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 Philippines and from Taipei.
But I was there.
I was there in 1983.
I was there at the first Bronski Beat show in Brixton.
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 1962 to 1974.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Paris and Winnipeg.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Houston 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 1979 at the first Second Layer practice in a loft in South London.
I was working on the arpeggiator sounds with much patience.
I was there when Tom Verlaine 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 Excepter to the techno 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 Shoche. All the underground hits.
All Bang on a Can All-Stars tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Spandau Ballet record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal disco hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '80s cut and another box set from the '70s.
I hear you're buying a synthesizer and an organ and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Moby Grape record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your chamberlin and bought a güiro.
I hear that you and your band have sold your güiro and bought a chamberlin.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Grandmaster Flash,
Sight & Sound,
The Slits,
Marshall Jefferson,
Thompson Twins,
Glenn Branca,
Justin Hinds & The Dominoes,
Mission of Burma,
Freddie Wadling,
David Axelrod,
Can,
Kevin Saunderson,
Johnny Clarke,
Pulsallama,
The Music Machine,
The Motions,
Schoolly D,
The Mighty Diamonds,
Agitation Free,
Animal Collective,
Barclay James Harvest,
Mr. Review,
Ludus,
London Community Gospel Choir,
Jesper Dahlbäck,
Ronan,
The Gun Club,
The Durutti Column,
The Tremeloes,
Pagans,
CMW,
the Association,
The Pretty Things,
Be Bop Deluxe,
Ohio Players,
Livin' Joy,
Idris Muhammad,
Circle Jerks,
Magma,
Altered Images,
Iggy Pop,
Marc Romboy vs. Booka Shade,
Soul Sonic Force,
Tubeway Army,
Funky Four + One,
the Fania All-Stars,
Sonic Youth,
Half Japanese,
Outsiders,
Ice-T,
Arthur Verocai,
Anakelly,
The Alarm Clocks,
Robert Hood,
Fort Wilson Riot,
Ituana,
Pharaoh Sanders and the Fire Engines,
Camouflage,
Camberwell Now,
Goldenarms,
The Peanut Butter Conspiracy,
Minnie Riperton, Minnie Riperton, Minnie Riperton, Minnie Riperton.
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.