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 Maldives and from Toronto.
But I was there.
I was there in 1977.
I was there at the first Human League show in Sheffield.
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 1960 to 1976.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Manila and Woodstock.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Johannesburg 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 chamberlin sounds with much patience.
I was there when Lou Reed 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 Mission of Burma to the funk kids.
I played it at Cafe Wha.
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 Minor Threat. All the underground hits.
All DNA tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every James Chance & The Contortions 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 '70s.
I hear you're buying a harpsichord and a clarinet and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Al Stewart record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your spring reverb and bought a synthesizer.
I hear that you and your band have sold your synthesizer and bought a spring reverb.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Crooked Eye,
Pharaoh Sanders and the Fire Engines,
L. Decosne,
Kenny Larkin,
Michelle Simonal,
Chris Corsano,
Gong,
Aural Exciters,
The Electric Prunes,
Harpers Bizarre,
Essential Logic,
Boogie Down Productions,
Buzzcocks,
Accadde A,
Animal Collective,
Banda Bassotti,
10cc,
Bobby Hutcherson,
Cluster,
Neil Young,
Negative Approach,
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds,
Eric B and Rakim,
The Doors,
Oneida,
CMW,
Boredoms,
the Normal,
The Red Krayola,
Qualms,
Country Teasers,
The Birthday Party,
La Düsseldorf,
Archie Shepp,
Eric Copeland,
One Last Wish,
F. McDonald,
Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dog,
UT,
Leonard Cohen,
The Dave Clark Five,
Angels of Light & Akron/Family,
E-Dancer,
Funky Four + One,
Kauko Röyhkä ja Narttu,
The Fire Engines,
The Associates,
Bang on a Can All-Stars,
Television Personalities,
Girls At Our Best!,
The Move,
T.S.O.L.,
Sexual Harrassment,
Nils Olav,
Kerri Chandler,
The Raincoats,
Livin' Joy,
Wire,
Anthony Braxton,
Audionom,
Ronnie Foster,
Todd Rundgren,
Ituana, Ituana, Ituana, Ituana.
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.