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 Gabon and from Portland.
But I was there.
I was there in 1983.
I was there at the first Bronski Beat show in Brixton.
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 1974.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Mumbai and Sao Paulo.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Shanghai 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 Donald Fagen 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 Wolf Eyes to the techno kids.
I played it at the Crocodile.
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 Patti Smith. All the underground hits.
All Gary Puckett & The Union Gap tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every 8 Eyed Spy record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal crunk hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '80s cut and another box set from the '80s.
I hear you're buying an oboe and a mellotron and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Albert Ayler record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your organ and bought a theremin.
I hear that you and your band have sold your theremin and bought an organ.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
DJ Sneak,
Bootsy Collins,
Oblivians,
Minny Pops,
New Order,
Bad Manners,
Avey Tare,
the Slits,
Urselle,
Scientists,
Camron Feat. Memphis Bleek And Beenie Seigel,
Kauko Röyhkä ja Narttu,
Mantronix,
Television,
Arab on Radar,
Loose Ends,
Marcia Griffiths,
Sandy B,
Faust,
Nick Fraelich,
Radiopuhelimet,
DJ Style,
the Soft Cell,
Liliput,
The Men They Couldn't Hang,
Alison Limerick,
Simply Red,
Cameo,
Scott Walker,
The Last Poets,
It's A Beautiful Day,
Ornette Coleman,
The Dead C,
Henry Cow,
Stereo Dub,
The New Christs,
Rotary Connection,
Spoonie Gee,
Althea and Donna,
Silicon Teens,
Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dog,
Bauhaus,
Guru Guru,
Gil Scott Heron,
E-Dancer,
Cymande,
The Doors,
Carl Craig,
The Stooges,
Fela Kuti,
Mary Jane Girls,
B.T. Express,
The Blues Magoos,
Graham Central Station,
Sam Rivers,
Goldenarms,
Pet Shop Boys,
the Normal,
Pharaoh Sanders and the Fire Engines,
UT,
The Velvet Underground, The Velvet Underground, The Velvet Underground, The Velvet Underground.
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.