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 Serbia and from Stockholm.
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 1963 to 1977.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Johannesburg and Winnipeg.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Salvador 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 1976 at the first Buzzcocks practice in a loft in Bolton.
I was working on the linndrum 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 Au Pairs to the dance 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 Mission of Burma. All the underground hits.
All Porter Ricks tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Hashim 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 '80s.
I hear you're buying a rhodes and a clarinet and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Qualms record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your synthesizer and bought a 808.
I hear that you and your band have sold your 808 and bought a synthesizer.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
One Last Wish,
Easy Going,
The Move,
Porter Ricks,
The Associates,
The Black Dice,
Malaria!,
Organ,
the Slits,
Cecil Taylor,
The Standells,
Depeche Mode,
Icehouse,
The New Christs,
The Litter,
The Cosmic Jokers,
Gastr Del Sol,
Neu!,
Roxy Music,
Parry Music,
Whodini,
Danielle Patucci,
Sly & The Family Stone,
The Fortunes,
Blossom Toes,
Crime,
Carl Craig,
Quando Quango,
Goldenarms,
Throbbing Gristle,
Neil Young & Crazy Horse,
Newcleus,
De La Soul & Jungle Brothers,
Matthew Bourne,
Soul II Soul,
Yellowson,
Grauzone,
Fort Wilson Riot,
Gian Franco Pienzio,
Blake Baxter,
Janne Schatter,
Pere Ubu,
Shoche,
Andrew Hill,
Nick Fraelich,
The Moody Blues,
Clear Light,
Suburban Knight,
Michelle Simonal,
ABBA,
Moby Grape,
Scientists,
Duran Duran,
Ralphi Rosario,
Aloha Tigers,
Pussy Galore,
Reagan Youth,
The Fire Engines,
Echo & the Bunnymen,
Main Source,
New York Dolls,
Grey Daturas,
Soulsonic Force,
The Smiths, The Smiths, The Smiths, The Smiths.
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.