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 Kyrgyzstan and from Beijing.
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 1965 to 1972.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Glasgow and Accra.
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 1971 at the first Big Star practice in a loft in Memphis.
I was working on the spring reverb sounds with much patience.
I was there when Lou Reed 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 John Lydon to the electroclash kids.
I played it at the 40 Watt.
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 Charles Mingus. All the underground hits.
All Kauko Röyhkä ja Narttu tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Deepchord 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 '50s cut and another box set from the '90s.
I hear you're buying a marimba and a synthesizer and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Avey Tare record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your linndrum and bought a 808.
I hear that you and your band have sold your 808 and bought a linndrum.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Donny Hathaway,
Desert Stars,
Sarah Menescal,
The Black Dice,
Kurtis Blow,
The American Breed,
Buzzcocks,
10cc,
Parry Music,
Sight & Sound,
The Birthday Party,
Wasted Youth,
Japan,
Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson,
L. Decosne,
Theoretical Girls,
Thompson Twins,
Q and Not U,
Easy Going,
Organ,
Dorothy Ashby,
Todd Rundgren,
Bush Tetras,
the Soft Cell,
Massinfluence,
Television Personalities,
The Motions,
Eddi Front,
Infiniti,
Avey Tare's Slasher Flicks,
The Knickerbockers,
Mary Jane Girls,
Eurythmics,
Sam Rivers,
Lungfish,
Kerri Chandler,
Wings,
Lalann,
Royal Trux,
Crash Course in Science,
Jerry's Kids,
Godley & Creme,
Inner City,
Brick,
Surgeon,
Sparks,
Siglo XX,
Piero Umiliani,
Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dog,
Brass Construction,
Whodini,
EPMD,
Thee Headcoats,
AZ,
Dual Sessions,
Country Joe & The Fish,
Rhythim Is Rhythim,
Fluxion,
Absolute Body Control,
Archie Shepp,
Circle Jerks, Circle Jerks, Circle Jerks, Circle Jerks.
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.