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 Ghana and from Manila.
But I was there.
I was there in 1971.
I was there at the first Selda show in Istanbul.
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 1965 to 1970.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Delhi and Lille.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Manila 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 snare sounds with much patience.
I was there when Nile Rodgers 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 X-Ray Spex to the punk kids.
I played it at Trash.
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 Absolute Body Control. All the underground hits.
All Lafayette Afro Rock Band tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Agitation Free record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal grunge hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '50s cut and another box set from the '70s.
I hear you're buying a clarinet and a synthesizer and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your 808 and bought an organ.
I hear that you and your band have sold your organ and bought a 808.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Lucky Dragons,
Slick Rick,
Althea and Donna,
Jeff Mills,
De La Soul & Jungle Brothers,
Von Mondo,
Crispian St. Peters,
Saccharine Trust,
Sparks,
the Bar-Kays,
Agent Orange,
The Kinks,
E-Dancer,
Derrick Morgan,
Aaron Thompson,
the Fania All-Stars,
ABBA,
The Jesus and Mary Chain,
Eric Dolphy,
June Days,
Talk Talk,
The Busters,
Intrusion,
MDC,
Avey Tare's Slasher Flicks,
The Monks,
The Associates,
Faust,
Angels of Light & Akron/Family,
Kas Product,
Zero Boys,
Absolute Body Control,
Deakin,
Grey Daturas,
Slave,
10cc,
Lyres,
Underground Resistance,
Surgeon,
Mars,
L. Decosne,
Goldenarms,
Crime,
Brass Construction,
Television Personalities,
Clear Light,
Silicon Teens,
Radiopuhelimet,
The Residents,
Curtis Mayfield,
Bauhaus,
Groovy Waters,
Tom Boy,
Teenage Jesus and the Jerks,
Porter Ricks,
Suburban Knight,
Shuggie Otis,
Letta Mbulu,
Gang Starr,
Ituana,
Darondo,
Radiohead, Radiohead, Radiohead, Radiohead.
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.