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 Venezuela and from Johannesburg.
But I was there.
I was there in 1976.
I was there at the first Wire show in Watford.
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 1962 to 1977.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Copenhagen and New York.
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 1983 at the first Bronski Beat practice in a loft in Brixton.
I was working on the 808 sounds with much patience.
I was there when Captain Beefheart 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 Joy Division to the electroclash kids.
I played it at Cafe Wha.
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 Niagra. All the underground hits.
All Wally Richardson tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Bush Tetras record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal grime hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '60s cut and another box set from the '80s.
I hear you're buying an organ and a linndrum and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Mark Hollis record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your 808 and bought a linndrum.
I hear that you and your band have sold your linndrum and bought a 808.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Gil Scott Heron,
Von Mondo,
Au Pairs,
The Flesh Eaters,
The Remains,
The Gladiators,
Freddie Wadling,
Fort Wilson Riot,
The Jesus and Mary Chain,
Bootsy's Rubber Band,
The Victims,
Tommy Roe,
Alphaville,
The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band,
The Skatalites,
Magma,
KRS-One,
Barclay James Harvest,
Joensuu 1685,
Skaos,
The Kinks,
K-Klass,
The Index,
Grey Daturas,
Strawberry Alarm Clock,
Brick,
Lyres,
Guru Guru,
Spandau Ballet,
Depeche Mode,
The Associates,
Mission of Burma,
The Invisible,
DJ Sneak,
N.O.R.E. Featuring Pharrell,
Bill Near,
Siouxsie and the Banshees,
Ajijia Myrayebe,
Main Source,
Rosa Yemen,
Reuben Wilson,
Roger Hodgson,
Jeff Mills,
Fifty Foot Hose,
Scratch Acid,
Terrestrial Tones,
Kevin Saunderson,
Unrelated Segments,
Cal Tjader,
Boz Scaggs,
The Tremeloes,
Alison Limerick,
Gastr Del Sol,
JFA,
Tropical Tobacco,
Byron Stingily,
Judy Mowatt,
Derrick Morgan,
Amon Düül,
Sad Lovers and Giants,
the Slits,
Thinking Fellers Union Local 282,
John Holt, John Holt, John Holt, John Holt.
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.