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 Nigeria and from Jakarta.
But I was there.
I was there in 1971.
I was there at the first Neu! show in Düsseldorf.
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 1966 to 1979.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Johannesburg and Tokyo.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Seoul 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 clarinet sounds with much patience.
I was there when Lou Reed 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 Nick Fraelich to the rap kids.
I played it at Cafe Wha.
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 Steve Hackett. All the underground hits.
All Joy Division tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every The Star Department 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 '70s.
I hear you're buying a theremin and a synthesizer and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Warren Ellis record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your harpsichord and bought a rhodes.
I hear that you and your band have sold your rhodes and bought a harpsichord.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Moss Icon,
The Tremeloes,
Sällskapet,
Isaac Hayes,
Nas,
Donny Hathaway,
Graham Central Station,
Stetsasonic,
Eddi Front,
John Lydon,
Pharaoh Sanders and the Fire Engines,
The Doors,
Carl Craig,
Cameo,
Larry & the Blue Notes,
Blossom Toes,
Cymande,
Kas Product,
The Alarm Clocks,
Fatback Band,
Lou Reed,
Kool Moe Dee,
Nick Fraelich,
Sugar Minott,
Matthew Bourne,
JFA,
Lightning Bolt,
Frankie Knuckles,
Sticky Fingaz feat. Raekwon,
Pharoah Sanders,
Derrick May,
Kerri Chandler,
Thinking Fellers Union Local 282,
Flipper,
Parry Music,
Roger Hodgson,
Peter & Gordon,
Visage,
Guru Guru,
Main Source,
Kango’s Stein Massive,
Negative Approach,
Minor Threat,
Althea and Donna,
Avey Tare,
The Sound,
Terror Squad Feat. Camron,
Pagans,
The Buckinghams,
David Bowie,
8 Eyed Spy,
Con Funk Shun,
New York Dolls,
Heaven 17,
the Bar-Kays,
Bizarre Inc.,
Minny Pops,
Eric B and Rakim,
Howard Jones,
Bauhaus,
Throbbing Gristle, Throbbing Gristle, Throbbing Gristle, Throbbing Gristle.
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.