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 Tuvalu and from Philadelphia.
But I was there.
I was there in 1968.
I was there at the first Can show in Cologne.
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 1976.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Houston and Manila.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Manchester 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 1976 at the first Buzzcocks practice in a loft in Bolton.
I was working on the theremin 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 Goldenarms to the disco 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 Mr. Review. All the underground hits.
All Letta Mbulu tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Harry Pussy 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 '70s cut and another box set from the '90s.
I hear you're buying a harpsichord and a theremin and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a The Fire Engines record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your clarinet and bought a guitar.
I hear that you and your band have sold your guitar and bought a clarinet.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Gabor Szabo,
The Saints,
Mantronix,
The Slits,
Soft Machine,
Quadrant,
Max Romeo,
Barbara Tucker,
Cabaret Voltaire,
Boogie Down Productions,
The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band,
Scientists,
The Motions,
Heavy D & The Boyz,
Skaos,
Glenn Branca,
Avey Tare & Kría Brekkan,
Robert Hood,
The Velvet Underground,
The Beau Brummels,
The Blues Magoos,
Vaughan Mason & Crew,
Main Source,
Wings,
Marc Romboy vs. Booka Shade,
Sight & Sound,
Grandmaster Flash,
The Human League,
Scott Walker + Sunn O))),
Moby Grape,
Second Layer,
F. McDonald,
the Bar-Kays,
Von Mondo,
Mo-Dettes,
The Names,
The Cramps,
The J.B.'s,
Marvin Gaye,
Country Joe & The Fish,
Camouflage,
Todd Rundgren,
Davy DMX,
Laurel Aitken,
The Trojans,
The Monochrome Set,
Amazonics,
Kool Moe Dee,
B.T. Express,
Jandek,
Eve St. Jones,
Ornette Coleman,
Lindisfarne,
10cc,
Selector Dub Narcotic,
Gang Green,
Lucky Dragons,
Pole,
The Jesus and Mary Chain,
Quantec,
Pierre Henry,
Icehouse, Icehouse, Icehouse, Icehouse.
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.