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 the UAE and from Houston.
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 1962 to 1972.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Hong Kong and Bremen.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Paris 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 arpeggiator 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 Bootsy Collins to the crunk 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 The Buckinghams. All the underground hits.
All 48th St. Collective tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Lou Reed & Metallica record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal disco hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '70s cut and another box set from the '80s.
I hear you're buying a 808 and a güiro and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Super Lover Cee & Casanova Rud record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your arpeggiator and bought a harpsichord.
I hear that you and your band have sold your harpsichord and bought an arpeggiator.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Gary Puckett & The Union Gap,
Can,
Fifty Foot Hose,
F. McDonald,
Clear Light,
Section 25,
Pet Shop Boys,
Minny Pops,
Jandek,
The Birthday Party,
Parry Music,
John Foxx,
Jawbox,
The Misunderstood,
Massinfluence,
Bauhaus,
Dual Sessions,
Make Up,
The Motions,
Pagans,
Anthony Braxton,
Yellowson,
Tim Buckley,
Matthew Bourne,
Soul Sonic Force,
Nico,
Delon & Dalcan,
Funky Four + One,
Hot Snakes,
The Fire Engines,
Junior Murvin,
Frankie Knuckles,
Simply Red,
Sonic Youth,
Rowland S Howard / Lydia Lunch,
One Last Wish,
Bob Dylan,
Vladislav Delay,
Wally Richardson,
Eve St. Jones,
Ronan,
Crispy Ambulance,
Guru Guru,
The Jesus and Mary Chain,
London Community Gospel Choir,
The Durutti Column,
Angels of Light & Akron/Family,
Joensuu 1685,
De La Soul & Jungle Brothers,
CMW,
Rufus Thomas,
Pharaoh Sanders and the Fire Engines,
Letta Mbulu,
Subhumans,
Lafayette Afro Rock Band,
The Skatalites,
Leonard Cohen,
Public Enemy,
Animal Collective,
Y Pants,
Sixth Finger,
Dead Boys,
The Names, The Names, The Names, The Names.
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.