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 Cape Verde 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 1977.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Philadelphia and Lyon.
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 1977 at the first Zapp practice in a loft in Hamilton.
I was working on the arpeggiator sounds with much patience.
I was there when Donald Fagen 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 Glambeats Corp. to the disco kids.
I played it at the Astoria.
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 Radio Birdman. All the underground hits.
All Bobby Byrd tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Jerry's Kids 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 '60s cut and another box set from the '90s.
I hear you're buying a harpsichord and a theremin and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a The Litter record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your theremin and bought an arpeggiator.
I hear that you and your band have sold your arpeggiator and bought a theremin.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Louis and Bebe Barron,
Quantec,
Ajijia Myrayebe,
The Gladiators,
The Fortunes,
Marc Almond,
Tomorrow,
The Evens,
Amon Düül II,
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band,
U.S. Maple,
The Star Department,
Radiohead,
Idris Muhammad,
Robert Görl,
Mandrill,
Desert Stars,
Clear Light,
Avey Tare,
Sexual Harrassment,
Franke,
Soul II Soul,
Be Bop Deluxe,
Kauko Röyhkä ja Narttu,
Lou Reed,
Wolf Eyes,
The Electric Prunes,
Connie Case,
Gerry Rafferty,
JFA,
Sun Ra,
Agent Orange,
Y Pants,
Dawn Penn,
Nation of Ulysses,
The Vogues,
LL Cool J,
Albert Ayler,
Pharaoh Sanders and the Fire Engines,
Rakim,
Magazine,
Camron Feat. Jay Z And Juelz,
Don Cherry,
Eurythmics,
Inner City,
Liliput,
The Residents,
Bobby Sherman,
Steve Hackett,
Dark Day,
The Trojans,
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark,
DNA,
Monks,
Kaleidoscope,
Yazoo,
D'Angelo,
Bobby Byrd,
Ronnie Foster,
Lonnie Liston Smith,
Gil Scott Heron,
Masta Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane, Masta Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane, Masta Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane, Masta Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane.
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.