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 Libya and from Lyon.
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 1961 to 1973.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Philadelphia and Columbus.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Mumbai 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 1973 at the first Television practice in a loft in New York.
I was working on the snare 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 Bang On A Can to the rock 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 The Slits. All the underground hits.
All Kerri Chandler tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every James Chance & The Contortions 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 '50s cut and another box set from the '80s.
I hear you're buying a güiro and a marimba and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a The Smoke record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your spring reverb and bought a snare.
I hear that you and your band have sold your snare and bought a spring reverb.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Maurizio,
Excepter,
June Days,
Audionom,
Cameo,
Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth,
Cal Tjader,
Todd Terry,
Pierre Henry,
Eric Dolphy,
Nico,
Sam Rivers,
Robert Hood,
Crispian St. Peters,
Flash Fearless,
Circle Jerks,
Fear,
Pharaoh Sanders and the Fire Engines,
Ajijia Myrayebe,
Mark Hollis,
Strawberry Alarm Clock,
Terry Callier,
Radiohead,
Jawbox,
Hashim,
Fad Gadget,
Minnie Riperton,
Arcadia,
Fat Boys,
The Pretty Things,
Supertramp,
The Angels of Light,
Nils Olav,
The Knickerbockers,
Notorious BIG live in Amsterdam,
The Saints,
Charles Mingus,
Sight & Sound,
The Gories,
June of 44,
Tears for Fears,
the Soft Cell,
James Chance & The Contortions,
Peter Gordon & Love of Life Orchestra,
Flipper,
David Bowie,
Urselle,
Howard Jones,
Morten Harket,
Mr. Review,
Rhythim Is Rhythim,
Lower 48,
Bang on a Can All-Stars,
Yaz,
Can,
Marine Girls,
Heavy D & The Boyz,
Minutemen,
Chris & Cosey,
Brothers Johnson,
E-Dancer,
Young Marble Giants, Young Marble Giants, Young Marble Giants, Young Marble Giants.
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.