One reason I'm glad I started this site (over three years ago) is that people send me links to cool stuff on the web that I probably wouldn't have found on my own. Here are some recent finds:

Mai from Tripmaster Monkey gives the headsup on this Time article on Indonesian indie and metal music. While there's a burdgeoning scene, the author points to a problem I've also seen in Taiwan: "When two little-known Scandavian bands recently played in Jakarta, the kids were willing to shell out $40 for the show, while a gig with five local bands would struggle to charge $5, even with a free drink." If indie scenes are to reach critical mass in these places, kids will have to support their local bands.

What if Liberace was Japanese? It's a question that western musicologists and philosophers have struggled with for decades, yet needlessly--if only they'd had a friend like Chui-wa to send them this video of Kenichi Mikawa. I first saw him on a hotel TV in Taiwan, dripping in furs.

Speaking of Japanese video, my friend Hsin-wen sends us this hip-hop summer jam by M-flo. Its pure Puffery sweetened with strings a la Pizzicato Five. I dig the wardrobe and the DJ scratches booties!