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 Honduras and from Lille.
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 1960 to 1976.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Sao Paulo and Winnipeg.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Spokane 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 Feelies practice in a loft in Haledon.
I was working on the theremin 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 Cabaret Voltaire to the grime kids.
I played it at the Roxy.
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 the Slits. All the underground hits.
All Lucky Dragons tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Althea and Donna 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 '60s cut and another box set from the '80s.
I hear you're buying an organ and a güiro and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Art Ensemble Of Chicago record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your güiro and bought a harpsichord.
I hear that you and your band have sold your harpsichord and bought a güiro.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Eden Ahbez,
Von Mondo,
Wally Richardson,
Albert Ayler,
Archie Shepp,
DJ Sneak,
Lightning Bolt,
Johnny Osbourne,
Gang of Four,
Lou Reed & Metallica,
The Dave Clark Five,
Amon Düül II,
Babytalk,
Royal Trux,
Sonny Sharrock,
Pharaoh Sanders and the Fire Engines,
Bush Tetras,
Roxette,
Scan 7,
48th St. Collective,
Brand Nubian,
Lebanon Hanover,
Nas,
Darondo,
Sun Ra Arkestra,
ABC,
Boredoms,
Tommy Roe,
Radiohead,
Pantaleimon,
Deakin,
The Chocolate Watch Band,
Dual Sessions,
The Divine Comedy,
Kayak,
Porter Ricks,
Marvin Gaye,
Avey Tare,
Davy DMX,
Al Stewart,
Blancmange,
Joensuu 1685,
Q65,
Smog,
Max Romeo,
World's Most,
Patti Smith,
The Blackbyrds,
Tropical Tobacco,
The Slits,
the Germs,
Rakim,
Leonard Cohen,
Franke,
Iggy Pop,
The Evens,
Brick,
The United States of America, The United States of America, The United States of America, The United States of America.
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.