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 Bhutan and from Lyon.
But I was there.
I was there in 1977.
I was there at the first Human League show in Sheffield.
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 1969 to 1970.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Accra and Spokane.
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 1980 at the first Cybotron practice in a loft in Detroit.
I was working on the spring reverb 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 Cal Tjader to the techno 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 The Birthday Party. All the underground hits.
All Oneida tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Reuben Wilson record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal techno hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '70s cut and another box set from the '90s.
I hear you're buying a harpsichord and a spring reverb and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Girls At Our Best! record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your oboe and bought a synthesizer.
I hear that you and your band have sold your synthesizer and bought an oboe.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
The Cramps,
Skaos,
Joey Negro,
Sam Rivers,
The Sisters of Mercy,
The Chocolate Watch Band,
Lyres,
Tommy Roe,
Anthony Braxton,
Symarip,
The New Christs,
Brand Nubian,
Scratch Acid,
Rowland S Howard / Lydia Lunch,
Funky Four + One,
Roxette,
Dual Sessions,
Smog,
Flamin' Groovies,
Sad Lovers and Giants,
Matthew Bourne,
Panda Bear,
A Flock of Seagulls,
Sex Pistols,
Todd Rundgren,
Electric Light Orchestra,
Young Marble Giants,
Angry Samoans,
The Cosmic Jokers,
Thee Headcoats,
The Sound,
the Germs,
The Sonics,
Pylon,
Main Source,
Jawbox,
Bootsy's Rubber Band,
Susan Cadogan,
Sixth Finger,
Curtis Mayfield,
Richard Hell and the Voidoids,
Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx,
Charles Mingus,
Zapp,
Eyeless In Gaza,
The Leaves,
Bobby Sherman,
The J.B.'s,
The Pop Group,
Albert Ayler,
Rapeman,
The Stooges,
Mission of Burma,
Tres Demented,
Blossom Toes,
Lou Reed & Metallica,
Iggy Pop,
Nation of Ulysses,
Joy Division,
Duran Duran,
Vladislav Delay,
Magma, Magma, Magma, Magma.
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.