Tiger is a half Japanese, half English lady who has just moved to Tokyo from London.
She now works for Hostess Entertainment, working on bands such as Animal Collective, Beck, Arctic Monkeys, Vampire Weekend and Mogwai. Tiger is also a DJ, under the name New Tiger Hearts (named after her awesome blog, which is mostly about animals and music!)
1- What is going to be big this year?
In Japan for foreign music I reckon The xx, MIA and The Drums albums are going to be pretty big. I think beetroots are going to be more popular and more eco drinks full of blueberries and aloe. I think the price of tomatoes is going to go up and the yen is going to get even more expensive. Good time to not live in Tokyo then.
2- Who is your favorite band/artist of all time?
That’s such a tough question and it changes from day to day. But of alltime, my favorite band is probably the Super Furry Animals, for being a bunch of stoner Welsh men just living in their own world. I have a lot of love for Spirtiualized, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The Flaming Lips too.
3- Where is your favorite place in Tokyo?
Yutenji, where I live now. Its so old, low rise and normal, but only a couple of kilometers from the mentalness of Shibuya. Apart from that, Kinfolk in Nakameguro to drink, Kushiwakamaru to eat, and Camera Cabaretto to buy cameras.
4- What are you favorite fashion brands/styles?
I’m not really a brands kind of girl, but I recently got a ‘Charge’ bike that I now ride everywhere. Although Nakameguro, where I work, is in a massive valley so I have to ride up and down hills, but its all good. So… I guess my favorite brand right now is Charge. Style wise, mostly shorts with coloured tights, shaved sideburns and fake eyelashes. That doesn’t sound that great when you put it like that, but it works on me.
5- What is the last thing you bought?
I just went to an outlet shop in Daikayama and spent a small fortune on stationary. Japan has the best stationary in the world. Fact.
6- What is the last song you listened to?
Ayisha Abyss / Serena-Maneesh just now at work. A Norwegian shoegaze band on 4ad. They have a new album coming out soon and this is the 6 minute intro to it. It’s pretty intense, I might cycle home listening to it with my eyes closed for the full effect.
7- Who is the coolest guy and/or girl on the Tokyo scene at the moment?
Is this like asking me to name the biggest scenester in Tokyo at the moment? Well, the coolest girl is soooo Lena Shockley. Half-Japanese artist/mental lady who is going to take over the world with her new clothes soon.
8- Please recommend a new band or artist to our readers.
I haven’t listened to as much new music as when I lived in London, so I’m just going to recommend music I never really listened to before I moved to Tokyo. There is no reason for these recommendations… I just have them playing at home right now. Journey, Toto, Neil Young, Owen Pallett and the Lost in Translation Sound Track (cliche, sorry).
9- Fuji Rock or Summer Sonic?
Fuji Rock, as you get to pretend to be a hippy and live in the mountains. I’ve never been to Summer Sonic so I cant really judge, but even just based on the names of the festivals, I prefer Fuji Rock.
10- Tokyo or Osaka?
Tokyo of course. Although Osaka have a baseball team called Osaka, and the best takoyaki, but still I prefer Tokyo.
Thanks very much Tiger! See you at the MF night!
photo courtesy of http://stevebliss.blogspot.com
