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 Sudan and from Accra.
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 1968 to 1978.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Manchester and Columbus.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Bologna 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 Captain Beefheart 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 Curtis Mayfield to the jazz kids.
I played it at Cafe Wha.
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 Soft Cell. All the underground hits.
All Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every The Techniques record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal techno hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '60s cut and another box set from the '80s.
I hear you're buying a harpsichord and a guitar and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Quando Quango record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your linndrum and bought a harpsichord.
I hear that you and your band have sold your harpsichord and bought a linndrum.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Surgeon,
The Royal Family And The Poor,
Ajijia Myrayebe,
Pole,
Rahsaan Roland Kirk,
Schoolly D,
X-Ray Spex,
Blossom Toes,
Electric Prunes,
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark,
A Certain Ratio,
The Chocolate Watch Band,
Kayak,
The Saints,
Minny Pops,
Swans,
Qualms,
the Sonics,
Deepchord,
Parry Music,
JFA,
Barrington Levy,
Iggy Pop,
Mo-Dettes,
Crispy Ambulance,
Banda Bassotti,
Smog,
Thinking Fellers Union Local 282,
Jeff Mills,
Groovy Waters,
The Mighty Diamonds,
Idris Muhammad,
Scan 7,
CMW,
Massinfluence,
Letta Mbulu,
Amon Düül,
Hashim,
DJ Sneak,
The Evens,
Sly & The Family Stone,
Stockholm Monsters,
Erykah Badu,
Gil Scott Heron,
John Cale,
Faraquet,
Magazine,
The Pop Group,
Manfred Mann's Earth Band,
Coldchain, Rosco P., Featuring Pusha T from Clipse & Boo-Bonic,
Strawberry Alarm Clock,
John Foxx,
Glenn Branca,
Wally Richardson,
Glambeats Corp.,
The Durutti Column,
The Skatalites,
The Invisible,
Malaria!,
the Soft Cell,
Peter and Kerry,
Angels of Light & Akron/Family,
Panda Bear, Panda Bear, Panda Bear, Panda Bear.
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.