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 Kazakhstan and from Jakarta.
But I was there.
I was there in 1980.
I was there at the first Cybotron show in Detroit.
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 1961 to 1979.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Columbus and Madrid.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Toronto 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 marimba sounds with much patience.
I was there when Lou Reed 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 Nirvana to the electroclash kids.
I played it at the Spitz.
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 James Chance & The Contortions. All the underground hits.
All Marc Romboy vs. Booka Shade tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every In Retrospect 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 '70s cut and another box set from the '80s.
I hear you're buying a spring reverb and a chamberlin and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Rufus Thomas record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your 808 and bought a synthesizer.
I hear that you and your band have sold your synthesizer and bought a 808.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Bobby Sherman,
Graham Central Station,
Gang Green,
Lyres,
Bronski Beat,
ABC,
Reagan Youth,
Make Up,
Unwound,
the Sonics,
Deakin,
Dual Sessions,
Nirvana,
Depeche Mode,
Bootsy Collins,
Lou Reed & John Cale,
Funky Four + One,
Sister Nancy,
The Index,
Slick Rick,
Roxy Music,
Chris Corsano,
Michelle Simonal,
PIL,
Porter Ricks,
Piero Umiliani,
Roger Hodgson,
Electric Light Orchestra,
Niagra,
Masta Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane,
Jacques Brel,
The Knickerbockers,
Blancmange,
Fifty Foot Hose,
Alison Limerick,
Soulsonic Force,
Soft Cell,
Black Pus,
Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth,
Marcia Griffiths,
Faraquet,
Delta 5,
Kenny Larkin,
UT,
Crooked Eye,
The Fire Engines,
Adolescents,
Jacob Miller,
Ossler,
Aaron Thompson,
Young Marble Giants,
Ultimate Spinach,
David Axelrod,
The Blues Magoos,
Bang On A Can,
Black Moon,
Camberwell Now,
Brand Nubian,
Henry Cow,
Echo & the Bunnymen,
James Chance & The Contortions,
Gang Gang Dance,
Harmonia,
Gastr Del Sol, Gastr Del Sol, Gastr Del Sol, Gastr Del Sol.
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.