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 Yemen and from Johannesburg.
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 1963 to 1978.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Sao Paulo and Manchester.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Calgary 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 Art of Noise practice in a loft in London.
I was working on the 808 sounds with much patience.
I was there when David Bowie 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 Lebanon Hanover to the dance kids.
I played it at the Astoria.
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 Bad Manners. All the underground hits.
All Alton Ellis tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Cymande record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal punk hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '70s cut and another box set from the '90s.
I hear you're buying a clarinet and a mellotron and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Scratch Acid record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your linndrum and bought a synthesizer.
I hear that you and your band have sold your synthesizer and bought a linndrum.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
F. McDonald,
Ajijia Myrayebe,
Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dog,
The Mummies,
the Germs,
The Moleskins,
Masta Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane,
Peter & Gordon,
Panda Bear,
Joy Division,
Maurizio,
Jawbox,
Davy DMX,
Eurythmics,
Rapeman,
Oneida,
Henry Cow,
Avey Tare,
Heavy D & The Boyz,
Echospace,
Stockholm Monsters,
Susan Cadogan,
Electric Light Orchestra,
Peter and Kerry,
Gian Franco Pienzio,
Toni Rubio,
Ronan,
Girls At Our Best!,
The Neon Judgement,
Drive Like Jehu,
X-Ray Spex,
Metal Thangz,
Zapp,
Ralphi Rosario,
Lightning Bolt,
Crime,
Lower 48,
Angels of Light & Akron/Family,
Rhythim Is Rhythim,
Ponytail,
the Fania All-Stars,
Kayak,
Gichy Dan,
The Cowsills,
Quantec,
Harmonia,
X-101,
Lungfish,
Kaleidoscope,
Dawn Penn,
Grandmaster Flash,
Can,
Joensuu 1685,
Massinfluence,
Morten Harket,
Graham Central Station,
Eric B and Rakim,
Newcleus,
Joe Finger,
Underground Resistance, Underground Resistance, Underground Resistance, Underground Resistance.
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.