With his rising celebrity as one of LA’s best DJs, and his indie record label “Dim Mak” (which means the touch of death in Chinese) gobbling up all the hottest indie bands and now his Dim Mak clothing line that’s on every hipster’s xmas list (I’m totally obsessed with the hoodies), the incomparable Steve Aoki can’t seem to do no wrong and boy is it paying off — in spades.

Steve Aoki’s blurbs:

Dim Mak media cartel, ground zero. A record label as a tangram. It all started in a small room in a college co-op books, records, magazines, one-sheets, records, stickers, records, records, and records. People filing in, one at a time or three at a time, hands being given where needed. Support is free. Passion is free. Silkscreened Pretty Girls Make Graves posters aren’t free, but that’s nothing personal. Everything else is.

Found on: Steve’s Myspace page

Must reads:

Steve Aoki’s website

Dim Mak Collection

Next On The Decks w/Steve Aoki

Sellaband is a crowdsourcing platform/social network that enables fans of music dubbed “believers” to discover new bands and solo artists and for a nominal fee of 10 dollars, you can sponsor them and get a piece of the pie in return.

Sellaband blurbs:

The music industry is all about fences. Those who are on the inside, and those who are on the outside. SellaBand wants to break down all the fences. Everybody with a passion for music can be on the inside. It’s your music. It’s your choice.

If you’re a Sellaband solo artist or an up and coming band, you just might get popped because…I’m a believer.

Found on: Sellaband Myspace page

Must reads:

How it works…

The founder of Sellaband (Pim Beitist) gets interviewed

Missingtoof.com has quickly become one of my favorite music blogs, covering all things indie, electro and new wave - with contributing writers from L.A, the Bay Area up in Cali and as far away as Melbourne, Australia. Straight up, these guys have a nose for the undiscovered, an ear for the underground and best of all, they know their shit and have great taste in music!

Missingtoof’s blurbs:

If you are an artist, dj, bedroom producer & would like to send us music please do! It may take us a while to get back to you, but we do listen to everything that is sent to us.

I almost forgot, you can listen to tons of mp3s and their also available to download.

Found on: MissiongToof’s Mybloglog page

Must reads:

Missing Toof’s Website

Missing Toof’s Myspace page

Don’t let their name fool you, the boys in Manchester Orchestra are actually from the ATL and I have yet to see any pictures of them playing a string, woodwind or brass instrument - tricky lads.

Manchester’s blurbs:

Though Manchester Orchestra has only been a proper band for a year and a half, this young quintet (with an average age of 19) has crafted an album that sounds more aware and traveled than many of its more aged peers. Led by singer / songwriter / guitarist Andy Hull, Manchester Orchestra’s debut LP, I’m Like A Virgin Losing A Child, is a statement cinematic in scope.

Found on: Manchesters Orchestra’s Myspace page

Must reads:

Spin.com Article

Atlanta Music Guide

Manchester Orchestra’s Podcast

Warning! Listening to Au Revior Simone may cause uncontrollable joy due to whimsical lyrics covered with airy synth sounds anchored in 16 bit drum samples - these ladies come correct with synths ablazed!

ARS’s blurbs:

We three play keyboards and drum machines too. we’ll sing you a song, a lullaby, a tune. we’re from brooklyn, new york but plan to visit you.

Au Revior Simone’s music is so fun and yummy, it’ll make you want to dust off your old Casio keyboard and start jamming with the neighborhood “hipster” kids - that’s if they’ll let you.

Found on: ARS’s Myspace page

Must reads:

Gothamist Band Interview

ARS’s Website

NYC Public Radio

David Lynch with Au Revoir Simone Video

The self proclaimed biggest midget in the game [Lady Sovereign] came rolling into town last night and performed at the world famous El Rey theatre in Los Angeles and I had the good fortune of being there.

Lady Sov’s blurbs:

Her size, color, sex and nationality may set Sov well apart from the herd, but her flow is just as arresting: an electrifying mixture of Jamaican dancehall ..chat,.. British cultural reference points, and a playful wit all her own.

Sov’s lyrical mayhem, smothered in cockney malt vinegar — along with her raucous stage show and command of the crowd had everyone dancing and waving their middle fingers all night…oh yeah, the three gin and tonics were mighty yummy too.

Found on: SOV’s Myspace page

Must reads:

SOV’s website

Rolling Stone Article

Lady Sov fueds with the Donut

Flickr Jelly Donut vs. Lady Sov photoset

Pete Fowler is one of my favorite illustrators, he’s probably best know for his work with the band Super Furry Animals and the Monsterism website and designer toys.

Taking the Monsterism concept to another level and literally another medium, “The Sounds of Monsterism Island Vol 1″ is a mix-tape compilation full of yummy exotica, electronica and 60s soft-rock.

TSMI blurbs:

This compilation album serves as a companion to Pete Fowler’s World of Monsterism, and features a range of music from psychedelic sixties rock to modern indie pop.

The “Sounds Of Monsterism Island” is a compilation album that works as a soundtrack to the world of Monsterism, created by the Welsh born, London based artist Pete Fowler. The album features psychedelic music from the ’60s and beyond into the 21st Century, much of it unearthed and put on CD for the first time. Fowler dreamt up the World Of Monsterism sometime between his birth in Cardiff in 1969 and the time the first set of Monsterism toys were released in the autumn of 2001.

Tracks that stand out: Martin Denny’s “Sake Rock” and The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band’s “A Child’s Guide To Good And Evil”.

Found on: TSMI’s Myspace page

Must reads:

Monsterism.net

Fowler Wiki-Bio

Pete Fowler Myspace page

MOG is an online community where music lovers can discover people through music and music through people.

There you’ll find Anna, she’s a Mogger (a person who blogs about music on mog) and she’s one of the best.

Anna’s blurb:

Current Activity #1: Bassist of Right Said Fred Zeppelin (an all-girl mostly-Led Zeppelin covers imaginary band)

Current Activity #2: courtesy of sentinel329 - Super High Evil Instigator Queen of the Mog Wars

Goth Names: Deranged Insanity, Beautifully Chaotic

My MOG Is Where: Sophisticated Taste In Music Comes To Die

To a lot of people in the MOG community, Anna has become synonymous with their MOG experience– like the site: she’s funny, witty, intelligent and she knows her music and with over 300 MOGs that trust her, she is definitely the Queen of the MOG wars.

Found on: Anna’s MOG page

Must reads:

MOG-O-SPHERE

Mochipopstar’s MOG page

Save The (MOG) Drama For Your (MOG) Mama

I remember the first time I saw Jon Brion perform at Largo (a small club in L.A.), the room was packed with music aficionados all waiting patiently for the virtuoso. I was on my second gin and tonic when out of the corner of my eye he appeared. He walked up to the stage with a what seemed to be a glass of beer (black & tan) in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other — oh, this is going to be good.

Jon Brion’s blurbs:

Music producer/composer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist… it’s safe to say that Jon Brion excels at whichever musical hat he choses to wear. Remarkably self-taught in music, Jon has collaborated with and/or produced albums for Elliott Smith, Aimee Mann, Fiona Apple, Rufus Wainwright, David Byrne, the Eels, Sean Lennon.

In addition to producing, Jon has scored several films, including Magnolia, Punch-Drunk Love, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and I Heart Huckabees. Brion frequently works with director Paul Thomas Anderson, with whom he has a preferential working relationship. In addition to scoring almost all of his films, Brion contributed music to Boogie Nights and had a cameo in the film as a moustachioed guitar player.

He sat down at the piano and with a quick wave to the crowd, it was on. He proceeded to mesmerize the audience not only with his performance but his amazing musicianship; he played every instrument on stage (guitar, bass, drums, piano, whatever) by himself, no backup band, no nothing, just him; using a live looping technique, he first recorded the bass, drums and keyboard tracks and then sang and played guitar live over them — it was “ah” inspiring…two hours and maybe 20 songs later it was all over and I had just seen the best show of my life.

Found on: Jon Brion’s Myspace page

Must reads:

Jon Brion, Meaningless

Jon Brion Tendentious Report

Mari Musicaux isn’t just your average concert hall prodigy — no, she’s much more then that. With a passion for industrial and electro music and her punk rock looks that kill, you would never think she’s a classically trained pianist but once you hear her performance of Mozart Piano Sonata streaming from your Myspace music player, you know you’re listening to something special.

Mari’s blurbs:

I am in my final year at The Purcell School (for young musicians), where I receive professional music education, in performance. Currently I study 4 levels and hope to continue studying academic music and sequence music after school.

Look up the definition of eclectic in the dictionary and you just might find a picture of Mari Musicaux.

Found on: Mari Myspace page

Must Reads:

Mari’s Myspace image gallery

Dear Beyonce,

I am writing you this letter to thank you — thank you for declaring to the world back in 2003 that you were “tired of being SEXY“.

You see Beyonce, if it wasn’t for your declaration, the world may have never been exposed to the raw-disco-powerpop-rock goliath that is “Cansei de Ser Sexy” (Portuguese for: I’m tired of being sexy), better know as CSS: the indie rock, synthpop band from Brazil.

CSS’s blurbs:

Taking the fact of not knowing how to play their instruments as a challenge for creativity, the group started to risk small shows in the night clubs that feed Sao Paulo underground.

I’d like to end by saying; CSS’s Cansei de Ser Sexy, or “Tired of Being Sexy,” is their debut for Sub Pop, you should run out to your local record store and get you some.

Best wishes,

Mochipopstar

p.s.

You have an amazing ass!

Found on: CSS Myspace page

Must Reads:

CSS website

LOVEFOXXX Flickr page

Ingredients

- 4 in your face Japanese punk rock goddesses
- 2 cups of The Runaways
- 1 dash of Godzilla radioactive breath
- 3 sprigs of Shonen Knife
- 1 tablespoon of The Go Go’s (optional)

Cook the 4 punk rock goddesses in beer till tender, add the 2 cups of The Runaways (slowly) and let boil for 20 minutes.

After boiling for 20 minutes, add 1 dash of Godzilla radioactive breath, but be careful not to add more then 1 dash or you might get fried, now gently stir in the 3 springs of Shonen Knife and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for about an hour…if you like, you can add in 1 tablespoon of The Go Go’s for taste.

That’s it, you now have a steaming pot of GGH — now go get yourself some.

GGH’s blurbs:

Female punk rock band Gito Gito Hustler! Formed in 1995, the band has released several albums and toured both the US and Japan numerous times. There newest record Gito Gito Galore, was released in March of 2005.

FYI; GGH goes really well with a nice tall glass of Sapporo - Yummy!

Found on: GGH’s Myspace page

Must Reads:

Gito Gito Hustler website

Git Gito Hustler - Last.fm

A native of Seattle, HeavyGrinder currently resides in Los Angeles where she is part time student, model and full time DJ. At age thirteen, she began to actively pursue her love of music and being on center stage by taking up vocal training and modeling.

After years of traveling and successful model work, she made her way to L.A. in 1998. It was in the City of Angels that she realized her new love, cozying up to the sounds of underground dance music, captivated by the power of the DJ and the reaction of the crowd.

Heavygrinder’s blurbs:

Music is an unspoken language… A way to express feelings and emotion… Speak through the music, not through words.

Found on: Heavygrinder’s Myspace page

Must Reads:

Heavygrinder’s Website

Heavygrinder Interview

We Are Scientists is my favorite rock band. Their smart, their incredible musicians, they have great stage presense and they have more fun performing together then any other band I’ve ever seen.

My wife Molz and I saw them at the El Rey theater out here in Los Angeles several months ago and even though there were a bunch of lame industry types sipping cocktails and talking during their entire set (welcome to Los Angeles boys.), it was probably of one the best shows I’ve ever been to!

WAS’ blurbs:

A three-tusked mastodon. A triple mohawk. A flight from New York to L.A. with three layovers.

The scientist sound is spreading like some punk rock disease: intense, catchy songs, gyrating guitar and bass riffs blasting independently over unexpected beats; get yours before it’s all gone — believe it.

Found on: WAS Myspace page

Must Reads:

WAS Website

We Are Scientists - on The Late Show

There’s been an escape from the planet of the BAPES, I repeat, there’s been an escape from the planet of the BAPES!

I’ve been rockin BAPE gear forever now, yes, way before Pharrell started wearing BAPE BBC tees on MTV and way before all the bootleg stuff started showing up at swap-meets across the country…don’t get me started.

Anyway, I was at a party the other night and someone asked me who started this cultural phenomenon and I told him, it’s a dude named “NIGO“. You mean JIGGA he replied back with a puzzled look on his face…ah, no, NIGO (too late) - now totally enamored with himself and his answer, he started into “jigga who, jigga what?” - yeah, that’s him.

NIGO’s blurbs:

I never set out to become Japan’s hottest fashion designer or an internationally famous arbiter of style, or to show young people how to rebel without losing their cool. But the fact that I am now one of the most influential movers and shakers of our generation does not strike me as particularly odd either. In fact, I focus on my passions, rather than on society’s expectations, as the secret of my success. I never planned too far ahead, wearing a T shirt and jeans plus two necklaces and a giant watch dripping with hip-hop quantities of bling. I just tried to do what I love and create the things that I wanted to create — I LIVE IN MY OWN WORLD

As long as there ignorant fools like the one I met at that party, I think I’ll be rockin my BAPEs for awhile longer - yay yay!

Found on: Nigo’s Myspace page

Must Reads:

Vintage Kicks

BAPE Website