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 Denmark and from Winnipeg.
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 1972.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Johannesburg and Tehran.
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 1971 at the first Selda practice in a loft in Istanbul.
I was working on the synthesizer sounds with much patience.
I was there when Tom Verlaine 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 KRS-One to the rock 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 Mission of Burma. All the underground hits.
All Jacques Brel tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every London Community Gospel Choir 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 '70s.
I hear you're buying a harpsichord and a guitar and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a X-Ray Spex record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your 808 and bought a theremin.
I hear that you and your band have sold your theremin and bought a 808.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Sun Ra,
Jacob Miller,
Rod Modell,
MC5,
Mission of Burma,
Simply Red,
Hot Snakes,
Aural Exciters,
Michelle Simonal,
This Heat,
Nick Fraelich,
Siglo XX,
Drive Like Jehu,
T. Rex,
Boogie Down Productions,
Bush Tetras,
the Human League,
Surgeon,
Kauko Röyhkä ja Narttu,
Cameo,
Adolescents,
Icehouse,
Grey Daturas,
Marshall Jefferson,
Letta Mbulu,
Jerry Gold Smith,
Tim Buckley,
Jeru the Damaja,
the Germs,
Quadrant,
Gang Gang Dance,
Oblivians,
Depeche Mode,
Japan,
Suicide,
Nils Olav,
JFA,
Don Cherry,
Cecil Taylor,
Wings,
Kerrie Biddell,
Desert Stars,
Skriet,
Bad Manners,
Swans,
X-102,
Kayak,
Black Sheep,
Von Mondo,
Silicon Teens,
Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dog,
Avey Tare & Kría Brekkan,
David Bowie,
Circle Jerks,
Sarah Menescal,
Susan Cadogan,
In Retrospect,
Idris Muhammad,
Masta Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane,
Sad Lovers and Giants,
Rakim,
MDC,
Dawn Penn,
Johnny Osbourne,
New Age Steppers, New Age Steppers, New Age Steppers, New Age Steppers.
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.