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 Armenia and from Manila.
But I was there.
I was there in 1983.
I was there at the first Bronski Beat show in Brixton.
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 1965 to 1973.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Halifax and Spokane.
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 1968 at the first Can practice in a loft in Cologne.
I was working on the marimba sounds with much patience.
I was there when Tom Verlaine 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 Richard Hell and the Voidoids to the rock 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 Buzzcocks. All the underground hits.
All Ajijia Myrayebe tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal jazz hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '50s cut and another box set from the '80s.
I hear you're buying a spring reverb and an oboe and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a The Jesus and Mary Chain record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your spring reverb and bought a guitar.
I hear that you and your band have sold your guitar and bought a spring reverb.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Unwound,
James Chance & The Contortions,
The Human League,
The Fortunes,
The Modern Lovers,
Black Bananas,
Art Ensemble Of Chicago,
Main Source,
The Busters,
Rowland S Howard / Lydia Lunch,
Aaron Thompson,
Urselle,
The Litter,
Max Romeo,
Man Parrish,
The Birthday Party,
Fela Kuti,
Bobby Womack,
Jerry Gold Smith,
Lucky Dragons,
Judy Mowatt,
Ajijia Myrayebe,
The Smiths,
Skriet,
Camron Feat. Jay Z And Juelz,
Rhythm & Sound,
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark,
John Cale,
Sun Ra Arkestra,
Andrew Hill,
The Toasters,
Jacob Miller,
Connie Case,
The Slackers,
Ludus,
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band,
Quando Quango,
Sonny Sharrock,
Graham Central Station,
kango's stein massive,
The Saints,
Ornette Coleman,
MDC,
Amazonics,
Royal Trux,
Oneida,
Cheater Slicks,
In Retrospect,
Soul II Soul,
Anthony Braxton,
ABC,
The Doors,
Gabor Szabo,
Kerri Chandler,
Marshall Jefferson,
Juan Atkins,
Flipper,
Ultimate Spinach,
Bang on a Can All-Stars,
Chrome,
Fad Gadget,
Dorothy Ashby, Dorothy Ashby, Dorothy Ashby, Dorothy Ashby.
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.