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 Lesotho and from Bologna.
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 1979.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Tehran and Shanghai.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Copenhagen 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 arpeggiator 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 Masta Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane to the techno kids.
I played it at the Troubador.
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 Cal Tjader. All the underground hits.
All The Human League tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Jawbox 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 '70s cut and another box set from the '70s.
I hear you're buying a linndrum and a marimba 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 snare.
I hear that you and your band have sold your snare and bought an arpeggiator.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Delta 5,
The Gun Club,
Surgeon,
Nas,
The J.B.'s,
The Seeds,
Al Stewart,
Goldenarms,
Lou Reed & Metallica,
Sticky Fingaz feat. Raekwon,
Jacob Miller,
Scientists,
Los Fastidios,
Newcleus,
Black Flag,
Brass Construction,
the Normal,
Jawbox,
the Human League,
Bad Manners,
Yusef Lateef,
Cecil Taylor,
Siglo XX,
Todd Terry,
Kerri Chandler,
John Lydon,
Wolf Eyes,
Camron Feat. Memphis Bleek And Beenie Seigel,
Gang Gang Dance,
Moss Icon,
Clear Light,
Fela Kuti,
Kevin Saunderson,
Television Personalities,
Sun Ra,
Piero Umiliani,
OOIOO,
Soulsonic Force,
Spoonie Gee,
Drexciya,
Amazonics,
Idris Muhammad,
Nils Olav,
DeepChord presents Echospace,
the Association,
Nation of Ulysses,
Lafayette Afro Rock Band,
The Stooges,
Thompson Twins,
Kurtis Blow,
Avey Tare & Kría Brekkan,
Lindisfarne,
Hasil Adkins,
Lalo Schifrin,
Scion,
The Sisters of Mercy,
Dave Gahan,
Ultravox,
Anakelly,
The Cowsills,
the Sonics,
Royal Trux,
The Real Kids, The Real Kids, The Real Kids, The Real Kids.
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.