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 Bahrain and from Spokane.
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 1964 to 1971.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Portland and Johannesburg.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Milan 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 1976 at the first Soft Boys practice in a loft in Cambridge.
I was working on the guitar 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 PIL to the rap kids.
I played it at the 40 Watt.
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 The Star Department. All the underground hits.
All MDC tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every The Real Kids record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal rap hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '80s cut and another box set from the '80s.
I hear you're buying an arpeggiator and a chamberlin and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a The Tremeloes record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your harpsichord and bought a spring reverb.
I hear that you and your band have sold your spring reverb and bought a harpsichord.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Monolake,
The Doors,
UT,
Mantronix,
Jeff Mills,
Das Ding,
Tommy Roe,
Smog,
Banda Bassotti,
the Bar-Kays,
Technova,
Urselle,
The Real Kids,
Rites of Spring,
Josef K,
Rotary Connection,
Livin' Joy,
Tubeway Army,
The Seeds,
Zapp,
Radio Birdman,
Glambeats Corp.,
FM Einheit,
The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band,
Niagra,
Cymande,
Sarah Menescal,
The Star Department,
Buzzcocks,
Ken Boothe,
Soul II Soul,
Tropical Tobacco,
Justin Hinds & The Dominoes,
David McCallum,
Stereo Dub,
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo,
Henry Cow,
Faust,
Panda Bear,
Royal Trux,
Bobby Womack,
Avey Tare & Kría Brekkan,
DJ Style,
Brick,
Bob Dylan,
Harry Pussy,
The Mummies,
The Raincoats,
The Modern Lovers,
Fear,
Audionom,
The Monks,
Albert Ayler,
Jesper Dahlback,
Sugar Minott,
The Trojans,
Ralphi Rosario,
The Dirtbombs,
the Swans,
Nirvana,
Lafayette Afro Rock Band,
Mr. Review, Mr. Review, Mr. Review, Mr. Review.
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.