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 Turkmenistan and from Seoul.
But I was there.
I was there in 1977.
I was there at the first Human League show in Sheffield.
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 1970.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Manchester and Houston.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Halifax 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 1979 at the first Second Layer practice in a loft in South London.
I was working on the theremin sounds with much patience.
I was there when Holger Czukay 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 Rosa Yemen to the jazz kids.
I played it at the Hacienda.
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 Patti Smith. All the underground hits.
All Connie Case tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every A Certain Ratio 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 '80s.
I hear you're buying a chamberlin and a harpsichord and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Pagans record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your 808 and bought a güiro.
I hear that you and your band have sold your güiro and bought a 808.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
New York Dolls,
Jacques Brel,
Heavy D & The Boyz,
Janne Schatter,
Alice Coltrane,
The Divine Comedy,
The Pretty Things,
Jeru the Damaja,
Masters at Work,
Larry & the Blue Notes,
World's Most,
Frankie Knuckles,
U.S. Maple,
Big Daddy Kane,
Technova,
Carl Craig,
The Modern Lovers,
Tim Buckley,
The Litter,
Man Eating Sloth,
A Flock of Seagulls,
The Gap Band,
Yaz,
Goldenarms,
Quadrant,
Lucky Dragons,
Darondo,
The Sisters of Mercy,
Moss Icon,
Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dog,
Derrick Morgan,
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band,
Justin Hinds & The Dominoes,
Wighnomy Brothers & Robag Wruhme,
Erykah Badu,
Connie Case,
Lalann,
Cymande,
Stereo Dub,
The Fortunes,
Con Funk Shun,
Sound Behaviour,
Alton Ellis,
the Swans,
Wally Richardson,
Stetsasonic,
Jacob Miller,
DJ Sneak,
Piero Umiliani,
The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band,
It's A Beautiful Day,
Ash Ra Tempel,
Television Personalities,
Kerri Chandler,
Marshall Jefferson,
X-Ray Spex,
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five,
Rhythm & Sound,
Wire,
Ponytail,
Albert Ayler,
Fad Gadget,
Andrew Hill, Andrew Hill, Andrew Hill, Andrew Hill.
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.