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 Mozambique and from Tokyo.
But I was there.
I was there in 1976.
I was there at the first Feelies show in Haledon.
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 1964 to 1976.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Stockholm and Lille.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Delhi 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 Human League practice in a loft in Sheffield.
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 MDC to the grunge kids.
I played it at Cafe Wha.
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 Robert Wyatt. All the underground hits.
All Ohio Players tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Ash Ra Tempel record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal crunk hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '80s cut and another box set from the '80s.
I hear you're buying a clarinet and a synthesizer and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a James Chance & The Contortions record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your arpeggiator and bought a güiro.
I hear that you and your band have sold your güiro and bought an arpeggiator.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
The Associates,
John Holt,
Lonnie Liston Smith,
The Shadows of Knight,
Gichy Dan,
Notorious BIG live in Amsterdam,
Art Ensemble Of Chicago,
Marcia Griffiths,
Roger Hodgson,
Cameo,
Lower 48,
Dead Boys,
Sun City Girls,
Peter Gordon & Love of Life Orchestra,
Skriet,
Khruangbin,
Aloha Tigers,
Vainqueur,
Avey Tare's Slasher Flicks,
Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx,
D'Angelo,
The Mighty Diamonds,
48th St. Collective,
Radiohead,
Gian Franco Pienzio,
Gong,
Guru Guru,
Wings,
Rahsaan Roland Kirk,
Judy Mowatt,
Parry Music,
Ultra Naté,
Bill Near,
Jandek,
Simply Red,
Flash Fearless,
Heaven 17,
Minor Threat,
Barry Ungar,
Lee Hazlewood,
Buzzcocks,
Bronski Beat,
Stiv Bators,
Eddi Front,
Mars,
Boredoms,
The Happenings,
Flipper,
Gang of Four,
London Community Gospel Choir,
the Slits,
Peter and Kerry,
Rod Modell,
Michelle Simonal,
Bill Wells,
Rhythim Is Rhythim,
Black Flag,
Ultramagnetic MC's,
Mission of Burma,
These Immortal Souls,
Agitation Free,
Eve St. Jones,
Pussy Galore, Pussy Galore, Pussy Galore, Pussy Galore.
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.