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 Botswana and from Sao Paulo.
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 1964 to 1974.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Bologna and Manila.
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 at the first Suicide practice in a loft in New York.
I was working on the mellotron sounds with much patience.
I was there when Michael McDonald 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 Black Sheep to the rap 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 Bootsy's Rubber Band. All the underground hits.
All Skarface tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Public Enemy record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal electroclash hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '80s cut and another box set from the '80s.
I hear you're buying a chamberlin and a mellotron and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Ken Boothe record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your clarinet and bought a guitar.
I hear that you and your band have sold your guitar and bought a clarinet.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Al Stewart,
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark,
Ronan,
Gang Green,
The Index,
Don Cherry,
The Golliwogs,
The Residents,
Alphaville,
Qualms,
Ultimate Spinach,
Glenn Branca,
Harpers Bizarre,
Y Pants,
Ajijia Myrayebe,
Delta 5,
Ice-T,
The Knickerbockers,
Ponytail,
The Sisters of Mercy,
Buzzcocks,
Donald Byrd,
Tommy Roe,
The Star Department,
The Moleskins,
De La Soul & Jungle Brothers,
Pantaleimon,
The Trojans,
Letta Mbulu,
Kings Of Tomorrow,
Davy DMX,
The Young Rascals,
Scan 7,
Television Personalities,
Public Enemy,
Hasil Adkins,
8 Eyed Spy,
Rites of Spring,
Bobby Sherman,
Brothers Johnson,
Zero Boys,
Ultramagnetic MC's,
Bang On A Can,
Niagra,
Joe Finger,
The Martian,
The Fuzztones,
Carl Craig,
Peter & Gordon,
Rahsaan Roland Kirk,
The Sonics,
Babytalk,
Joe Smooth,
L. Decosne,
The Chocolate Watch Band,
Connie Case,
The Royal Family And The Poor,
Boogie Down Productions,
Coldchain, Rosco P., Featuring Pusha T from Clipse & Boo-Bonic,
Anthony Braxton,
Grey Daturas,
KRS-One, KRS-One, KRS-One, KRS-One.
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.