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 Swaziland and from Manchester.
But I was there.
I was there in 1977.
I was there at the first Human League show in Sheffield.
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 1977.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Philadelphia and Cairo.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Paris 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 1975 at the first Ubu practice in a loft in Cleveland.
I was working on the snare sounds with much patience.
I was there when Tom Verlaine 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 Jandek to the electroclash kids.
I played it at the Hacienda.
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 Donald Byrd. All the underground hits.
All Lou Reed & Metallica tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Rapeman record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal dance 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 808 and a marimba and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Minny Pops record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your guitar and bought a harpsichord.
I hear that you and your band have sold your harpsichord and bought a guitar.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Bill Near,
The Zeros,
Juan Atkins,
Sad Lovers and Giants,
Morten Harket,
Avey Tare & Kría Brekkan,
The American Breed,
Bang on a Can All-Stars,
the Normal,
Rhythm & Sound,
Hashim,
Echo & the Bunnymen,
Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth,
The Happenings,
Oblivians,
Ludus,
Agent Orange,
Röyhkä ja Rättö ja Lehtisalo,
Robert Görl,
Frankie Knuckles,
Archie Shepp,
Stiv Bators,
Basic Channel,
Thinking Fellers Union Local 282,
Chris Corsano,
Schoolly D,
E-Dancer,
Goldenarms,
Nirvana,
The Pretty Things,
Letta Mbulu,
Panda Bear,
Tropical Tobacco,
The Raincoats,
Television Personalities,
Kings Of Tomorrow,
Bluetip,
Skriet,
Harmonia,
Lizzy Mercier Descloux,
Tears for Fears,
X-101,
Bill Wells,
Jesper Dahlbäck,
Moebius,
Sexual Harrassment,
Blossom Toes,
Circle Jerks,
Hot Snakes,
The Index,
a-ha,
UT,
The Sonics,
Lindisfarne,
Bauhaus,
Groovy Waters,
Cecil Taylor,
New York Dolls,
Reagan Youth,
Wally Richardson,
Rites of Spring,
JFA, JFA, JFA, JFA.
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.