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 Bahrain and from Bremen.
But I was there.
I was there in 1976.
I was there at the first Feelies show in Haledon.
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 1962 to 1971.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Lagos and Toronto.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Calgary 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 Chic practice in a loft in New York.
I was working on the synthesizer 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 Second Layer to the crunk 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 These Immortal Souls. All the underground hits.
All Sandy B tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every The Cosmic Jokers 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 '90s.
I hear you're buying a 808 and a spring reverb and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Nation of Ulysses record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your 808 and bought a theremin.
I hear that you and your band have sold your theremin and bought a 808.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
The Doors,
Judy Mowatt,
Maurizio,
Urselle,
The Cure,
Monolake,
Rakim,
Gang of Four,
Archie Shepp,
James Chance & The Contortions,
The Beau Brummels,
Albert Ayler,
Tom Boy,
Jerry Gold Smith,
Section 25,
Loose Ends,
Buzzcocks,
Black Sheep,
Sam Rivers,
The Stooges,
Donald Byrd,
The Fire Engines,
Oblivians,
Spandau Ballet,
June of 44,
The Five Americans,
Soul Sonic Force,
K-Klass,
Swans,
The Birthday Party,
Tommy Roe,
Nation of Ulysses,
Fela Kuti,
The Jesus and Mary Chain,
Cal Tjader,
Amazonics,
Slave,
Black Bananas,
Justin Hinds & The Dominoes,
Panda Bear,
Kevin Saunderson,
The Trojans,
Infiniti,
Brass Construction,
The Human League,
Jawbox,
a-ha,
48th St. Collective,
Average White Band,
Röyhkä ja Rättö ja Lehtisalo,
Dark Day,
MDC,
Sister Nancy,
The Litter,
Bush Tetras,
Joyce Sims,
Bang On A Can,
Brothers Johnson,
Sällskapet,
Donny Hathaway,
Absolute Body Control,
Au Pairs, Au Pairs, Au Pairs, Au Pairs.
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.