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 El Salvador and from Edmonton.
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 1960 to 1977.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in London and Toronto.
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 1970 at the first Onyeabor practice in a loft in Enugu.
I was working on the rhodes sounds with much patience.
I was there when Tom Verlaine 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 Outsiders to the rap kids.
I played it at CBGB's.
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 R.M.O.. All the underground hits.
All Eli Mardock tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Marcia Griffiths record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal jazz 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 an organ and a güiro and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Kevin Saunderson record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your 808 and bought an oboe.
I hear that you and your band have sold your oboe and bought a 808.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Brothers Johnson,
Bang on a Can All-Stars,
Radio Birdman,
Sticky Fingaz feat. Raekwon,
The Motions,
Ash Ra Tempel,
The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band,
the Human League,
Q and Not U,
Gang of Four,
Quantec,
The Fall,
Scott Walker + Sunn O))),
Sonny Sharrock,
The Gories,
the Sonics,
The Shadows of Knight,
Shoche,
Connie Case,
ABC,
June of 44,
Lucky Dragons,
Eurythmics,
Altered Images,
Royal Trux,
the Fania All-Stars,
Soulsonic Force,
The Neon Judgement,
N.O.R.E. Featuring Pharrell,
The Angels of Light,
The Barracudas,
Visionaries,LMNO, T- Love & Iriscience,
DJ Style,
Super Lover Cee & Casanova Rud,
Matthew Halsall,
Ultravox,
The Moleskins,
Gichy Dan,
Gang Green,
Minor Threat,
The Smoke,
Stiv Bators,
Eric Dolphy,
Gerry Rafferty,
Boogie Down Productions,
The Star Department,
10cc,
Robert Hood,
FM Einheit,
DeepChord presents Echospace,
Brand Nubian,
David Bowie,
Jawbox,
Joe Finger,
Underground Resistance,
cv313,
Basic Channel,
The Mighty Diamonds,
Mission of Burma,
Echo & the Bunnymen,
Livin' Joy,
The Men They Couldn't Hang,
Fatback Band, Fatback Band, Fatback Band, Fatback Band.
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.