Inspiration is a rare commodity.

About a month ago, I first stumbled upon the blog of Akiko Matsuura. It consumed the best part of my day.

Akika is in no less than THREE good bands. All of which you should know about.

THE BIG PINK is the name you are most likely to have heard already. It’s been making the rounds on the blogs for a while.Their MySpace looks like a ‘best of’ of my desktop screensavers.

See the pic above, or, for example: these Kenneth Anger screenshots.

This is my favourite THE BIG PINK track: ‘Velvet’.

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The Big Pink is playing (a.o.) at Glastonbury, T in the Park and Pukkelpop. I’ll be the one at the Pukkelpop gig looking all intense and understanding in the front row. Akiko will be the girl on drums.

Next up on Miss Matsuura’s list:  PRE

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They’ve been described as “Ren and Stimpy, playing Black Flag.” Which is close enough. Their Debut album has just been released. It’s called “Hope Freaks” and has been produced by Steve Albini (he of Shellac, and producer of Pixies, Nirvana, Will Oldham, etc.)

This is Akiko with Nathan (The Gossip) and Cassetteplaya at the “Hope Freaks” release party, which was also the release party for a little thing called “Music For Men”, the New Gossip album.  Akiko and Nathan are BFF’s.

Kate Moross and Jack Penate at that very same party. Love Jack’s Michael Jackson shirt. He and Akiko are also BFF’s.

Proof:

Here they are making sushi together.

Back to The Gossip. They are by all standards a huge fucking global phenomenon right now. They are also very nice people.

Proof:

Here’s The Gossip picking Akiko up in a cab to cheer her up when she had the blues:

Here they are giving free hugs in their hotel room:

And here they are ordering every kind of food & booze you like from room service at 4 AM.

Hands up who wants to be friends with The Gossip, toooooooo!

Last band on the list: COMANECHI

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With songs like “My pussy” and choruses like “Don’t touch me, I am disgusting”, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll hear this on your local radio. You can, however see them live soon, as they are supporting the Yeah Yeah Yeahs in Europe.

This is the studio of Nova, who are designing Akiko’s stage outfit.

Quote: “She measured my height and everything, check out how midget I am! the tallest one is Jamie Raynolds from Klaxons on the top! 6.6ft.”

Follow Akiko on her blog: “Exceedingly Good Keex“. In between hanging out with her friends and playing in three ‘bands to watch’; Akiko also does things like:

posing for Richard Kern.

Getting fake tattoos from Farris Badwan (The Horrors)

and Much Much More.