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 Seychelles and from Tokyo.
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 1966 to 1975.
I'm losing my edge.
To all the kids in Johannesburg and Milan.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Mexico City 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 oboe sounds with much patience.
I was there when Nile Rodgers 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 Detroit Cobras to the punk kids.
I played it at the Crocodile.
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 Severed Heads. All the underground hits.
All Mary Jane Girls tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every The Motions 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 '90s.
I hear you're buying a güiro and a harpsichord and are throwing your macbook out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a The Wake record.
I hear that you and your band have sold your clarinet and bought a chamberlin.
I hear that you and your band have sold your chamberlin and bought a clarinet.
I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.
But have you seen my records?
Tom Boy,
John Lydon,
Patti Smith,
Neil Young & Crazy Horse,
Kool Moe Dee,
10cc,
June of 44,
Icehouse,
Supertramp,
The Barracudas,
Altered Images,
The Seeds,
The Cramps,
Black Flag,
James Chance & The Contortions,
Eden Ahbez,
The Invisible,
Thee Headcoats,
Kerri Chandler,
Scott Walker,
Jawbox,
Agitation Free,
The Dead C,
Sunsets and Hearts,
Joy Division,
JFA,
Cameo,
Minor Threat,
Bill Wells,
Pagans,
Guru Guru,
the Fania All-Stars,
Siouxsie and the Banshees,
Bobbi Humphrey,
Donald Byrd,
Oblivians,
Slick Rick,
8 Eyed Spy,
Oneida,
Mr. Review,
Lafayette Afro Rock Band,
The Cure,
Mars,
Eric Copeland,
Chris Corsano,
The Happenings,
Main Source,
Darondo,
The Gap Band,
Schoolly D,
Toni Rubio,
Yaz,
The Vogues,
Clear Light,
Ultra Naté,
Alison Limerick,
The Evens,
Franke,
The Names,
Country Joe & The Fish,
X-Ray Spex,
Steve Hackett,
Sticky Fingaz feat. Raekwon,
Agent Orange, Agent Orange, Agent Orange, Agent Orange.
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.