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 New Zealand and from Delhi.
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 1964 to 1972.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Philadelphia and Lille.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Woodstock 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 theremin sounds with much patience.
I was there when Holger Czukay 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 Flesh Eaters 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 Judy Mowatt. All the underground hits.
All London Community Gospel Choir tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every The Smoke record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal grunge hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '70s cut and another box set from the '70s.
I hear you're buying a chamberlin and a linndrum and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Manfred Mann's Earth Band record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your linndrum and bought a synthesizer.
I hear that you and your band have sold your synthesizer and bought a linndrum.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Jacob Miller,
Albert Ayler,
48th St. Collective,
Robert Wyatt,
Minnie Riperton,
Dark Day,
Jerry's Kids,
Art Ensemble Of Chicago,
Eyeless In Gaza,
Q and Not U,
Gichy Dan,
Icehouse,
Quantec,
Heaven 17,
The Last Poets,
X-Ray Spex,
Ajijia Myrayebe,
Monolake,
China Crisis,
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry,
Thinking Fellers Union Local 282,
Ten City,
Mars,
Throbbing Gristle,
Jeru the Damaja,
Alton Ellis,
Tubeway Army,
The Move,
Brass Construction,
Au Pairs,
Mo-Dettes,
The Residents,
Brick,
Erasure,
A Flock of Seagulls,
D'Angelo,
The United States of America,
Marshall Jefferson,
Rhythim Is Rhythim,
Sight & Sound,
Boredoms,
Neil Young & Crazy Horse,
The Pop Group,
Bang on a Can All-Stars,
Lafayette Afro Rock Band,
Nas,
The Beau Brummels,
Jacques Brel,
Spoonie Gee,
Clear Light,
Charles Mingus,
Chris Corsano,
Be Bop Deluxe,
The Motions,
Oneida,
Rakim,
Josef K,
Black Flag,
Wire,
John Cale,
Howard Jones, Howard Jones, Howard Jones, Howard Jones.
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.