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 Mozambique and from Jakarta.
But I was there.
I was there in 1979.
I was there at the first Josef K show in Edinburgh.
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 1973.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Lagos and Shanghai.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Philadelphia 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 1977 at the first Zapp practice in a loft in Hamilton.
I was working on the organ sounds with much patience.
I was there when Lou Reed 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 Rahsaan Roland Kirk to the rock kids.
I played it at the Astoria.
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 Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft. All the underground hits.
All Stereo Dub tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Lightning Bolt 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 '80s cut and another box set from the '70s.
I hear you're buying a theremin and a guitar and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a The Names record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your marimba and bought a mellotron.
I hear that you and your band have sold your mellotron and bought a marimba.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Radiohead,
Colin Newman,
Deadbeat,
Cecil Taylor,
Terry Callier,
The Mojo Men,
Vaughan Mason & Crew,
Pussy Galore,
Crispy Ambulance,
Depeche Mode,
Fugazi,
Young Marble Giants,
Ohio Players,
The Alarm Clocks,
Jacques Brel,
It's A Beautiful Day,
Camron Feat. Memphis Bleek And Beenie Seigel,
Ultimate Spinach,
Alison Limerick,
The American Breed,
Black Pus,
Amon Düül II,
Matthew Bourne,
Donny Hathaway,
A Certain Ratio,
Index,
The Royal Family And The Poor,
Leonard Cohen,
the Bar-Kays,
Joy Division,
Television,
Reuben Wilson,
Massinfluence,
Wings,
Beasts of Bourbon,
Eric B and Rakim,
Bang on a Can All-Stars,
Gabor Szabo,
The Zeros,
Barbara Tucker,
Radio Birdman,
Archie Shepp,
Kool Moe Dee,
Junior Murvin,
Scott Walker,
Mandrill,
Soft Machine,
Maleditus Sound,
Josef K,
the Swans,
Little Man,
Ludus,
Strawberry Alarm Clock,
Moss Icon,
Harmonia,
Darondo,
Graham Central Station,
The Sisters of Mercy,
Agent Orange,
Fad Gadget,
Minnie Riperton, Minnie Riperton, Minnie Riperton, Minnie Riperton.
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.