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 Estonia and from Manila.
But I was there.
I was there in 1975.
I was there at the first Ubu show in Cleveland.
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 1975.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Beijing and Houston.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Halifax 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 snare sounds with much patience.
I was there when Captain Beefheart 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 Alice Coltrane to the punk 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 Agitation Free. All the underground hits.
All Television Personalities tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band 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 '90s.
I hear you're buying a linndrum and a güiro and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a The Tremeloes record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your theremin and bought a harpsichord.
I hear that you and your band have sold your harpsichord and bought a theremin.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
The Raincoats,
Oppenheimer Analysis,
Gil Scott Heron,
Eden Ahbez,
Glambeats Corp.,
Aural Exciters,
Arcadia,
Darondo,
Rahsaan Roland Kirk,
Mission of Burma,
Rowland S Howard / Lydia Lunch,
Rosa Yemen,
Juan Atkins,
Pantytec,
Minor Threat,
Bang on a Can All-Stars,
Sällskapet,
Lalann,
8 Eyed Spy,
the Human League,
Tears for Fears,
June of 44,
Q65,
The Real Kids,
Gang Green,
Kaleidoscope,
R.M.O.,
Dawn Penn,
The Slits,
New Order,
Sight & Sound,
Scientists,
Marcia Griffiths,
Brass Construction,
Ornette Coleman,
Dave Gahan,
Shuggie Otis,
Ronnie Foster,
Quando Quango,
The Jesus and Mary Chain,
Slick Rick,
Nas,
Wire,
Young Marble Giants,
Lyres,
Cybotron,
DNA,
Rotary Connection,
Morten Harket,
Steve Hackett,
Fear,
Sixth Finger,
Harmonia,
Jeru the Damaja,
Japan,
The Toasters,
The Cramps,
Moebius,
Terry Callier,
Sandy B, Sandy B, Sandy B, Sandy B.
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.