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 Burundi and from New York.
But I was there.
I was there in 1967.
I was there at the first Rodriguez show in Detroit.
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 1965 to 1978.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Accra and Bremen.
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 1971 at the first Selda practice in a loft in Istanbul.
I was working on the 808 sounds with much patience.
I was there when David Bowie 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 Scientists to the jazz kids.
I played it at the Hacienda.
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 Fluxion. All the underground hits.
All Rahsaan Roland Kirk tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Avey Tare & Kría Brekkan record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal crunk hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '60s cut and another box set from the '70s.
I hear you're buying a mellotron and a theremin and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Ronan record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your marimba and bought an oboe.
I hear that you and your band have sold your oboe and bought a marimba.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Charles Mingus,
Joyce Sims,
Television Personalities,
Susan Cadogan,
Rotary Connection,
Kurtis Blow,
Von Mondo,
Sad Lovers and Giants,
Desert Stars,
PIL,
Teenage Jesus and the Jerks,
Sun Ra Arkestra,
The Last Poets,
Bobby Sherman,
Lafayette Afro Rock Band,
James Chance & The Contortions,
Vladislav Delay,
Siouxsie and the Banshees,
Mandrill,
Mantronix,
kango's stein massive,
The Motions,
Rakim,
A Flock of Seagulls,
Terror Squad Feat. Camron,
Anthony Braxton,
Panda Bear,
The Slits,
Siglo XX,
Drexciya,
Eric Copeland,
Organ,
F. McDonald,
Freddie Wadling,
The Victims,
Rod Modell,
Brick,
Pantaleimon,
Agitation Free,
Sonic Youth,
The Smiths,
Metal Thangz,
Boogie Down Productions,
Sonny Sharrock,
The Residents,
Nils Olav,
Eric B and Rakim,
Cybotron,
Bill Near,
Patti Smith,
Alice Coltrane,
Ultimate Spinach,
Cecil Taylor,
ABC,
Thompson Twins,
Wighnomy Brothers & Robag Wruhme,
Amon Düül II,
Stereo Dub,
Bluetip,
Guru Guru,
Lalann,
The Red Krayola,
Pierre Henry, Pierre Henry, Pierre Henry, Pierre Henry.
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.