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 Swaziland and from Beijing.
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 1966 to 1975.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Bologna and Hong Kong.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Accra 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 1975 at the first Ubu practice in a loft in Cleveland.
I was working on the organ sounds with much patience.
I was there when Holger Czukay 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 Matthew Halsall to the jazz kids.
I played it at the Crocodile.
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 Lafayette Afro Rock Band. All the underground hits.
All Juan Atkins tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Warsaw 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 '50s cut and another box set from the '80s.
I hear you're buying an oboe and a linndrum and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Minnie Riperton record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your güiro and bought a chamberlin.
I hear that you and your band have sold your chamberlin and bought a güiro.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Barclay James Harvest,
Joensuu 1685,
Make Up,
The Residents,
The Motions,
10cc,
Kas Product,
Alton Ellis,
Royal Trux,
These Immortal Souls,
N.O.R.E. Featuring Pharrell,
Fad Gadget,
Davy DMX,
Maurizio,
Fifty Foot Hose,
Pantytec,
Technova,
Camron Feat. Jay Z And Juelz,
Joey Negro,
Grey Daturas,
E-Dancer,
The Stooges,
Gong,
Scrapy,
Qualms,
Kerri Chandler,
The Five Americans,
Sparks,
Schoolly D,
T. Rex,
The Golliwogs,
48th St. Collective,
Icehouse,
The Buckinghams,
Rotary Connection,
The Litter,
Ultimate Spinach,
MDC,
The Associates,
Kayak,
Lightning Bolt,
Young Marble Giants,
Khruangbin,
Siouxsie and the Banshees,
Dennis Brown,
Yaz,
Youth Brigade,
Yellowson,
Coldchain, Rosco P., Featuring Pusha T from Clipse & Boo-Bonic,
Idris Muhammad,
Tim Buckley,
Kango’s Stein Massive,
DNA,
Minnie Riperton,
The Angels of Light,
Zapp,
Radiohead,
Lou Reed & Metallica,
One Last Wish,
Todd Terry,
Charles Mingus, Charles Mingus, Charles Mingus, Charles Mingus.
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.