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 Nigeria and from Lagos.
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 1969 to 1970.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Tokyo and Mexico City.
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 1978 at the first Visage practice in a loft in London.
I was working on the marimba sounds with much patience.
I was there when Nile Rodgers 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 Underground Resistance to the techno kids.
I played it at the Spitz.
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 Tommy Roe. All the underground hits.
All Byron Stingily tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Erykah Badu record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal jazz 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 synthesizer and a harpsichord and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a New Order record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your clarinet and bought a theremin.
I hear that you and your band have sold your theremin and bought a clarinet.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Bill Near,
the Normal,
Cal Tjader,
Youth Brigade,
Donny Hathaway,
Sarah Menescal,
The Evens,
Roy Ayers,
Skaos,
Fort Wilson Riot,
Ajijia Myrayebe,
Spandau Ballet,
Skarface,
The Mojo Men,
Underground Resistance,
Dennis Brown,
Derrick May,
The Mighty Diamonds,
Tim Buckley,
Mo-Dettes,
China Crisis,
La Düsseldorf,
David Axelrod,
Sly & The Family Stone,
Liliput,
A Certain Ratio,
Ossler,
Lebanon Hanover,
Michelle Simonal,
Thompson Twins,
Swell Maps,
Vaughan Mason & Crew,
Bobby Byrd,
Mr. Review,
Bronski Beat,
Bizarre Inc.,
Niagra,
Kenny Larkin,
Charles Mingus,
Ornette Coleman,
Tears for Fears,
Howard Jones,
The Beau Brummels,
Livin' Joy,
The Moody Blues,
Sun Ra Arkestra,
Pharoah Sanders,
Maleditus Sound,
Basic Channel,
A Flock of Seagulls,
The Real Kids,
Barrington Levy,
Matthew Halsall,
Bill Wells,
Bluetip,
Monolake,
Lou Reed,
The Jesus and Mary Chain,
The Slits,
Rod Modell,
Black Sheep,
Kango’s Stein Massive,
Blossom Toes,
Idris Muhammad, Idris Muhammad, Idris Muhammad, Idris Muhammad.
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.