan.
But I was there.
I was there in 1973.
I was there at the first Television show in New York.
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 1967 to 1972.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Johannesburg and Glasgow.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Lagos 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 1977 at the first Human League practice in a loft in Sheffield.
I was working on the linndrum 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 Joe Smooth to the funk kids.
I played it at the Roxy.
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 Sun Ra Arkestra. All the underground hits.
All Simply Red tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Cabaret Voltaire record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal grime 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 harpsichord and a theremin and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Basic Channel record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your 808 and bought a clarinet.
I hear that you and your band have sold your clarinet and bought a 808.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Severed Heads,
Bootsy's Rubber Band,
Derrick May,
Soul Sonic Force,
Danielle Patucci,
Nik Kershaw,
Marvin Gaye,
Eric Dolphy,
Sticky Fingaz feat. Raekwon,
Erykah Badu,
Lakeside,
Yazoo,
New Order,
Flamin' Groovies,
Fatback Band,
Faust,
Rapeman,
K-Klass,
Radio Birdman,
The Techniques,
The Jesus and Mary Chain,
Strawberry Alarm Clock,
The Gories,
Rites of Spring,
The Slits,
Moss Icon,
Jawbox,
John Lydon,
Soulsonic Force,
Slick Rick,
La Düsseldorf,
Outsiders,
Gil Scott Heron,
Joensuu 1685,
Henry Cow,
Country Teasers,
Spandau Ballet,
The Alarm Clocks,
48th St. Collective,
the Association,
Aaron Thompson,
Stiv Bators,
Jerry Gold Smith,
Pharaoh Sanders and the Fire Engines,
Fat Boys,
Louis and Bebe Barron,
Lower 48,
The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band,
Soul II Soul,
James Chance & The Contortions,
Minor Threat,
Simply Red,
Brass Construction,
Nirvana,
T.S.O.L.,
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo,
H. Thieme,
Rakim,
Patti Smith,
Stetsasonic,
Sun City Girls,
The Smiths,
Fela Kuti,
Von Mondo,
Marcia Griffiths, Marcia Griffiths, Marcia Griffiths, Marcia Griffiths.
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.