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 Liechtenstein and from Seoul.
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 1966 to 1979.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Taipei and Milan.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Woodstock 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 1978 at the first Visage practice in a loft in London.
I was working on the clarinet sounds with much patience.
I was there when Lou Reed 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 James Chance & The Contortions to the rap 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 Ronan. All the underground hits.
All JFA tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every The Tremeloes 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 '70s.
I hear you're buying a guitar and a güiro and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Art Ensemble Of Chicago record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your synthesizer and bought a 808.
I hear that you and your band have sold your 808 and bought a synthesizer.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Ash Ra Tempel,
Kool Moe Dee,
Avey Tare & Kría Brekkan,
Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dog,
Mad Mike,
the Human League,
The Evens,
LL Cool J,
Bobby Sherman,
Fat Boys,
Arcadia,
Public Image Ltd.,
Jacques Brel,
Technova,
Sister Nancy,
Skaos,
Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson,
Man Parrish,
Cluster,
Flipper,
Louis and Bebe Barron,
Wasted Youth,
DJ Sneak,
The Monks,
MC5,
John Cale,
KRS-One,
Gang Starr,
Robert Görl,
Howard Jones,
Whodini,
Johnny Osbourne,
Gang Green,
Byron Stingily,
The J.B.'s,
Supertramp,
Nico,
The Moleskins,
Larry & the Blue Notes,
Donald Byrd,
Angels of Light & Akron/Family,
Stetsasonic,
Danielle Patucci,
T. Rex,
Hardrive,
JFA,
Soul Sonic Force,
A Certain Ratio,
Lafayette Afro Rock Band,
Minutemen,
Visionaries,LMNO, T- Love & Iriscience,
Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft,
Blancmange,
Susan Cadogan,
Young Marble Giants,
Jeff Lynne,
The Seeds,
F. McDonald,
The Martian,
Crooked Eye,
Lonnie Liston Smith,
Henry Cow, Henry Cow, Henry Cow, Henry Cow.
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.