Tame Impala | Artist

Tame Impala is an Australian psychedelic rock band formed 2007 in Perth by singer and multi-instrumentalist Kevin Parker. The band began as a home-recording project for Parker who writes, records and produces the music, and is the lead vocalist and guitarist of the band. Current lineup also includes Jay Watson on drums and keyboards, and Don Simper on bass and synths. Parker and Watson also play in the band Pond. Tame Impala came out of Perth's vibrant indie scene and has gone on to win a swag of music industry awards in Australia and internationally for their modern-day psychedelic sound. Their first appearance on the big stage was at the Australian/New Zealand Big Day Out festival in early 2010, performing alongside bands such as Muse, The Mars Volta, Kasabian and Rise Against. The debut album Innerspeaker was released in May 2010 to general and critical acclaim, with Pitchfork naming it "Best New Music." To-date Tame Impala has released four excellent studio albums; Innerspeaker, Lonerism, Currents and The Slow Rush, plus the 2014 Live Versions album. The latest album 2020's The Slow Rush, scales back the guitars for a more '70s dreamy synth-vibe sound. Parker uses an array of different effects pedals to emulate the psychedelic sounds of the past, and to create new and unique sounds. Some favoured and often-used effects by Parker include phasing, delay, reverb, fuzz, and the Roland RE-20 Space Echo. Parker has stated that Supertramp is one of his favourite bands, and a major influence on the musical style of Tame Impala. He also admires the abrasive guitars and ethereal melodies of bands like the Flaming Lips and My Bloody Valentine: "I've always been in love with the wall of sound as employed by My Bloody Valentine and try to capture the same melancholy, dreamy feel with Tame Impala". He has also confessed to "a fetish for extremely sugary pop music" from artists like Britney Spears and Kylie Minogue. When asked where the name "Tame Impala" originated, Parker explained he was trying to think of something that sounded psychedelic, and an Impala is also an African animal, paying homage to his parents' heritage. Parker's father Jerry was from Zimbabwe and his mother Rosalind is from South Africa.

Artist Website: tameimpala.com

Featured Albums: Tame Impala

Related Artists: Kevin Parker, Pond, Mink Mussel Creek

Collections: Movers Shakers