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 Nauru and from Milan.
But I was there.
I was there in 1970.
I was there at the first Onyeabor show in Enugu.
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 1975.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Manila and Tehran.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Delhi 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 1962 at the first Guess Who practice in a loft in Winnipeg.
I was working on the marimba 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 The Jesus and Mary Chain to the techno kids.
I played it at Cafe Wha.
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 Sister Nancy. All the underground hits.
All Lou Reed & John Cale tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Crispy Ambulance record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal grunge hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '50s cut and another box set from the '80s.
I hear you're buying a mellotron and a guitar and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Rowland S Howard / Lydia Lunch record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your sitar and bought a spring reverb.
I hear that you and your band have sold your spring reverb and bought a sitar.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Masta Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane,
Scott Walker,
Delon & Dalcan,
The Human League,
Ronan,
The Sonics,
The Kinks,
Young Marble Giants,
The Gories,
Jandek,
Lebanon Hanover,
Danielle Patucci,
Soul Sonic Force,
Jimmy McGriff,
the Sonics,
Soft Machine,
Aural Exciters,
The Blues Magoos,
Henry Cow,
Joy Division,
Slave,
The Chocolate Watch Band,
Hasil Adkins,
Arab on Radar,
Barry Ungar,
Peter and Kerry,
FM Einheit,
Larry & the Blue Notes,
Radio Birdman,
Sad Lovers and Giants,
The J.B.'s,
Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dog,
Thinking Fellers Union Local 282,
Aloha Tigers,
Suburban Knight,
Todd Rundgren,
Lee Hazlewood,
Isaac Hayes,
Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson,
Donny Hathaway,
Man Eating Sloth,
Howard Jones,
The Birthday Party,
The Grass Roots,
Curtis Mayfield,
Minor Threat,
Archie Shepp,
Nico,
Aswad,
Ituana,
Grey Daturas,
Loose Ends,
Funky Four + One,
Jeff Mills,
Crispian St. Peters,
Livin' Joy,
June Days,
Black Bananas,
T. Rex,
Lindisfarne,
Bobby Sherman,
Roger Hodgson,
Sandy B, Sandy B, Sandy B, Sandy B.
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.