Kelly Hogan and Andy Hopkins:
We've seen half a dozen different iterations of Hogan's touring ensemble, but she and Andy "Mr. Rudy Day" Hopkins are the constants. Hogan's vocals don't really need any instrumental backing, but in Hopkins she has a perfect foil -- a guy who can compress two or three guitar parts into one, and make 'em work.

The Mekons' Jon Langford and Sally Timms:
As we've observed in the past, listening to Langford and Timms' on-stage repartee is sort of like watching a really, really profane Woody Allen film. Even without any instruments, these two would be good for an hour's entertainment. And with instruments...well, God only knows what would happen.

Ministry's Al Jourgensen and Paul Barker:
Perhaps, if they got back to basics, they could fix whatever went wrong.

Yo La Tengo's Georgia Hubley and James McNew:
We already know they work well together. And would anyone really miss Ira Kaplan?

Robyn Hitchcock and Momus:
Two elder-ish statesmen of eccentric music. Would they work together? Could they work together? Or would their merest meeting cause a rupture in the space-time continuum? Most likely they'd spend a frustrating evening trying to out-arch and out-sarcasm each other.

Steve Albini and Karen Finley:
Originally we were thinking of Steve Albini and Peaches, but the pairing just wasn't militant enough. Between the two of them, Albini and Finley could finally produce an album that simultaneously offends and condescends to everyone. Just don't get 'em started talking about Rapeman.

Bis' Manda Rin and The Ladybug Transistor's Jennifer Baron:
Energetic keyboard melodies meet drifty, syrupy keyboard melodies... Oh, who are we kidding? We wouldn't care if they never recorded a note of music together. We'd just like to watch them make out.

Aphex Twin (Richard James) and Rotcod Zzaj (Dick Metcalf):
One is a reclusive, borderline genius electronic music pioneer. The other is a prolific creator of freeform improvised music. Let's lock 'em both in a basement for a week and see what happens!

Alison Goldfrapp and Diamanda Galas:
This is probably the musical equivalent of putting a red ant and a black ant into a jar together; the mix of vocal histrionics would either be amazing or unspeakably hellish.

Red House Painters' Mark Kozelek and The Strokes' Julian Casablancas:
Okay, we admit, this list is getting away from people who'd make interesting duos and turning into people we'd like to see fight. But if Kozelek and Casablancas could get along with each other long enough to pen even an EP worth of songs, we'd be all for it. And then, when the inevitable live dates come along, we'd be right in the front to watch them fight over who gets the spotlight. We're figuring Kozelek has a modest advantage, as he's more likely to be sober.

Slim Cessna and Jay Munly:
Ahh, we're back to talent. No way would we advocate Cessna dumping the rest of his band -- and indeed, any member of the ensemble could back him up duo-style. Munly, however, is a bubbling (babbling) vat of off-kilter entertainment in his own right.

Chris Mills and Deanna Varagona:
They play together all the time. They work well together. Why don't they just start a new group together and see how it goes?