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 Laos and from Portland.
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 1968 to 1978.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Lagos and Houston.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Salvador 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 808 sounds with much patience.
I was there when Captain Beefheart 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 Stereo Dub 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 Soft Cell. All the underground hits.
All Mantronix tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every The Offenders record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal rap 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 linndrum and an oboe and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Lafayette Afro Rock Band record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your snare and bought an organ.
I hear that you and your band have sold your organ and bought a snare.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Mad Mike,
Scientists,
Ultra Naté,
Barclay James Harvest,
the Swans,
Erasure,
Scott Walker + Sunn O))),
Godley & Creme,
Rakim,
Lee Hazlewood,
Rhythim Is Rhythim,
Donald Byrd,
Gregory Isaacs,
Technova,
Flash Fearless,
Roy Ayers Ubiquity,
The Victims,
Easy Going,
Harmonia,
Kaleidoscope,
Fad Gadget,
Clear Light,
Prince Buster,
The Tremeloes,
Sonic Youth,
Derrick Morgan,
Livin' Joy,
Electric Light Orchestra,
Joy Division,
Lucky Dragons,
a-ha,
Joey Negro,
Steve Hackett,
Black Moon,
Organ,
Sad Lovers and Giants,
Deepchord,
Blossom Toes,
Vainqueur,
Rosa Yemen,
Be Bop Deluxe,
Dual Sessions,
Cymande,
Marine Girls,
Thompson Twins,
Q and Not U,
the Slits,
Sparks,
K-Klass,
Avey Tare,
The Trojans,
New Age Steppers,
Dorothy Ashby,
Funky Four + One,
Eddi Front,
Zapp,
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo,
Shoche,
The Black Dice,
Royal Trux,
Mantronix,
The Toasters,
Graham Central Station, Graham Central Station, Graham Central Station, Graham Central Station.
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.