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 Slovenia and from Lagos.
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 1962 to 1978.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Lyon and Johannesburg.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Sao Paulo 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 1968 at the first Bowie practice in a loft in Bromley.
I was working on the spring reverb sounds with much patience.
I was there when Holger Czukay 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 Das Ding to the crunk kids.
I played it at the 40 Watt.
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 Peter Gordon & Love of Life Orchestra. All the underground hits.
All Graham Central Station tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Stetsasonic record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal rap 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 808 and a clarinet and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Cecil Taylor record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your 808 and bought a rhodes.
I hear that you and your band have sold your rhodes and bought a 808.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dog,
The Peanut Butter Conspiracy,
Model 500,
Nation of Ulysses,
Hashim,
Pussy Galore,
Mantronix,
Tim Buckley,
Soul II Soul,
Los Fastidios,
The Doobie Brothers,
Skaos,
Rites of Spring,
Connie Case,
The Black Dice,
the Association,
the Germs,
Donald Byrd,
Pylon,
Kurtis Blow,
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds,
Howard Jones,
Eric Dolphy,
John Holt,
Television Personalities,
Swans,
the Slits,
Lyres,
The Remains,
Coldchain, Rosco P., Featuring Pusha T from Clipse & Boo-Bonic,
Motorama,
Pierre Henry,
Drexciya,
Lalann,
Marmalade,
Justin Hinds & The Dominoes,
Gian Franco Pienzio,
Goldenarms,
Au Pairs,
Ludus,
Clear Light,
The Pretty Things,
Heavy D & The Boyz,
The Trojans,
The Wake,
Bootsy's Rubber Band,
The Names,
Sixth Finger,
Donny Hathaway,
Yellowson,
Zero Boys,
Grey Daturas,
The Cramps,
Johnny Clarke,
Subhumans,
Gang of Four,
EPMD,
Easy Going,
Rahsaan Roland Kirk,
Agent Orange,
Tommy Roe,
Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth,
The Mojo Men,
Curtis Mayfield, Curtis Mayfield, Curtis Mayfield, Curtis Mayfield.
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.