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 Bulgaria and from Manila.
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 1975.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Lagos and Madrid.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Taipei 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 1977 at the first Mistral practice in a loft in Amsterdam.
I was working on the clarinet 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 DJ Sneak to the funk 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 Ultimate Spinach. All the underground hits.
All Todd Terry tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Derrick May record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal rock 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 guitar and a linndrum and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Livin' Joy record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your snare and bought a 808.
I hear that you and your band have sold your 808 and bought a snare.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
The Happenings,
The Cramps,
Sight & Sound,
Althea and Donna,
John Holt,
Cameo,
Sam Rivers,
Notorious BIG live in Amsterdam,
Spandau Ballet,
Nik Kershaw,
The Moody Blues,
The Smiths,
New Age Steppers,
The Divine Comedy,
Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx,
Sixth Finger,
The Modern Lovers,
Khruangbin,
Barrington Levy,
Liaisons Dangereuses,
The Motions,
Brand Nubian,
The Star Department,
Barbara Tucker,
Scan 7,
PIL,
Young Marble Giants,
a-ha,
Desert Stars,
Oneida,
Flipper,
Louis and Bebe Barron,
Eden Ahbez,
JFA,
Audionom,
Max Romeo,
June Days,
The Saints,
Coldchain, Rosco P., Featuring Pusha T from Clipse & Boo-Bonic,
Soulsonic Force,
Godley & Creme,
The Mighty Diamonds,
The Beau Brummels,
The Dirtbombs,
Camouflage,
Au Pairs,
Bang On A Can,
Lebanon Hanover,
Cybotron,
Gil Scott Heron,
The Birthday Party,
Inner City,
Andrew Hill,
Mantronix,
ABC,
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds,
Can,
Graham Central Station,
Whodini,
The Dead C,
Faust, Faust, Faust, Faust.
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.