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 Sri Lanka and from Woodstock.
But I was there.
I was there in 1970.
I was there at the first Onyeabor show in Enugu.
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 1979.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Manchester and Hong Kong.
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 1976 at the first Soft Boys practice in a loft in Cambridge.
I was working on the arpeggiator sounds with much patience.
I was there when Captain Beefheart 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 Negative Approach to the dance 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 Marine Girls. All the underground hits.
All Cabaret Voltaire tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Nation of Ulysses record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal funk 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 marimba and a chamberlin and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Yusef Lateef record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your 808 and bought an arpeggiator.
I hear that you and your band have sold your arpeggiator and bought a 808.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Kool Moe Dee,
the Slits,
Newcleus,
Parry Music,
Fear,
Hashim,
Bluetip,
N.O.R.E. Featuring Pharrell,
The Fuzztones,
Sugar Minott,
Marine Girls,
The Zeros,
Fluxion,
New York Dolls,
Slave,
Urselle,
James Chance & The Contortions,
Ohio Players,
The J.B.'s,
Ten City,
Massinfluence,
the Swans,
Electric Light Orchestra,
Camron Feat. Jay Z And Juelz,
John Holt,
The Doors,
Gian Franco Pienzio,
Charles Mingus,
Jacques Brel,
Althea and Donna,
Chris Corsano,
The Mojo Men,
Goldenarms,
Aural Exciters,
Roxette,
Arthur Verocai,
Sad Lovers and Giants,
Jimmy McGriff,
Stiv Bators,
Adolescents,
The Gladiators,
Matthew Bourne,
Lalann,
the Association,
This Heat,
The Last Poets,
Harry Pussy,
EPMD,
Sixth Finger,
De La Soul & Jungle Brothers,
Angry Samoans,
Josef K,
Model 500,
The Velvet Underground,
Iggy Pop,
Rakim,
Young Marble Giants,
Public Image Ltd.,
Sly & The Family Stone,
Eric B and Rakim,
Amon Düül II,
Deepchord,
Neu!,
Henry Cow, Henry Cow, Henry Cow, Henry Cow.
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.