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 Moldova and from Toronto.
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 1961 to 1977.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Copenhagen and Hong Kong.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Edmonton 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 Art of Noise practice in a loft in London.
I was working on the oboe 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 Godley & Creme to the electroclash 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 Aswad. All the underground hits.
All Ultramagnetic MC's tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every X-Ray Spex record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal electroclash hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '70s cut and another box set from the '70s.
I hear you're buying a clarinet and a theremin and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your synthesizer and bought a rhodes.
I hear that you and your band have sold your rhodes and bought a synthesizer.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Colin Newman,
Pharoah Sanders,
Deakin,
Joensuu 1685,
Graham Central Station,
Eve St. Jones,
Animal Collective,
the Fania All-Stars,
Lafayette Afro Rock Band,
ABC,
Harmonia,
Siglo XX,
Subhumans,
Altered Images,
Intrusion,
Fela Kuti,
Jerry Gold Smith,
Grandmaster Flash,
Camouflage,
Moebius,
Oblivians,
Connie Case,
The Fire Engines,
The Remains,
Alice Coltrane,
Eli Mardock,
Judy Mowatt,
Prince Buster,
Kerrie Biddell,
Lungfish,
Louis and Bebe Barron,
DJ Style,
The Monochrome Set,
The Cosmic Jokers,
Swans,
Avey Tare,
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark,
The Flesh Eaters,
Banda Bassotti,
Harry Pussy,
Crispy Ambulance,
Andrew Ashong & Theo Parrish,
Sly & The Family Stone,
Nik Kershaw,
Panda Bear,
Grey Daturas,
Al Stewart,
John Cale,
Radiopuhelimet,
Josef K,
Stetsasonic,
Public Enemy,
The Mighty Diamonds,
Clear Light,
The Cramps,
Interpol,
The Names,
Kevin Saunderson,
Pantytec,
Bronski Beat,
Tomorrow,
Man Eating Sloth,
Sonic Youth, Sonic Youth, Sonic Youth, Sonic Youth.
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.