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.

Je hebt gelijk. ‘t Is een schaamlap.

Love you though. Wanneer kom je naar Brussel?

(And in other news:  these shirts..)

85 EUR

More here

Not thanking your sources will come back as dark sturdy back hair that loves to double up inside one pore. I don’t care whether you’re working in print or if you’re a blogger.

So merci beaucoup Fashionista for posting some LOVEly LOVE scans.

My favourite? Marc Jacobs behind the scenes. But I have to admit: Kate. What a nipple.

View them after the jump

For those who don’t know, the girl in the middle has been my imaginary mentor for many years. 

I never take any advice on what’s supposed to be good or bad from anyone besides 2 people from my inner circle.

But on the other tip, Katie Grand has always been my editor-in-chief (Carine Roitfeld, Anna Wintour & André Leon Talley are my fairy godmothers). I worked for a couple of fashion mags and whenever I made my initial pitch, I always thought: “What do I like?”  And then: “What would  Katie like?”

So cue : a couple of years ago.

“We need to do Beth Ditto!” I thought, and a couple of days later as if by magic her label contacted me for an interview.

The editor-in-chief refused. This is not fashion. This is not good. This is not for us.

And so now, Beth Ditto is gracing the first cover of the only magazine that’s going to matter come February 19th. (not true, because you can already get your kicks here.)

So all you haters, you can thoroughly kiss my ass.

No wait. Go and kiss Beth’s. It’s the right kind of thick.

I know for a fact that’s Rick Rubin she’s talking to…

And do you know what they were talking about?

Beth Ditto, lovely creature and voice of a braver & newer world opened up Alexander McQueen’s store in L.A.

Everything looks good on her.

Remember J-Lo in that Versace dress? getthafuckouttahere!

Beth to Rick (referring to her butterfly McQueen dress):  “You should get one of these, you need one of these!”

Rick to Beth: “I know, I know. I’ve already got one!

Thank you Miss Delinlee Delovely (one time)

Thank you Miss Delinlee Delovely (two times)

… for posting these pics and talking about this iconic moment in Rock/Pop/Fashion (it’s all the same) history.