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 Hungary and from Delhi.
But I was there.
I was there in 1983.
I was there at the first Bronski Beat show in Brixton.
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 1979.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Beijing and Spokane.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Philadelphia 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 1962 at the first Guess Who practice in a loft in Winnipeg.
I was working on the 808 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 Angry Samoans to the rock kids.
I played it at the 40 Watt.
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 Durutti Column. All the underground hits.
All Wolf Eyes tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every The Neon Judgement record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal funk hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '80s cut and another box set from the '80s.
I hear you're buying a güiro and a theremin and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Bang On A Can record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your clarinet and bought a sitar.
I hear that you and your band have sold your sitar and bought a clarinet.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Radio Birdman,
Freddie Wadling,
Ultra Naté,
This Heat,
The Techniques,
Hot Snakes,
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark,
New York Dolls,
Sun Ra Arkestra,
Minutemen,
Arcadia,
Manfred Mann's Earth Band,
Todd Terry,
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo,
Theoretical Girls,
Quando Quango,
Tears for Fears,
The Jesus and Mary Chain,
Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson,
The New Christs,
Marcia Griffiths,
The Angels of Light,
Crispian St. Peters,
The Standells,
Joy Division,
The Modern Lovers,
Section 25,
Bobby Byrd,
Thompson Twins,
Ken Boothe,
Justin Hinds & The Dominoes,
U.S. Maple,
The Velvet Underground,
Swell Maps,
Sällskapet,
The Beau Brummels,
Arthur Verocai,
Buzzcocks,
Joey Negro,
The J.B.'s,
Audionom,
Gil Scott Heron,
Bootsy's Rubber Band,
MDC,
Newcleus,
Reuben Wilson,
The Pop Group,
Sexual Harrassment,
PIL,
Jeff Mills,
Grey Daturas,
Althea and Donna,
Soul Sonic Force,
The Kinks,
Kenny Larkin,
Davy DMX,
B.T. Express,
Stereo Dub,
Carl Craig,
The Cramps,
Guru Guru,
Agitation Free,
Gong, Gong, Gong, Gong.
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.