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 Cuba and from Toronto.
But I was there.
I was there in 1976.
I was there at the first Feelies show in Haledon.
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 1976.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Columbus and Shanghai.
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 1970 at the first Onyeabor practice in a loft in Enugu.
I was working on the theremin 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 Rufus Thomas to the rap 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 Rahsaan Roland Kirk. All the underground hits.
All Masta Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Soulsonic Force record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal disco 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 theremin and an oboe and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a The Human League record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your arpeggiator and bought a 808.
I hear that you and your band have sold your 808 and bought an arpeggiator.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
The Offenders,
Hardrive,
Depeche Mode,
Man Parrish,
Cameo,
New York Dolls,
Gang Green,
Terry Callier,
Country Joe & The Fish,
EPMD,
Glenn Branca,
Bronski Beat,
Dead Boys,
Liliput,
Groovy Waters,
Siglo XX,
Skriet,
Hasil Adkins,
Zapp,
Kenny Larkin,
Kango’s Stein Massive,
Erykah Badu,
Terror Squad Feat. Camron,
The Gories,
Accadde A,
Inner City,
Soul II Soul,
Motorama,
Roy Ayers Ubiquity,
Mantronix,
Susan Cadogan,
Crooked Eye,
Echo & the Bunnymen,
The J.B.'s,
Banda Bassotti,
Jawbox,
Loose Ends,
Lakeside,
Bang on a Can All-Stars,
Eden Ahbez,
Alton Ellis,
Jacques Brel,
The Associates,
Pantaleimon,
Sound Behaviour,
Freddie Wadling,
Ronan,
Oblivians,
Kerri Chandler,
Scratch Acid,
a-ha,
Sun Ra Arkestra,
Slick Rick,
Shoche,
The Toasters,
Arab on Radar,
Dual Sessions,
Notorious Big And Bone Thugs,
Maleditus Sound,
Donald Byrd,
Von Mondo,
U.S. Maple,
Ronnie Foster,
Royal Trux, Royal Trux, Royal Trux, Royal Trux.
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.