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 East Timor and from Lyon.
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 1969 to 1979.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Lyon and Portland.
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 1980 at the first Cybotron practice in a loft in Detroit.
I was working on the oboe sounds with much patience.
I was there when Robert Palmer 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 Jacques Brel to the disco 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 Stockholm Monsters. All the underground hits.
All Angels of Light & Akron/Family tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Tres Demented 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 '50s cut and another box set from the '70s.
I hear you're buying a theremin and a harpsichord and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Eric Dolphy record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your oboe and bought a 808.
I hear that you and your band have sold your 808 and bought an oboe.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Mark Hollis,
A Flock of Seagulls,
Japan,
Sam Rivers,
the Swans,
Ash Ra Tempel,
Nas,
Charles Mingus,
Kas Product,
Lalann,
Robert Hood,
Hardrive,
Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx,
The Music Machine,
Visionaries,LMNO, T- Love & Iriscience,
Al Stewart,
Nik Kershaw,
Peter and Kerry,
Hot Snakes,
Pussy Galore,
JFA,
The Cowsills,
Deadbeat,
Joy Division,
Notorious Big And Bone Thugs,
Monolake,
The Golliwogs,
Ohio Players,
The Star Department,
Accadde A,
N.O.R.E. Featuring Pharrell,
Jeru the Damaja,
Heaven 17,
Amon Düül II,
Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dog,
Scion,
John Lydon,
Icehouse,
Parry Music,
Yusef Lateef,
The Gladiators,
Aswad,
James Chance & The Contortions,
Chris & Cosey,
The Selecter,
Wasted Youth,
Sun Ra Arkestra,
The Knickerbockers,
Alphaville,
Aaron Thompson,
The Slits,
The Litter,
Jeff Mills,
Moss Icon,
Marcia Griffiths,
X-102,
Justin Hinds & The Dominoes,
Laurel Aitken,
Wally Richardson,
The Misunderstood, The Misunderstood, The Misunderstood, The Misunderstood.
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.