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 Haiti and from Hong Kong.
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 1966 to 1979.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Cairo and Woodstock.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Calgary 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 clarinet 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 Pantytec to the techno 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 Rhythim Is Rhythim. All the underground hits.
All Pere Ubu tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Jimmy McGriff record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal electroclash hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '80s cut and another box set from the '90s.
I hear you're buying a marimba and an oboe and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Justin Hinds & The Dominoes record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your harpsichord and bought a rhodes.
I hear that you and your band have sold your rhodes and bought a harpsichord.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
the Swans,
Minny Pops,
London Community Gospel Choir,
Severed Heads,
A Flock of Seagulls,
Anakelly,
Urselle,
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo,
Rites of Spring,
Shuggie Otis,
Porter Ricks,
Cluster,
Cabaret Voltaire,
48th St. Collective,
The Chocolate Watch Band,
Erasure,
Man Eating Sloth,
Gang Starr,
New Age Steppers,
The Knickerbockers,
the Association,
Sight & Sound,
The Dirtbombs,
Rakim,
Rahsaan Roland Kirk,
Thompson Twins,
Lou Reed & Metallica,
the Fania All-Stars,
June Days,
The Jesus and Mary Chain,
The Happenings,
Silicon Teens,
Pussy Galore,
Marc Romboy vs. Booka Shade,
Chris & Cosey,
Tres Demented,
Glenn Branca,
Dead Boys,
Godley & Creme,
The Motions,
Notorious BIG live in Amsterdam,
Tom Boy,
Niagra,
Marshall Jefferson,
Stetsasonic,
LL Cool J,
Derrick May,
The Doors,
Spoonie Gee,
The Shadows of Knight,
David McCallum,
Accadde A,
Marcia Griffiths,
Jimmy McGriff,
Ronnie Foster,
Circle Jerks,
Super Lover Cee & Casanova Rud,
Model 500,
Scott Walker, Scott Walker, Scott Walker, Scott Walker.
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.