Some stuff I’ve done lately for Time-off and or other local street press.

street-press_reviews-etc-2009

Posted: December 31st, 2009 under INTERVIEWS, LIVE GIGS.
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Nothing tame about these guys

World-wide recognition looks to have arrived at breakneck speed for a band who only too recently remember the days of scrimping to pay their rent out of their monthly gig earnings. Perth lads and self-confessed lay-abouts (prior to their ascendancy) Tame Impala find themselves at the end of 2008 poised for world domination. Well perhaps not quite yet.

According to Jay Watson, drummer for the trio, he understands the importance of having a good label behind you and their influence in opening doors. An appearance at a media launch party which led to them being seen by the right people is probably the luckiest turning point to date. This in turn has allowed the grungy-psychedelic rock act to land some most illustrious billings including their label Modular’s 10th Birthday Party tour, NeverEverLand, but also a string of tours none more coveted than the support slot for New York funsters MGMT.

“We played at a Vice Magazine party in Melbourne and MGMT’s label manager saw us playing, I think he dug it, and set up the MGMT tour,” says Jay.

It could be they’ve got just the right amount of psychedelia to complement the electro – trip-haze of MGMT’s Oracular Spectacular offerings. Whatever it is they’re stoked and it seems a long way from the months before where doing nothing was a regular activity for Jay and his flatmate Kevin.

“It’s better than life at home we don’t really do much when we’re at home in fact we do nothing so touring is pretty cool,” he says.

Clip for ‘Half Full Glass of Wine’ from Tame Impala

The laconic nature of Jay filters through the telephone as he explains the band are right now taking a half hour break between visiting their base hotel in Sydney, showering and taking off again for a show in Wollongong. This time supporting heavyweights of Australian music, You Am I.

A life of touring appears abundantly obvious as the band look ahead to covering not just their label’s NeverEverLand billing, but also The Falls Festival, St Jerome Laneway Festivals and the recently announced V Festival in 2009. Not to mention one-off festivals like Southbound, and Meredith thrown in for good measure. The skills that the lads are learning though as they take each tour in their stride are essential to smooth runnings.

“We didn’t really prepare at all so the early shows we played were pretty sloppy we’re learning all that goes along with the organisational side of touring though,” laughs Jay somewhat skeptically.

“We used to just rock up to shows in Perth all dishevelled and have half a drum kit so we’d borrow other bands gear, now we’re learning it’s a lot more disciplined and there is so much lifting involved!” he adds.

Jay is nonchalant about how dynamics of the band play out. The best friend relationship of Kevin (lead vocals, song writer and producer) and Dominic seems to have been usurped in Jay’s mind by his and Kevin’s living together. Although he and Kevin do argue a lot Jay is easily swayed towards acknowledgement that Kevin is running the show and Dominic and himself are lucky enough to be along for the ride.

“Kevin is quite particular about how everything should be played.

“He is a control freak about his music ala Billy Corgan or Stevie Wonder he plays all the instruments on our recorded EP himself as he needed it to turn out well.

“He’s quite a perfectionist.” Jay offers.

This could prove somewhat problematic for the lads when they look at laying their first LP next year. Currently in discussions with who will produce, it could well be a battle of the wills if Kevin’s desire for perfection is anything to gauge.

Beneath their cute-accidental famed muso exterior though, shines clever, insightful savvy business entrepreneurs in-development, especially when it comes to securing future success.

“We were actually talking about this before this label has sort of the same formula for success so if you can anticipate the formula you’re not going to be to get on too badly.”

Catch Tame Impala when they play a swathe of gigs including:

NeverEverLand Modular’s 10th Birthday Party vist: www.modular.com.au
The Falls Festivals: visit www.fallsfestival.com.au
St Jerome Laneway and V Festival: visit www.lanewayfestival.com.au
V Festival: vist www.vfestival.com.au

Ruth Bailey

Posted: December 9th, 2008 under Australian Interview, INTERVIEWS.
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