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 Italy and from Cairo.
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 1962 to 1973.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Jakarta and Lyon.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Houston 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 1970 at the first Onyeabor practice in a loft in Enugu.
I was working on the theremin 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 Neu! to the grunge kids.
I played it at the Hacienda.
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 Alison Limerick. All the underground hits.
All Arthur Verocai tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Crispy Ambulance record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal disco 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 an oboe and a clarinet and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a These Immortal Souls record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your harpsichord and bought an oboe.
I hear that you and your band have sold your oboe and bought a harpsichord.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Brass Construction,
Black Moon,
The Golliwogs,
New York Dolls,
Fear,
Soul II Soul,
Josef K,
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo,
the Human League,
Hashim,
Avey Tare & Kría Brekkan,
Cymande,
Grandmaster Flash,
The Moleskins,
Supertramp,
Clear Light,
Moss Icon,
Minny Pops,
David McCallum,
Pharoah Sanders,
Vainqueur,
The Busters,
Brothers Johnson,
Banda Bassotti,
Albert Ayler,
Los Fastidios,
Massinfluence,
Royal Trux,
The Velvet Underground,
Adolescents,
Neil Young & Crazy Horse,
Parry Music,
The Grass Roots,
David Bowie,
UT,
Kayak,
Ponytail,
Barry Ungar,
Nirvana,
Radiohead,
Jesper Dahlback,
Public Enemy,
Pantytec,
Sex Pistols,
Rites of Spring,
Public Image Ltd.,
Con Funk Shun,
Gang Gang Dance,
Eddi Front,
Yazoo,
Alison Limerick,
Lightning Bolt,
The Doors,
The Fire Engines,
Drive Like Jehu,
Panda Bear,
The Dave Clark Five,
Eric B and Rakim,
Funky Four + One,
Marc Romboy vs. Booka Shade,
Sly & The Family Stone,
The Modern Lovers,
Hot Snakes,
Nik Kershaw, Nik Kershaw, Nik Kershaw, Nik Kershaw.
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.