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 Malawi and from Philadelphia.
But I was there.
I was there in 1977.
I was there at the first Zapp show in Hamilton.
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 1965 to 1978.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in New York and Lyon.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Lille 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 808 sounds with much patience.
I was there when Michael McDonald 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 Tommy Roe to the grime 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 Underground Resistance. All the underground hits.
All Subhumans tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Harmonia record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal grime 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 snare and a rhodes and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Marvin Gaye record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your chamberlin and bought a 808.
I hear that you and your band have sold your 808 and bought a chamberlin.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
The Doors,
Parry Music,
Alton Ellis,
Graham Central Station,
Coldchain, Rosco P., Featuring Pusha T from Clipse & Boo-Bonic,
Minnie Riperton,
Letta Mbulu,
Toni Rubio,
Popol Vuh,
Bobby Womack,
Maleditus Sound,
Tropical Tobacco,
the Bar-Kays,
Boredoms,
Sarah Menescal,
Wally Richardson,
B.T. Express,
The Gories,
Lightning Bolt,
Piero Umiliani,
Funky Four + One,
T. Rex,
Vainqueur,
Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx,
James Chance & The Contortions,
Lakeside,
Smog,
Moby Grape,
Procol Harum,
The Young Rascals,
June Days,
Interpol,
Be Bop Deluxe,
DJ Sneak,
Kerrie Biddell,
Kool Moe Dee,
The Zeros,
The Blues Magoos,
Spoonie Gee,
Sun Ra,
Faust,
Public Enemy,
Todd Terry,
Henry Cow,
Fatback Band,
Sad Lovers and Giants,
Glenn Branca,
Sun City Girls,
The Pop Group,
Byron Stingily,
Dorothy Ashby,
Lalo Schifrin,
Lalann,
Sun Ra Arkestra,
The J.B.'s,
Bob Dylan,
Rekid,
Pierre Henry,
John Lydon,
Pussy Galore,
Danielle Patucci,
the Slits, the Slits, the Slits, the Slits.
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.