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 Iran and from Copenhagen.
But I was there.
I was there in 1970.
I was there at the first Onyeabor show in Enugu.
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 1960 to 1970.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Bremen and New York.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Taipei 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 1983 at the first Bronski Beat practice in a loft in Brixton.
I was working on the theremin 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 Larry & the Blue Notes to the rock kids.
I played it at the 40 Watt.
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 Sarah Menescal. All the underground hits.
All Marcia Griffiths tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Reagan Youth 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 '70s cut and another box set from the '70s.
I hear you're buying a linndrum and a theremin and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a B.T. Express record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your linndrum and bought a guitar.
I hear that you and your band have sold your guitar and bought a linndrum.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Swans,
Lonnie Liston Smith,
LL Cool J,
Clear Light,
Ten City,
the Swans,
Japan,
Masta Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane,
Zero Boys,
Vaughan Mason & Crew,
Barrington Levy,
June Days,
Cluster,
Radiopuhelimet,
Louis and Bebe Barron,
Make Up,
The Cowsills,
John Foxx,
Aural Exciters,
The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band,
Susan Cadogan,
Flamin' Groovies,
The Offenders,
One Last Wish,
DNA,
The Doors,
The Grass Roots,
Barbara Tucker,
ABBA,
The Slits,
Ponytail,
The Stooges,
Supertramp,
Kool Moe Dee,
Warren Ellis,
Nick Fraelich,
The Searchers,
The J.B.'s,
Circle Jerks,
Main Source,
JFA,
Gary Puckett & The Union Gap,
World's Most,
Amon Düül II,
Livin' Joy,
Max Romeo,
Das Ding,
Wighnomy Brothers & Robag Wruhme,
Sonic Youth,
Black Moon,
Malaria!,
E-Dancer,
Aaron Thompson,
De La Soul & Jungle Brothers,
Barry Ungar,
Harpers Bizarre,
Bang on a Can All-Stars,
Anthony Braxton,
David McCallum,
Moebius,
The Move,
The Sonics,
Cymande, Cymande, Cymande, Cymande.
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.