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 Guinea-Bissau and from London.
But I was there.
I was there in 1979.
I was there at the first Josef K show in Edinburgh.
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 1969 to 1970.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Edmonton and Spokane.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Madrid 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 marimba 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 Sun Ra Arkestra to the disco 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 Terror Squad Feat. Camron. All the underground hits.
All Warren Ellis tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Skaos record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal grime 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 an organ and a harpsichord and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Bad Manners record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your marimba and bought a synthesizer.
I hear that you and your band have sold your synthesizer and bought a marimba.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Easy Going,
Harmonia,
Sight & Sound,
Freddie Wadling,
The Electric Prunes,
Oneida,
Amazonics,
Stiv Bators,
The Tremeloes,
Depeche Mode,
The Gories,
Vainqueur,
The United States of America,
the Fania All-Stars,
Von Mondo,
Sad Lovers and Giants,
X-102,
ABC,
Basic Channel,
Tommy Roe,
The Fall,
Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson,
Alton Ellis,
Jerry's Kids,
The Blues Magoos,
Ohio Players,
Absolute Body Control,
Idris Muhammad,
Slave,
The Beau Brummels,
Rhythim Is Rhythim,
Max Romeo,
Alice Coltrane,
Marmalade,
Terrestrial Tones,
Gang of Four,
Radiohead,
Joensuu 1685,
The Vogues,
KRS-One,
Swans,
Black Sheep,
Lafayette Afro Rock Band,
Gang Gang Dance,
Oblivians,
Soul Sonic Force,
Country Joe & The Fish,
David Axelrod,
The Doors,
Ultramagnetic MC's,
Cecil Taylor,
Sticky Fingaz feat. Raekwon,
Faraquet,
Dead Boys,
The Velvet Underground,
Fad Gadget,
Nas,
The Music Machine,
The Slackers,
The Raincoats,
Severed Heads,
Kool Moe Dee, Kool Moe Dee, Kool Moe Dee, Kool Moe Dee.
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.