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 Sudan and from Lagos.
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 1975.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Woodstock and Calgary.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school London 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 Bronski Beat practice in a loft in Brixton.
I was working on the mellotron 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 Amon Düül II to the grime kids.
I played it at the Roxy.
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 The Tremeloes. All the underground hits.
All New Age Steppers tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Pulsallama record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal dance 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 marimba and a chamberlin and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Mark Hollis record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your theremin and bought a 808.
I hear that you and your band have sold your 808 and bought a theremin.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
The Gap Band,
DeepChord presents Echospace,
The Durutti Column,
Todd Terry,
Reuben Wilson,
Public Image Ltd.,
Maurizio,
Glenn Branca,
Avey Tare's Slasher Flicks,
the Soft Cell,
Amon Düül,
Magma,
The Index,
Kauko Röyhkä ja Narttu,
Amon Düül II,
AZ,
Swans,
Sonny Sharrock,
John Holt,
The Pop Group,
Fat Boys,
Duran Duran,
Suburban Knight,
Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx,
The Sound,
The American Breed,
Scion,
The Mojo Men,
Black Moon,
Con Funk Shun,
Vainqueur,
Desert Stars,
The Mummies,
Marc Romboy vs. Booka Shade,
The Names,
Lee Hazlewood,
Man Eating Sloth,
Rapeman,
The Wake,
Buzzcocks,
London Community Gospel Choir,
Sarah Menescal,
The Music Machine,
Cheater Slicks,
Qualms,
Q and Not U,
Masta Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane,
Sad Lovers and Giants,
Mandrill,
The Five Americans,
The Cosmic Jokers,
La Düsseldorf,
Los Fastidios,
Kango’s Stein Massive,
Ten City,
N.O.R.E. Featuring Pharrell,
Amazonics,
De La Soul & Jungle Brothers,
Don Cherry,
The Smiths,
Röyhkä ja Rättö ja Lehtisalo,
The Young Rascals,
T.S.O.L.,
John Lydon, John Lydon, John Lydon, John Lydon.
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.