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 Madagascar and from Winnipeg.
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 1960 to 1971.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Bologna and Delhi.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Mumbai 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 Can practice in a loft in Cologne.
I was working on the 808 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 Josef K to the crunk kids.
I played it at the Spitz.
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 Eddi Front. All the underground hits.
All Kerrie Biddell tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every the Germs 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 '90s.
I hear you're buying an oboe and a clarinet and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Ohio Players record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your snare and bought a clarinet.
I hear that you and your band have sold your clarinet and bought a snare.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
These Immortal Souls,
Urselle,
Yazoo,
Cluster,
Neu!,
Junior Murvin,
Godley & Creme,
10cc,
Tim Buckley,
Bronski Beat,
Audionom,
Mr. Review,
John Cale,
Janne Schatter,
Sad Lovers and Giants,
Scan 7,
Pole,
Throbbing Gristle,
Gichy Dan,
Marshall Jefferson,
Joe Smooth,
Fad Gadget,
Soul II Soul,
Johnny Osbourne,
Thinking Fellers Union Local 282,
Eric B and Rakim,
The Saints,
Delta 5,
Major Organ And The Adding Machine,
The Count Five,
Jeru the Damaja,
Bad Manners,
Ornette Coleman,
Unwound,
Pantytec,
Ice-T,
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five,
Todd Terry,
The Real Kids,
Clear Light,
Boz Scaggs,
Andrew Hill,
The Cramps,
Los Fastidios,
Brass Construction,
Accadde A,
Banda Bassotti,
Hasil Adkins,
Youth Brigade,
The Searchers,
The Star Department,
the Sonics,
Flamin' Groovies,
Soft Cell,
The Detroit Cobras,
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry,
Fugazi,
Mandrill,
Don Cherry,
The Vogues,
Bauhaus,
Buzzcocks,
Sly & The Family Stone,
Rakim, Rakim, Rakim, Rakim.
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.