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 Gambia and from Manila.
But I was there.
I was there in 1975.
I was there at the first Ubu show in Cleveland.
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 1968 to 1975.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Philadelphia and London.
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 Feelies practice in a loft in Haledon.
I was working on the spring reverb sounds with much patience.
I was there when Michael McDonald 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 Fire Engines to the jazz 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 Laurel Aitken. All the underground hits.
All Soul Sonic Force tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Mary Jane Girls record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal rap hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '70s cut and another box set from the '90s.
I hear you're buying a linndrum and a mellotron and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a the Human League record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your snare and bought a marimba.
I hear that you and your band have sold your marimba and bought a snare.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Bill Wells,
Tomorrow,
These Immortal Souls,
Minnie Riperton,
Ossler,
Thompson Twins,
The Trojans,
Echospace,
Jesper Dahlbäck,
Basic Channel,
Warsaw,
Sam Rivers,
Joensuu 1685,
Gang Green,
Gil Scott Heron,
Nas,
DeepChord presents Echospace,
Man Parrish,
The Residents,
Wighnomy Brothers & Robag Wruhme,
Scott Walker + Sunn O))),
Camberwell Now,
Oblivians,
The Happenings,
Eric Dolphy,
A Flock of Seagulls,
Be Bop Deluxe,
Lou Reed,
De La Soul & Jungle Brothers,
a-ha,
Supertramp,
Radio Birdman,
Gichy Dan,
Throbbing Gristle,
Iggy Pop,
Johnny Clarke,
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo,
Lakeside,
Negative Approach,
Shoche,
Rufus Thomas,
The Buckinghams,
Gabor Szabo,
Sad Lovers and Giants,
E-Dancer,
The Real Kids,
Kevin Saunderson,
The Birthday Party,
Fugazi,
Bootsy Collins,
Flamin' Groovies,
Mark Hollis,
Notorious Big And Bone Thugs,
Sly & The Family Stone,
Danielle Patucci,
Sun City Girls,
Sister Nancy,
The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band,
Lou Reed & John Cale,
Maleditus Sound,
Unwound,
The Blackbyrds,
Alton Ellis, Alton Ellis, Alton Ellis, Alton Ellis.
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.