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 Antigua and from Johannesburg.
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 1964 to 1977.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Halifax and Lyon.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Taipei 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 1983 at the first Lewis practice in a loft in Vancouver.
I was working on the synthesizer 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 The Electric Prunes to the rock 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 Blake Baxter. All the underground hits.
All Erasure tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Gang Starr record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal crunk hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '60s cut and another box set from the '80s.
I hear you're buying a marimba and a snare and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a James White and The Blacks record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your linndrum and bought a harpsichord.
I hear that you and your band have sold your harpsichord and bought a linndrum.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Archie Shepp,
Teenage Jesus and the Jerks,
Rosa Yemen,
N.O.R.E. Featuring Pharrell,
Visionaries,LMNO, T- Love & Iriscience,
Traffic Nightmare,
Gian Franco Pienzio,
Joe Finger,
Flipper,
Boogie Down Productions,
Deadbeat,
Deepchord,
Black Sheep,
Pussy Galore,
Funky Four + One,
Quadrant,
Avey Tare & Kría Brekkan,
Make Up,
The Dave Clark Five,
Michelle Simonal,
Stetsasonic,
These Immortal Souls,
Nico,
The Human League,
the Germs,
Jawbox,
Gang of Four,
Outsiders,
Johnny Clarke,
Barbara Tucker,
Bobbi Humphrey,
Minutemen,
Kerri Chandler,
New Order,
Visage,
Cecil Taylor,
Godley & Creme,
The Sonics,
The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band,
The Moleskins,
Flamin' Groovies,
Public Enemy,
Mr. Review,
Eurythmics,
Excepter,
Television Personalities,
The Skatalites,
Fluxion,
Grey Daturas,
Fugazi,
Minny Pops,
The Gun Club,
Desert Stars,
Scientists,
The Vogues,
Soul Sonic Force,
Stereo Dub,
Ronnie Foster,
Patti Smith,
F. McDonald,
Country Teasers,
Circle Jerks,
Rhythm & Sound,
Sonic Youth,
Hashim, Hashim, Hashim, Hashim.
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.