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 Iraq and from Philadelphia.
But I was there.
I was there in 1977.
I was there at the first Human League show in Sheffield.
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 1979.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Johannesburg and Copenhagen.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Accra 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 Soft Boys practice in a loft in Cambridge.
I was working on the theremin 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 Soft Machine to the dance 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 Yaz. All the underground hits.
All Sarah Menescal tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Nico 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 '80s.
I hear you're buying a 808 and a snare and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Shuggie Otis record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your theremin and bought a harpsichord.
I hear that you and your band have sold your harpsichord and bought a theremin.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
The Tremeloes,
Archie Shepp,
Radio Birdman,
Tears for Fears,
Fifty Foot Hose,
Peter and Kerry,
The Selecter,
The Beau Brummels,
Jeff Lynne,
The Standells,
Subhumans,
Goldenarms,
Susan Cadogan,
Al Stewart,
Marmalade,
Lou Reed,
Yellowson,
Aswad,
Ohio Players,
Nick Fraelich,
Alison Limerick,
Cymande,
The Doobie Brothers,
Electric Prunes,
Robert Hood,
The Gap Band,
Swans,
Rhythm & Sound,
Quando Quango,
Lungfish,
The Walker Brothers,
Pantaleimon,
Yaz,
Donald Byrd,
U.S. Maple,
Rowland S Howard / Lydia Lunch,
The Offenders,
Prince Buster,
Ultravox,
Sunsets and Hearts,
The Slackers,
Little Man,
The Dave Clark Five,
Dennis Brown,
Isaac Hayes,
Deepchord,
Section 25,
Sight & Sound,
Pussy Galore,
Don Cherry,
The Residents,
Harry Pussy,
Stetsasonic,
James Chance & The Contortions,
Bang On A Can,
Whodini,
Von Mondo,
Gastr Del Sol,
Unwound,
Gichy Dan,
Chris Corsano,
Bobby Hutcherson,
New York Dolls,
Reagan Youth,
Barry Ungar, Barry Ungar, Barry Ungar, Barry Ungar.
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.