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 Zimbabwe and from Lagos.
But I was there.
I was there in 1967.
I was there at the first Rodriguez show in Detroit.
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 1966 to 1977.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Lyon and Winnipeg.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Cairo 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 1965 at the first Beefheart practice in a loft in Lancaster.
I was working on the oboe sounds with much patience.
I was there when Robert Palmer 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 Albert Ayler to the jazz 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 Outsiders. All the underground hits.
All Bang on a Can All-Stars tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Alton Ellis record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal rock 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 an arpeggiator and an oboe and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a New York Dolls record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your synthesizer and bought a theremin.
I hear that you and your band have sold your theremin and bought a synthesizer.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Andrew Ashong & Theo Parrish,
Lou Reed & Metallica,
T.S.O.L.,
Rosa Yemen,
Sun City Girls,
Rhythim Is Rhythim,
Harry Pussy,
The Barracudas,
Soul II Soul,
The Sound,
Jerry's Kids,
The Real Kids,
Soul Sonic Force,
Sad Lovers and Giants,
Bobby Hutcherson,
the Human League,
Chris Corsano,
Shuggie Otis,
Arthur Verocai,
Major Organ And The Adding Machine,
Ronnie Foster,
CMW,
Thinking Fellers Union Local 282,
Bang on a Can All-Stars,
The Shadows of Knight,
Banda Bassotti,
The Mojo Men,
Kenny Larkin,
Lee Hazlewood,
LL Cool J,
La Düsseldorf,
Bobby Sherman,
The Cosmic Jokers,
Little Man,
Andrew Hill,
Eddi Front,
Zapp,
Joe Finger,
B.T. Express,
The Golliwogs,
The Searchers,
10cc,
Sonic Youth,
Lalo Schifrin,
Agent Orange,
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry,
T. Rex,
R.M.O.,
Masta Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane,
Alton Ellis,
Kerri Chandler,
Ohio Players,
Von Mondo,
Louis and Bebe Barron,
PIL,
Radiohead,
Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dog,
The Cramps,
48th St. Collective,
Gregory Isaacs,
N.O.R.E. Featuring Pharrell,
John Lydon,
Traffic Nightmare, Traffic Nightmare, Traffic Nightmare, Traffic Nightmare.
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.