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.

… dresses slightly better than band.

On second thought: lose the hat, wayfarers & shoes, kid.

Keep the attitude.

Whatever happened to the Franzes anyway? They used to make good music & wear the sharpest stuff.

Now they’re like : “Today, we’ll mostly be wearing crap outfits that match our crap album..”

In case you were wondering. The shirt says: “George Harrison”.

We covered the don’ts.  Do’s you will find after the jump

M.I.A. is a do all the way.

Holy shit, Daisy Lowe.

Nerds all over the world: please stand up and applaud this young man and his legs.

He’s a successful male model too.

Somebody should give him an award.

Karen O on stage. Looking forward to seeing her next week @ Polsslag.

Get your leather on…

I’m sure you’ll have no problem finding the first crappy leak.

“Makes you feel like a mad man on the run.”

Are those synthesizers?

FalalalaFalalalalala. If all you wanted for Christmas was a new YeahYeahYeahs song with sleigh bells, a happy guitar solo and and subtle erotic yelps by Karen O, then Santa has a present for you after the jump..

My Only Christmas Wish Is For You To Be Near

Listen to the new YeahYeahYeahs song HERE.

The new album is finished, by the way.

The new vid for Scarlett Johansson’s collabo with Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) & David Bowie is out. Finally, an excuse to post some Scarlet Johansson cleavage! Me so happy. Me not so impressed with her voice, though. What is Salman Rushdie doing in this thing anyway? That old horndog. See it after the jump.

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Christian Joy may sound like a rapture-lovin’, bible-thumping enterprise, but it’s actually the stylish gal who dresses Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) on stage. She just launched her first ready-to-wear collection for the masses. Karen O strikes a pose for the catalogue. More pics of the new collection and some of our favourite YYY stage costumes after the jump.

Diplo (the man behind Mad Decent, M.I.A.’s ex-bf, Santogold’s mentor, digger and Brazilian wax-lover (snicker)) was featured on my favourite radio-show: BBC1 Essential. Press play for the mix feat. the likes of M.I.A., Soulja Boy, Lil’ Wayne, Switch, Sizzla… Full tracklisting after the jump.

Rich Boy – Throw Some D’s (Interscope)
Nirvana – Drain You (Geffen)
Baby Huey – Pop, Lock & Drop It (White)
Marc Houle – Bay of Figs [Ward 21 Mix] (M_Nus]
DJ Tamiel – Bump Like This
Queen ft David Bowie – Under Pressure (WEA)
Hollertronix – Betty (Money Studies Records)
Eddie Money – Take Me Home Tonight (Be my Baby) (CBS)
Soulja Boy – Crank Dat Superman (Interscope)
Bat for Lashes – What’s a Girl to Do (Break)
DJ Shadow – Organ Donor (Sandrinho Remix)
Diplo & Switch ft Beenie Man – Solta Frango
Mr. Vegas – Hot Fuk [Diplo Mix]
Enur ft Natasja – Calabria [2007 Mix] (Scorpio/Data)
Spoon – Paper Tiger (Merge Records)
Circle Children – Zulu (Strictly Rhythm)
M.I.A. ft Akon – Boyz Remix [Hi Powered Boyz Get Down]
Boy 8 Bit – Suspense Is Killing Me (Trouble & Bass)
KW Griff – Tony’s Back (Money Studies)
A Tribe Called Quest – Scenario [White Label Mix] (White)
Nucleus – Jam On It [Gold Rocc Mix]
Nigga Say Wut – Hey Hey Hey
BooMan – Pick ‘em Up
King Tut – Y’all Niggaz Ain’t Shit (Heavy Rock Music)
KW Griff – Ain’t None Of Y’all Safe (White)
Technics – Uh
KW Griff – Respect (Quiet Records)
DJ Eli – In The Jungle
2 Bad Mice – Bombscare (Moving Shadow)
Armand Van Heldan – You Don’t Know Me [White Label Mix] (White)
Big City – Spanish Lesson (Spectra Records)
Diplo – Work Is Never Over (Mad Decent)
M.I.A – Bamboo Banger (XL Recordings)
Sizzla – Bamboo Banger (Dubplate)
DJ Blaqstarr – Supastarr (Mad Decent)
Shai – If I Ever Fall in Love Again (Dubplate)
Orbital – Halcyon (Rhino/WEA)
LA Priest – Engine [Erol Alkan Remix] (Phantasy)
Joakim – Drum Trax (Versatile)
Chemical Brothers – Saturate (Virgin)
M.A.N.D.Y. – Unknown [Tiefschwarz Mix]
TOK – Solid As A Rock (VP Records)
Petter – Some Polyphony (Border Community)
Rihanna – Umbrella [Vandalism Mix]
Justice – Phantom Part II [Soulwax Mix] (Ed Banger)
The White Stripes – Little Cream Soda (XL Recordings)
ZZT – Lower State Of Consciousness (Turbo)
Kia Shine – Crispy (Chest Nut Records)
Bart Simpson – Bartman [So Kripsy Mix]
Jay Dilla ft Guilty Simpson – Detroit To LA
Deuce Papi – Do It Again
Kanye West ft Young Jeezy – Can’t Tell Me Nothin’ (Def Jam)
Mr. Vegas – Lean Wit It (In The Streetz)
M.I.A. ft Bun B and Rich Boy – Paper Planes (XL Recordings)
Schoolly-D – Gucci Time (Schoolly-D Records)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Rockers to Swallow (Interscope)
Jellybean – Sidewalk Talk (EMI)
Belle Stars – Iko Iko (Capitol Records)
Scala & Kolacny Brothers – Heartbeats (Pias)
Simian Mobile Disco – I Still Believe (Wichita Recordings)
The Pack – At The Club (Zomba)
South Rakkas – Hotter Then Them [Mad Decent Mix)
Hurricane Chris - A Bay Bay (J US)
Mad Cobra - AA [Kenny Meez Edit] (Black Shadow)
Buju Banton – Crazy Talk (Black Shadow)
Beenie Man – The Crime (System Records)
Lil’ Wayne ft Mack Maine – I Know The Future (Universal)
Bugle – What The Gonna Do (Daseca)