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 Cameroon and from Copenhagen.
But I was there.
I was there in 1971.
I was there at the first Big Star show in Memphis.
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 1967 to 1975.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Copenhagen and Johannesburg.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Winnipeg 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 snare 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 Tim Buckley to the dance kids.
I played it at the 40 Watt.
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 Eric Dolphy. All the underground hits.
All Nico tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Aaron Thompson 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 '50s cut and another box set from the '90s.
I hear you're buying an arpeggiator and a linndrum and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a John Holt record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your arpeggiator and bought a chamberlin.
I hear that you and your band have sold your chamberlin and bought an arpeggiator.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Rakim,
The Associates,
Nirvana,
The Standells,
F. McDonald,
Ajijia Myrayebe,
Joyce Sims,
Brothers Johnson,
Sad Lovers and Giants,
Gong,
Marmalade,
Q and Not U,
Pulsallama,
L. Decosne,
Kango’s Stein Massive,
Black Flag,
the Association,
Dave Gahan,
Magazine,
Joey Negro,
Kurtis Blow,
Malaria!,
Kerri Chandler,
Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson,
Bronski Beat,
The Doobie Brothers,
Johnny Clarke,
Cymande,
Basic Channel,
Donny Hathaway,
David Bowie,
The Vogues,
The Sound,
Mars,
The Cosmic Jokers,
Faust,
James White and The Blacks,
Niagra,
MC5,
Jandek,
Neil Young,
Pierre Henry,
The Monks,
Brand Nubian,
Gang Gang Dance,
Arab on Radar,
Jacques Brel,
Tres Demented,
Steve Hackett,
Groovy Waters,
The Gories,
Young Marble Giants,
Shoche,
Cabaret Voltaire,
Mandrill,
Lower 48,
Juan Atkins,
Kauko Röyhkä ja Narttu,
Lalo Schifrin,
Wire,
Severed Heads,
Be Bop Deluxe,
Davy DMX,
Bill Wells, Bill Wells, Bill Wells, Bill Wells.
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.