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 Belgium and from Johannesburg.
But I was there.
I was there in 1979.
I was there at the first Josef K show in Edinburgh.
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 1969 to 1973.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Lyon and Manila.
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 1977 at the first Human League practice in a loft in Sheffield.
I was working on the arpeggiator 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 Delta 5 to the jazz 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 Fear. All the underground hits.
All Glambeats Corp. tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every The Mummies record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal dance hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '50s cut and another box set from the '80s.
I hear you're buying a theremin and a snare and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Pharaoh Sanders and the Fire Engines record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your oboe and bought a rhodes.
I hear that you and your band have sold your rhodes and bought an oboe.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Dawn Penn,
Bang on a Can All-Stars,
Joensuu 1685,
F. McDonald,
Lindisfarne,
Crash Course in Science,
The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band,
the Human League,
June Days,
Groovy Waters,
Nils Olav,
The Jesus and Mary Chain,
Bob Dylan,
Eric Copeland,
Harpers Bizarre,
Theoretical Girls,
Nirvana,
The Doors,
Throbbing Gristle,
Neil Young,
The New Christs,
Johnny Osbourne,
London Community Gospel Choir,
Jawbox,
Brand Nubian,
Terrestrial Tones,
Swell Maps,
Matthew Halsall,
The Happenings,
Michelle Simonal,
Black Sheep,
Black Bananas,
Jeff Mills,
Cymande,
Interpol,
A Flock of Seagulls,
The Stooges,
X-101,
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo,
Curtis Mayfield,
ABC,
Al Stewart,
The Fugs,
Kool Moe Dee,
Stockholm Monsters,
Reagan Youth,
Alphaville,
The Smoke,
Tears for Fears,
Larry & the Blue Notes,
Unwound,
Y Pants,
Avey Tare's Slasher Flicks,
The Names,
The Dirtbombs,
The Detroit Cobras,
Public Enemy,
Pussy Galore,
Blake Baxter,
The Five Americans,
Ten City,
Juan Atkins, Juan Atkins, Juan Atkins, Juan Atkins.
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.