Tame Impala have drawn plenty of comparisons to The Beatles in their time.
As much for the similarity in tone between John Lennon and the Perth band’s linchpin, Kevin Parker, as for the psychedelic shades of Tame Impala’s music and its similarities to the Fab Four’s late 60s output.
It’s part of the charm that’s seen Tame Impala (and by association, sister band Pond) fêted by the Brits. While Parker has heard the Lennon similes a million times before, it’s difficult to refute when they come from the famous Beatle’s own offspring.
“I was speaking to Sean Lennon and he told me I sound like his dad. So I guess if anyone’s going to tell me I sound like John Lennon I guess he’s the one with some sort of authority on it,” says Kevin Parker in an interview with Fairfax media regarding Tame Impala’s multiple ARIA wins, Grammy nomination, and upcoming tour with the Big Day Out.
“We played some shows with him (Sean Lennon) in America… He’s a trippy kind of dude,” the singer/songwriter/producer adds. “I’ve never thought I sound like John Lennon in particular,” he says, bemused by the Beatles comparisons.
“I just don’t think we sound like them so much… but I’ve listened back to my vocals sometimes and gone, ‘Oh yeah, that kind of sounds like the Beatles’.”“I’ve listened back to my vocals sometimes and gone, ‘Oh yeah, that kind of sounds like the Beatles’.”
Whether you believe their music is haunted by the ghost of Lennon or not, Tame Impala are easily one of Australian music’s biggest success stories, and having conquered hearts, ears, and minds Down Under their international star continues to rise.
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In fact, it’s set to shine brighter if the Perth group’s stunning sophomore effort, Lonerism, claims victory in the Best Alternative Music Album category at the 2014 Grammy Awards; though the frontman is modest about their chances in squaring off against the other artist nominees: Nine Inch Nails, Vampire Weekend, The National, and Neko Case.
“We’re up against bands that people have actually heard of,” Parker tells SMH. “People aren’t going to be confused if Vampire Weekend win, but if they read out ‘Tame Impala’ everyone’s going to go, ‘Who the f— is Tame Impala?'” (Recalling the 2011 Arcade Fire confusion.)
Parker also reveals he’s still working on the follow-up to Lonerism, but that he’s trying to recapture the spirit of naivety in the recording process.
“I’m always recording [but] the thing at the moment is I’m trying to stop myself from recording. When I start back up again, I want to have forgotten everything I know about music,” he says. “In fact, I’ve already forgotten how to write a song… I realised quite seriously that I don’t know how [and] it makes me wonder how the hell I put together a whole album.”
The prolific 27-year-old previously used a pizza simile to describe the difference in his new material, telling Triple J in December; “I’m gonna try to make it a bit more minimal this time; only use what’s needed. Instead of a supreme pizza, where you just throw everything on, it’s kind of just gonna be like a margherita. I don’t want to over-fill it,” he said. “[It’ll] make Lonerism look like amateur hour.”
In a new interview with The Vine, Parker says he’s been “putting down ideas here and there,” for a third Tame Impala record, which will “make Lonerism look like amateur hour. From a sonic viewpoint anyway. Definitely. I’m just a lot better at creating sounds.”
Adding: “I get a flash of inspiration for something and it’s just completely different to what I was doing the day before, to the point where … if all these songs are going to go on the same album, I’m gonna have to work out a way to make them fit together that won’t just seem like a weird mixtape.”
While Parker works at new music, members of Tame Impala and Pond are set to release their own solo material, in the form of Jay Watson’s Gum and Shiny Joe Ryan (aka über-afroed Pond bassist, Joseph Ryan). Pond have also just completed a festival run and launch tour for their latest album Hobo Rocket, but have already completed its follow-up, with the cheekily titled Man It Feels Like Space Again already in the can.
Not only that, but Pond frontman Nick Allbrook and Cameron Avery (who also plays in Tame Impala and the Growl – keeping up?) have got two more records up their sleeves set for release, including another under their Allbrook/Avery side-project and a third that was recorded with four-fifths of UK band The Horrors.
Big Day Out 2014 Dates, Tickets
View timetables and maps here
Friday 17th January ~ Western Springs, Auckland*
Sunday 19th January ~ Metricon Stadium & Carrara Parklands, Gold Coast
Friday 24th January ~ Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne
Sunday 26th January ~ Sydney Showgrounds, Sydney
Friday 31st January ~ Bonython Park, Adelaide**
Sunday 2nd February ~ Arena Joondalup, Perth – New Venue
*For New Zealand Big Day Out 2014 lineup and ticketing details, please refer to www.bigdayout.com and choose AUCKLAND
**Subject to council approval
Tickets and info at www.bigdayout.com
