Tomorrow at FOR 2013 performs one of THE bands of today - Tame Impala. I have talked with their frontman, super sweet 26 year-old Australian Kevin Parker who confessed to me that he is in love, and that he leaves his heart and his soul in the music which he makes.
MK: Hi Kevin, how are you and where are you right now?
Kevin: Hi, I'm pretty good, i just ate a piece of paper. It was a small piece of paper though. Attached to a piece of cheese. Trojan cheese paper. I'm in Richmond. USA. Not sure of the state. Oh it's Virginia.
MK: What are you wearing? (just to visualize you a bit..)
Kevin: The same thing i was wearing yesterday (underpants included) (tour busses can get primitive). I also have a towel around my neck (was not worn yesterday).
MK: Can you describe this little crowd to whom you’ve been focused for a last
couple of years?
Kevin: It’s a music project that we have been playing in and touring for the last 5 years or so. It’s kind of pysch pop dream rock but sometimes we like to do trance jams.
MK: Which tracks of Lonerism are you most proud of? Most excited to share with the world?
Kevin: All of them! You wouldn’t ask a mother to name which child she is most proud of right?
I guess some are easier to play live... and make people go crazier.... like Feels like we only go backwards.... and Mind mischief.
MK: You recently said: ‘Lonerism’s good, but it’s not that good’. What is missing? Were you able to fix it in the live shows?
Kevin: That was a quote that a journalist invented that I said. I never said that.
MK: When you record, do you go for feeling or perfection of the sound?
Kevin: No, just perfection of the vibe. Music can have musical errors all the way through it. In fact I think it SHOULD have errors in it. That makes it human. But I am very conscious of how music can make you feel different things. I like to make sure it's going to move people in a particular way.
MK: Do you get embarrassed sometimes when you hear the album, when you think about how personal it is? Are you scared of being honest?
Kevin: I used to be scared of being honest. But once I learnt to put honesty in my music it was a great relief. Music is the easiest way to be honest, because the lyrics are buried in the music, and because at the end of the day you say ‘it's just music’ but you know your heart and soul is in it.
MK: You grew up in Perth. Some friends of mine have lived there for a while. They all say that Perth is a perfect town for raising children and living a quiet family life but at the same time it's pretty boring for the young people. Do you agree? Were you bored growing up there?
Kevin: I certainly wasn't bored. There's probably not as much to do as other cities, but that's why we make our own fun. Sometimes I think the more there is to do in a city the less people will be inspired to create new things.
MK: What is the biggest mischief you did in your childhood?
Kevin: I used to steal from shops a lot. Stuff I didn't even need, but it was such a thrill, breaking the law. I was addicted. Until I got caught one day and taken home in a police car. Then I stopped.
MK: Are you good in telling jokes? What are the Australian jokes usually about? Can you tell us one?
Kevin: I have a terrible memory so I can never remember the funny jokes.
MK: Are you working on anything new or you're focused more on the shows?
Kevin: I think for the first time I'm focused a lot on the live shows more than thinking of recording new stuff. I'm writing new things but we end up just making them little jams or instrumentals in the live show, between the album songs. It makes the live show more exciting i think. And more like a journey not just playing the songs one after the other.
MK: Are you in love?
Kevin: Yes.
MK: You're barely 26 years old, where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Kevin: Recording in my low gravity recording studio on the moon.
