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 Jamaica and from New York.
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 1967 to 1972.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Columbus and Hong Kong.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Calgary 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 Bronski Beat practice in a loft in Brixton.
I was working on the marimba 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 Funky Four + One to the rock kids.
I played it at CBGB's.
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 Piero Umiliani. All the underground hits.
All Sparks tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Saccharine Trust record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal grunge 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 harpsichord and a mellotron and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Notorious BIG live in Amsterdam record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your mellotron and bought a güiro.
I hear that you and your band have sold your güiro and bought a mellotron.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
The Fugs,
Vladislav Delay,
Rufus Thomas,
Curtis Mayfield,
Röyhkä ja Rättö ja Lehtisalo,
Kool Moe Dee,
Kango’s Stein Massive,
Spandau Ballet,
Nation of Ulysses,
James Chance & The Contortions,
Cabaret Voltaire,
The Birthday Party,
Lightning Bolt,
Brick,
Public Image Ltd.,
The Shadows of Knight,
Siouxsie and the Banshees,
Sixth Finger,
Kas Product,
Camouflage,
Moss Icon,
Popol Vuh,
Bang on a Can All-Stars,
Grandmaster Flash,
Albert Ayler,
Ultramagnetic MC's,
Wally Richardson,
The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band,
Johnny Clarke,
Angry Samoans,
The Names,
Bobby Hutcherson,
Buzzcocks,
N.O.R.E. Featuring Pharrell,
Guru Guru,
Super Lover Cee & Casanova Rud,
JFA,
Cymande,
Major Organ And The Adding Machine,
The Walker Brothers,
Zero Boys,
Gang Starr,
Visage,
Drive Like Jehu,
The Monochrome Set,
Bobby Womack,
Jawbox,
Archie Shepp,
Notorious Big And Bone Thugs,
The Monks,
Magma,
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo,
Be Bop Deluxe,
Fear,
The Fortunes,
the Human League,
Black Moon,
Technova,
Coldchain, Rosco P., Featuring Pusha T from Clipse & Boo-Bonic,
Mad Mike,
One Last Wish,
Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx,
the Slits,
Robert Wyatt, Robert Wyatt, Robert Wyatt, Robert Wyatt.
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.