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 Iraq and from Manila.
But I was there.
I was there in 1965.
I was there at the first Beefheart show in Lancaster.
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 1978.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Manila and Manila.
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 1977 at the first Mistral practice in a loft in Amsterdam.
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 Cal Tjader to the jazz kids.
I played it at CBGB's.
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 Colin Newman. All the underground hits.
All Gabor Szabo tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Suburban Knight record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal punk 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 mellotron and a synthesizer and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Minnie Riperton record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your arpeggiator and bought a guitar.
I hear that you and your band have sold your guitar and bought an arpeggiator.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Peter Gordon & Love of Life Orchestra,
Be Bop Deluxe,
The Cramps,
Alton Ellis,
Gang of Four,
Jesper Dahlbäck,
Skaos,
Wally Richardson,
Althea and Donna,
Alison Limerick,
K-Klass,
The Index,
Desert Stars,
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band,
Flash Fearless,
Louis and Bebe Barron,
The American Breed,
Blancmange,
Davy DMX,
Lizzy Mercier Descloux,
Delta 5,
The Names,
Niagra,
Inner City,
Au Pairs,
Theoretical Girls,
Pharoah Sanders,
Ultramagnetic MC's,
The Sonics,
Soul Sonic Force,
Black Bananas,
The Barracudas,
The Associates,
MC5,
The Victims,
Mr. Review,
The Doors,
Procol Harum,
Con Funk Shun,
Youth Brigade,
The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band,
These Immortal Souls,
Art Ensemble Of Chicago,
The Jesus and Mary Chain,
Todd Terry,
Pierre Henry,
Funky Four + One,
10cc,
Curtis Mayfield,
Neu!,
Aural Exciters,
Tomorrow,
Sun Ra,
The Toasters,
Robert Görl,
Rhythm & Sound,
Cymande,
Rites of Spring,
Manfred Mann's Earth Band,
Michelle Simonal,
Country Teasers,
Joey Negro,
David Bowie, David Bowie, David Bowie, David Bowie.
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.