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 Papua New Guinea and from Houston.
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 1962 to 1979.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Manila and London.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Philadelphia 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 Soft Boys practice in a loft in Cambridge.
I was working on the guitar 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 Gang Starr to the funk kids.
I played it at the Roxy.
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 Quantec. All the underground hits.
All Section 25 tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Eli Mardock record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal rap hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '80s cut and another box set from the '70s.
I hear you're buying a synthesizer and a 808 and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Oblivians record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your sitar and bought a güiro.
I hear that you and your band have sold your güiro and bought a sitar.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Clear Light,
Joyce Sims,
Ajijia Myrayebe,
Peter and Kerry,
Beasts of Bourbon,
R.M.O.,
OOIOO,
Sixth Finger,
Lizzy Mercier Descloux,
Danielle Patucci,
Bang on a Can All-Stars,
The Buckinghams,
Con Funk Shun,
Black Bananas,
The Tremeloes,
Nas,
DNA,
Justin Hinds & The Dominoes,
EPMD,
Aaron Thompson,
the Sonics,
the Fania All-Stars,
Stereo Dub,
Masta Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane,
8 Eyed Spy,
Ludus,
Larry & the Blue Notes,
Guru Guru,
Metal Thangz,
Jerry Gold Smith,
Hasil Adkins,
Cameo,
Wally Richardson,
Rhythm & Sound,
Sun Ra,
The Saints,
Pylon,
The Associates,
Kevin Saunderson,
Morten Harket,
Oppenheimer Analysis,
Kerrie Biddell,
Lou Christie,
Kool Moe Dee,
Joensuu 1685,
DJ Sneak,
Can,
Severed Heads,
Godley & Creme,
Khruangbin,
Suicide,
The Knickerbockers,
Bob Dylan,
Babytalk,
Eric Dolphy,
Minutemen,
Man Parrish,
The Names,
The Gories,
Unwound,
Crooked Eye,
The Mighty Diamonds,
Black Moon,
Glenn Branca, Glenn Branca, Glenn Branca, Glenn Branca.
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.