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 Dominican Republic and from Stockholm.
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 1969 to 1974.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Johannesburg and Hong Kong.
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 1967 at the first Rodriguez practice in a loft in Detroit.
I was working on the theremin sounds with much patience.
I was there when Holger Czukay 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 Kevin Saunderson to the rap kids.
I played it at CBGB's.
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 Bluetip. All the underground hits.
All The Peanut Butter Conspiracy tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Red Lorry Yellow Lorry record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal disco hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '80s cut and another box set from the '70s.
I hear you're buying a clarinet and a theremin and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Pagans record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your organ and bought an arpeggiator.
I hear that you and your band have sold your arpeggiator and bought an organ.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Niagra,
Albert Ayler,
Howard Jones,
Rahsaan Roland Kirk,
Skriet,
Kool Moe Dee,
Jacques Brel,
Rakim,
Second Layer,
Ornette Coleman,
Carl Craig,
Grey Daturas,
The Techniques,
New Order,
Al Stewart,
Cymande,
Scan 7,
The Kinks,
Oneida,
Ohio Players,
These Immortal Souls,
AZ,
Patti Smith,
Lungfish,
Minnie Riperton,
Masta Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane,
Tomorrow,
Byron Stingily,
Roy Ayers,
Bobby Sherman,
Public Enemy,
LL Cool J,
Erykah Badu,
The Beau Brummels,
Dead Boys,
John Holt,
Crispian St. Peters,
Bobby Womack,
Mantronix,
Dawn Penn,
The Mighty Diamonds,
B.T. Express,
A Certain Ratio,
Selector Dub Narcotic,
Sonny Sharrock,
the Slits,
Robert Wyatt,
Warsaw,
Gang Gang Dance,
Rapeman,
The Mummies,
Ash Ra Tempel,
Junior Murvin,
Anakelly,
The Barracudas,
Dual Sessions,
Neu!,
Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dog,
Ronan,
Frankie Knuckles,
Tubeway Army,
Mark Hollis,
Sight & Sound, Sight & Sound, Sight & Sound, Sight & Sound.
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.