¡°Sorry?¡± splutters Connan Hosford, better known as Connan Mockasin, as his bandmates cackle in the background. ¡°Excuse me ... What did you say before?¡±

He¡¯s got me on speakerphone, and I¡¯ve just mentioned the name of the group he¡¯ll be appearing alongside at his debut Japan show this weekend ¡ª Ogre You Asshole. ¡°Oh, man!¡± he says, regaining his composure. ¡°I know who you¡¯re talking about, but I¡¯d not heard the actual name being said.¡±

Playing in Japan for the first time is a big deal for a lot of musicians, but especially so for the 36-year-old New Zealand native, one of the great eccentrics of 21st-century indie rock. After stints in London, Manchester and Los Angeles, Hosford recently moved to Tokyo to be with his partner, former Playboy Playmate Hiromi Oshima, and their newborn daughter.