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 Azerbaijan and from Milan.
But I was there.
I was there in 1973.
I was there at the first Television show in New York.
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 1964 to 1975.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Spokane and Manchester.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Tehran 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 808 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 Chocolate Watch Band to the jazz 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 Lafayette Afro Rock Band. All the underground hits.
All Electric Prunes tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Traffic Nightmare record on German import.
I heard that you have a white label of every seminal punk hit - 1985, '86, '87.
I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '70s cut and another box set from the '80s.
I hear you're buying a synthesizer and a snare and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Mary Jane Girls record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your guitar and bought a clarinet.
I hear that you and your band have sold your clarinet and bought a guitar.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Niagra,
John Cale,
Swell Maps,
Eli Mardock,
cv313,
Fugazi,
Joe Smooth,
Sunsets and Hearts,
the Swans,
Tim Buckley,
The Residents,
Sonny Sharrock,
Interpol,
Rapeman,
Dawn Penn,
Carl Craig,
Sex Pistols,
Suburban Knight,
Pharoah Sanders,
Peter and Kerry,
Negative Approach,
Goldenarms,
Moebius,
Rakim,
Fifty Foot Hose,
The Barracudas,
Patti Smith,
The J.B.'s,
Tropical Tobacco,
Grandmaster Flash,
Girls At Our Best!,
Sixth Finger,
De La Soul & Jungle Brothers,
Buzzcocks,
Manfred Mann's Earth Band,
Lalann,
Visionaries,LMNO, T- Love & Iriscience,
Neil Young,
The Five Americans,
Marvin Gaye,
Kenny Larkin,
Nils Olav,
MDC,
The Mojo Men,
La Düsseldorf,
Underground Resistance,
June of 44,
Max Romeo,
Ossler,
The Gun Club,
Desert Stars,
Japan,
Ralphi Rosario,
New Order,
The Durutti Column,
Sam Rivers,
The Misunderstood,
Half Japanese,
The Monochrome Set,
Eddi Front,
Gang Starr,
Marine Girls,
Make Up, Make Up, Make Up, Make Up.
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.