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 Brazil and from Accra.
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 1962 to 1973.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Philadelphia and Winnipeg.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Shanghai 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 Wire practice in a loft in Watford.
I was working on the guitar sounds with much patience.
I was there when Holger Czukay 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 Ituana to the grime kids.
I played it at CBGB's.
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 Lou Christie. All the underground hits.
All The Neon Judgement tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Bobby Byrd record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal funk hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '70s cut and another box set from the '80s.
I hear you're buying a synthesizer and a harpsichord and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Bang on a Can All-Stars record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your snare and bought a 808.
I hear that you and your band have sold your 808 and bought a snare.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
The Red Krayola,
Alison Limerick,
Deadbeat,
New Age Steppers,
Camberwell Now,
Fatback Band,
Magazine,
The Pop Group,
Jesper Dahlback,
Anthony Braxton,
Chrome,
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry,
Gian Franco Pienzio,
Negative Approach,
Gang Green,
The Happenings,
Camouflage,
10cc,
The Moleskins,
Howard Jones,
Sticky Fingaz feat. Raekwon,
the Fania All-Stars,
Don Cherry,
John Lydon,
The Pretty Things,
The Peanut Butter Conspiracy,
Gary Puckett & The Union Gap,
Stetsasonic,
Bang On A Can,
Henry Cow,
Shuggie Otis,
Ultramagnetic MC's,
Kerri Chandler,
Animal Collective,
Boredoms,
Magma,
Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dog,
A Flock of Seagulls,
Rowland S Howard / Lydia Lunch,
Leonard Cohen,
The Fortunes,
Bobby Byrd,
Eurythmics,
Moby Grape,
F. McDonald,
B.T. Express,
Super Lover Cee & Casanova Rud,
Saccharine Trust,
Pagans,
Pharoah Sanders,
Barry Ungar,
The Monks,
Terry Callier,
Mo-Dettes,
Grauzone,
Essential Logic,
Marmalade,
Soul Sonic Force,
Arcadia,
Prince Buster,
Lungfish,
Organ, Organ, Organ, Organ.
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.