They’re one of Japan’s greatest and most under-appreciated indie punk exports, and they’ve been going strong since the late '80s. One member of the Le Diamant team fondly recalls an interview with the group for a zine back in 2003 via translator. Some consider them the Japanese equivalent of Cursive, but that could be because the two groups have a strong relationship from touring together and sharing space on an impressive split CD, 8 Teeth to Eat You. ...

Kid Koala, or Eric San started experimenting with record players at a young age and has been a vanguard in the turntablism field for over a decade now. He brings his jazz flavored, hip-hop influenced concoctions to The Mohawk this Wednesday. Kid Koala compositions range from downtempo electro beats to movie and T.V. soundtrack-esque backdrops, and his use of a diverse array of samples always keeps things interesting. His impressive resume includes collaborations with the likes of Gorillaz and remixes of acts such as Coldcut. And since both the opening acts, DJ Jester the Filipino Fist and Rae Davis are Kid Koala fans, we decided to check in with them regarding Eric San’s influence on the genre and also recent developments with their own projects. Check out some of their insightful (and hilarious) responses starting below and enter for a chance to win free tickets to the show after the jump....