INTERVIEW BY JACK STEEL, PHOTO BY KINGSLEY IFILL
We first met Akiko Matsuura about six years ago at some godforsaken aftershow party after a godforsaken party at the Old Blue Last.She overdosed on weed and passed out in the front room while listening toJersualemby Sleep, convinced she was actually dying.Since that day she’s played about ten billion shows all over the world with her bands Comanechi and Pre, making her one of the hardest-working musicians we know. A year or so ago, she became a member of the Big Pink which has seen her work schedule increase exponentially, to the point where she has to sleep standing up.The reason we’re talking to her now is she’s about to take Comanechi on tour in the UK this month and then to Japan (all self-booked) to promote a new split 10-inch with the band Divorce, and we want to find out how that’s going to pan out.Vice: How many shows do you play a year?Akiko Matsuura:Probably about 300.And you told me that weird guys stalk you and give you disturbing gifts all the time.Yeah.Do you keep them?Sometimes, yeah. When I was on tour with The Big Pink I had so many creepy fans who read my blog every day. This guy drew a picture of Bruce Lee wearing a Santa hat and inside was a long message telling me about his friend’s death. Another one wrote creepy poems about parts of my body.Eesh. So you’re about to go on the road again and potentially meet more people like this?Divorce are friends, so it’ll be fun. I just don’t want any more creepy fans.How is touring with Comanechi compared to the extravagant rockstar lifestyle of being in The Big Pink?It’s tougher.Less caviar?Yeah, more fried pizza.Is it true The Big Pink won’t travel in a helicopter to the gig unless there are foot spas filled with champagne waiting for them?That’s a stupid question. When we were playing T in the Park we took a sleeper train while Florence [Welch] was flying in her PJ, aka private jet.Wow. For real?We still use EJ, aka Easyjet.Do you think it’s possible that the money you make from the Comanechi/Divorce tour will enable you to buy your own private jet?No, it will bankrupt me.But what if the t-shirt sales go really well?Not really. We are driving ourselves and still have to stay on friend’s house floors. When I keep playing shows with the Big Pink I start to forget appreciating all the little things. So when I go back on tour with a band like Divorce it makes me realise how lucky I am to be in The Big Pink. I get treated very well, I can stay in nice hotels. But then I’ll be sleeping on somebody’s floor on tour with Comanechi and sometimes the simplicity of that will feel really beautiful.Check exceedinglygoodkeex.blogspot.com for tour dates. The Divorce/Comanechi split is out now on Merok.
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