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 Montenegro and from Taipei.
But I was there.
I was there in 1968.
I was there at the first Can show in Cologne.
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 1969 to 1979.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Mumbai and Beijing.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school London 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 1970 at the first Onyeabor practice in a loft in Enugu.
I was working on the synthesizer sounds with much patience.
I was there when Robert Palmer 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 Livin' Joy to the disco kids.
I played it at the Troubador.
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 Lalann. All the underground hits.
All Roger Hodgson tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Lower 48 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 '80s cut and another box set from the '90s.
I hear you're buying a mellotron and a spring reverb and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Cal Tjader record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your 808 and bought a clarinet.
I hear that you and your band have sold your clarinet and bought a 808.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
The Star Department,
Fad Gadget,
Moebius,
Throbbing Gristle,
The Five Americans,
New Order,
Patti Smith,
Jandek,
Lou Reed,
the Human League,
Radio Birdman,
The Fortunes,
DJ Sneak,
Lafayette Afro Rock Band,
Gerry Rafferty,
Gil Scott Heron,
Minnie Riperton,
Index,
Jerry Gold Smith,
Mary Jane Girls,
Lindisfarne,
Pagans,
De La Soul & Jungle Brothers,
Moss Icon,
Mandrill,
Tears for Fears,
The Slackers,
London Community Gospel Choir,
8 Eyed Spy,
The Moleskins,
Echo & the Bunnymen,
Soft Machine,
Zero Boys,
Sun City Girls,
Harmonia,
Erykah Badu,
David Bowie,
the Germs,
New Age Steppers,
The Gladiators,
The Move,
Harry Pussy,
The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band,
Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft,
Joyce Sims,
Sparks,
Swell Maps,
Metal Thangz,
Los Fastidios,
Rosa Yemen,
Vainqueur,
Buzzcocks,
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five,
The Toasters,
Niagra,
Notorious BIG live in Amsterdam,
Judy Mowatt,
Ornette Coleman,
The Divine Comedy,
Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson,
Marc Almond, Marc Almond, Marc Almond, Marc Almond.
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.