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 Micronesia and from Spokane.
But I was there.
I was there in 1975.
I was there at the first Ubu show in Cleveland.
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 1967 to 1972.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Portland and Shanghai.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Copenhagen 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 spring reverb sounds with much patience.
I was there when Michael McDonald 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 Charles Mingus to the grime kids.
I played it at Trash.
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 Marc Romboy vs. Booka Shade tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every The Birthday Party record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal rock 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 sitar and a theremin and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Larry & the Blue Notes record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your oboe and bought a snare.
I hear that you and your band have sold your snare and bought an oboe.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
a-ha,
Maurizio,
Iggy Pop,
Erykah Badu,
Scott Walker,
Monks,
The Selecter,
Jacob Miller,
Gabor Szabo,
Howard Jones,
The Modern Lovers,
The Star Department,
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo,
Interpol,
Mars,
Gang Gang Dance,
Wighnomy Brothers & Robag Wruhme,
Lonnie Liston Smith,
Brick,
Khruangbin,
Grey Daturas,
Little Man,
Eric B and Rakim,
The Sonics,
Arab on Radar,
Sad Lovers and Giants,
Porter Ricks,
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark,
Nick Fraelich,
The Doors,
The Seeds,
Matthew Halsall,
Pharoah Sanders,
Curtis Mayfield,
Neu!,
Shuggie Otis,
Hashim,
The United States of America,
Negative Approach,
Sarah Menescal,
The Saints,
Donald Byrd,
Fela Kuti,
Electric Prunes,
Lower 48,
Bronski Beat,
Bobby Byrd,
Robert Hood,
Max Romeo,
Sly & The Family Stone,
Zero Boys,
World's Most,
Main Source,
Don Cherry,
The Trojans,
Grauzone,
Alphaville,
Radio Birdman,
Scott Walker + Sunn O))),
Guru Guru,
Skaos,
The Raincoats,
Ornette Coleman,
Heavy D & The Boyz,
Mary Jane Girls, Mary Jane Girls, Mary Jane Girls, Mary Jane Girls.
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.