With a name derived from a medium sized antelope and with a middle parting fit for a Toni and Guy poster campaign, Tame Impala are a psychedelic melodic rock band that command attention.
The Australian born band boast fans in The Flaming Lips and Noel Gallagher, and as Tenement TV sat down to discuss all things music and loneliness the explanation of their starry-following unfolded.
Like many bands embarking on the often daunting experience of creating the second album, huge differences occur whether they meant it or not. Tame Impala are no exception. The man himself and driving force of the band ‘Kevin Parker’ explained: “With the first album I felt as if I was getting things out of the way, I felt I could only go so far with a guitar and its sound. By the end of the first album I was just so ready to try different things with computers. With the second album it was just a really exciting and creative time.”
What’s in a name? Well perhaps not much for Tame Impala. The music came first, and the album title became the finishing touches on ‘Lonerism’. Parker continued:
I didn’t really know what it was going to be called. Lonerism is making the loner into a way of life. Making the loner into an ‘ism’ if you will. It’s basically a result of me doing a lot of things on my own. I love doing things alone.
Studio time for bands tends to vary. Huge egos of the past like The Gallaghers famously guzzled way-too-many beers while making their anthems, while pop bad girl of today, Rihanna likes to record her time in the studio through her instragram feed. For Parker however, studio time is his haven and where he especially likes to embark in lonerism: “I much prefer recording music alone. I find it difficult to record Tame Impala music any other way.”
One of the most special things about Tame Impala and their non-specific musical genre is the freedom given to the band and its direction. Parker enthused: “Not having a specific genre gives us such a blank canvas; we wouldn’t want to operate in other way. One of the best things about our kind of music is that by not inheriting a genre we can explore things so much more.”
In many ways, Parker comes across as a very independent and strong-mined musician, traits well suited to the new album title. In a shocking confession Parker states he doesn’t share other artists dreams of working with other artists: “I don’t really have those dreams. I suppose The Chemical Brothers could be one. They are amazing at creating those dance tracks- I’m not really good at making dance music per se. I’d really just love to have an electronic producer to work with me. I can write the melodies and rhythms and they can do the producing.
Like many bands with a hive full of buzz, Tame Impala have merged hundreds of festivals into one since they started performing around the world. Surprisingly, Coachella didn’t stand out as the favourite, Parker confessed: “Hove festival in Norway was something really special. There was a mini beach next to the backstage area. It was pretty weird walking down forest tracks to get to the stages.”
And with a vision of blue seas and tropical waves we close the interview, fitting for a band that have created two fantastic albums with melodies fit for happy toes in the sand.
Edited by Nadine Walker
Check out the official video from Tame Impala ‘Elephant”
