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 Congo and from Johannesburg.
But I was there.
I was there in 1965.
I was there at the first Beefheart show in Lancaster.
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 1969 to 1971.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Accra and New York.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Toronto 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 1970 at the first Onyeabor practice in a loft in Enugu.
I was working on the theremin sounds with much patience.
I was there when Captain Beefheart 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 The Red Krayola to the techno kids.
I played it at the Troubador.
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 United States of America. All the underground hits.
All Angels of Light & Akron/Family tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Faraquet record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal electroclash hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '60s cut and another box set from the '70s.
I hear you're buying a synthesizer and a 808 and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Pantytec record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your synthesizer and bought an arpeggiator.
I hear that you and your band have sold your arpeggiator and bought a synthesizer.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Delon & Dalcan,
Jandek,
Harry Pussy,
FM Einheit,
Newcleus,
Cameo,
Marshall Jefferson,
the Germs,
The Sisters of Mercy,
Dawn Penn,
Skaos,
Pussy Galore,
The Fortunes,
Eden Ahbez,
Main Source,
ABBA,
Donny Hathaway,
PIL,
Goldenarms,
John Holt,
The Peanut Butter Conspiracy,
The Pretty Things,
Crooked Eye,
June of 44,
The Leaves,
the Swans,
Half Japanese,
ABC,
Silicon Teens,
Q and Not U,
Zapp,
Bang On A Can,
the Bar-Kays,
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band,
Scan 7,
Soul II Soul,
Television Personalities,
Joe Finger,
Excepter,
Ossler,
The Kinks,
Aaron Thompson,
the Soft Cell,
Popol Vuh,
Roxy Music,
Nick Fraelich,
Albert Ayler,
The Zeros,
Black Bananas,
James Chance & The Contortions,
Amazonics,
The Moleskins,
Underground Resistance,
Fifty Foot Hose,
CMW,
Nas,
Fatback Band,
Bauhaus,
Maleditus Sound,
Crime,
Derrick Morgan,
Agitation Free,
Faust, Faust, Faust, Faust.
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.