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 Benin and from Taipei.
But I was there.
I was there in 1971.
I was there at the first Neu! show in Düsseldorf.
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 1977.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Johannesburg and Milan.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Delhi 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 harpsichord 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 Massinfluence to the jazz 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 Bad Manners. All the underground hits.
All Lebanon Hanover tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every The Blackbyrds record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal techno hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '50s cut and another box set from the '90s.
I hear you're buying a harpsichord and a guitar and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Idris Muhammad record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your synthesizer and bought a harpsichord.
I hear that you and your band have sold your harpsichord and bought a synthesizer.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
The New Christs,
Masta Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane,
Jacques Brel,
Art Ensemble Of Chicago,
John Lydon,
Joe Finger,
Cabaret Voltaire,
Slave,
Radio Birdman,
Moss Icon,
The Monks,
Sad Lovers and Giants,
Ash Ra Tempel,
Harpers Bizarre,
Stereo Dub,
Metal Thangz,
The Detroit Cobras,
Intrusion,
Lower 48,
The Alarm Clocks,
Kevin Saunderson,
Joensuu 1685,
Nation of Ulysses,
Donny Hathaway,
Roxy Music,
Amon Düül II,
Bad Manners,
Bauhaus,
The Fugs,
Lakeside,
Eric Dolphy,
Neu!,
Dark Day,
Faraquet,
The Sound,
Mary Jane Girls,
Judy Mowatt,
New Age Steppers,
Scott Walker,
Boogie Down Productions,
Manfred Mann's Earth Band,
Pharaoh Sanders and the Fire Engines,
Dead Boys,
Marc Romboy vs. Booka Shade,
Franke,
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry,
Parry Music,
Pantaleimon,
Rites of Spring,
Kaleidoscope,
Iggy Pop,
X-102,
Schoolly D,
The Music Machine,
Spoonie Gee,
Black Flag,
Jerry's Kids,
Arthur Verocai,
Bizarre Inc.,
Joy Division,
Super Lover Cee & Casanova Rud,
The Trojans,
Rhythim Is Rhythim,
Prince Buster, Prince Buster, Prince Buster, Prince Buster.
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.