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 Gabon and from Seoul.
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 1971.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Milan and Calgary.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Delhi 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 1984 at the first Arcadia practice in a loft in London.
I was working on the harpsichord sounds with much patience.
I was there when Donald Fagen 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 West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band to the rock 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 Jacques Brel. All the underground hits.
All Con Funk Shun tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Roy Ayers 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 '80s cut and another box set from the '90s.
I hear you're buying an oboe and an arpeggiator and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Qualms record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your theremin and bought an oboe.
I hear that you and your band have sold your oboe and bought a theremin.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Vladislav Delay,
Erykah Badu,
Rahsaan Roland Kirk,
Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dog,
the Association,
Gabor Szabo,
The Kinks,
Boz Scaggs,
Lebanon Hanover,
Icehouse,
Jawbox,
Ultravox,
Camron Feat. Jay Z And Juelz,
Rhythim Is Rhythim,
Sparks,
Severed Heads,
Cecil Taylor,
Heavy D & The Boyz,
Liaisons Dangereuses,
The United States of America,
Alton Ellis,
Ten City,
Fifty Foot Hose,
Faust,
Silicon Teens,
Gil Scott Heron,
The Gap Band,
Wighnomy Brothers & Robag Wruhme,
Urselle,
Black Bananas,
The Motions,
N.O.R.E. Featuring Pharrell,
Roxy Music,
The Knickerbockers,
The Offenders,
Marvin Gaye,
Heaven 17,
Minnie Riperton,
Lou Reed & Metallica,
Negative Approach,
Fad Gadget,
Althea and Donna,
Clear Light,
The Standells,
The Smoke,
Gang Green,
Matthew Bourne,
Black Flag,
Max Romeo,
Man Eating Sloth,
The Sound,
Fela Kuti,
Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx,
The Fugs,
Angels of Light & Akron/Family,
The Fortunes,
Outsiders,
Sun Ra,
Toni Rubio,
Joensuu 1685,
Be Bop Deluxe, Be Bop Deluxe, Be Bop Deluxe, Be Bop Deluxe.
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.