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 Antigua and from Philadelphia.
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 1961 to 1976.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Salvador and Winnipeg.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Columbus 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 1962 at the first Guess Who practice in a loft in Winnipeg.
I was working on the 808 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 Archie Shepp to the rap kids.
I played it at the Crocodile.
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 Terry Callier. All the underground hits.
All Mark Hollis tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Lebanon Hanover record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal punk hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '80s cut and another box set from the '70s.
I hear you're buying a 808 and a synthesizer and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a The Names 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?
48th St. Collective,
Heaven 17,
Rhythim Is Rhythim,
The Searchers,
Derrick Morgan,
Bootsy Collins,
Hashim,
Morten Harket,
Desert Stars,
James Chance & The Contortions,
The Detroit Cobras,
Stetsasonic,
The Happenings,
Bush Tetras,
Fad Gadget,
Oneida,
the Swans,
Radiopuhelimet,
Donald Byrd,
Bizarre Inc.,
Beasts of Bourbon,
Talk Talk,
The Stooges,
Heavy D & The Boyz,
The Five Americans,
The Star Department,
The Young Rascals,
Can,
Barry Ungar,
Flamin' Groovies,
Alton Ellis,
Popol Vuh,
Andrew Hill,
Animal Collective,
Archie Shepp,
Electric Light Orchestra,
Bob Dylan,
Ludus,
T.S.O.L.,
Electric Prunes,
New Age Steppers,
Bang On A Can,
John Foxx,
Minnie Riperton,
Black Sheep,
The Barracudas,
Wire,
DeepChord presents Echospace,
Echo & the Bunnymen,
Soul II Soul,
Television Personalities,
Ash Ra Tempel,
Mark Hollis,
Judy Mowatt,
Liliput,
Tropical Tobacco,
L. Decosne,
Chris & Cosey,
Rod Modell,
Throbbing Gristle,
Second Layer,
Bobby Womack,
The Offenders,
Sun City Girls,
The Evens, The Evens, The Evens, The Evens.
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.