Thirsty : September 2009 : Interview with Tame Impala

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By Michael Lara
Tokyo, Japan

“On the wall… Hung a tall… mirror… Distorted view, see through baby blue… He dug it. Oh, Arnold Layne… It’s not the same, takes two to know. Two to know, two to know, two to know… Why can’t you see?” During the summer of love, Syd Barrett’s penned classic produced the necessary initial ignition for the mighty PINK FLOYD.

(credit: Matthew C. Saville)

Incredibly 32 years later, a robust and lovely ripple effect has sustained over the years, imprinting artists around the world. Perth’s TAME IMPALA is just one of the many savory swells to come from it.

In Japan to inaugurate their soon-to-be numerous travels here at Creativeman’s 10th anniversary SUMMER SONIC festival, Kevin Parker (Vocals, guitar, bass, drums), Jay Watson (drums, keys, vocals), Dominic Simpler (bass) and Nick “Paisley Adams” Allbrook (guitar, percussion) as TAME IMPALA on the Sonic Stage Day 3 of SUMMER SONIC’09 in looking towards to promoting their debut full-length album in the works to be delivered in early 2010.

Finding a spacious ledge above a long curb between halls in the massive Makuhari Messe convention center, these four and their manager Jodie Regan let it flow:

THIRSTY: Okay, state your name and well, your favorite flavor of ice cream…
Kevin: Okay, Kevin desu…Strawberry.
Jay: Jay…Vanilla.
Dom: Dom…Chocolate.
Nick: Nick… Like peppermint-choc thing.
THIRSTY: In this bag, many, many items. It’s like my Houdini bag.
Kevin: It’s like you’re going to begin torture (worriedly grinning as the others have a laugh).
THIRSTY: That can be arranged, but, what’s going to happen, each of you is going to pull out an item and the question comes from that.
So go ahead.
Kevin: (fishing about and then pulling out the 1st item)
THIRSTY: Ah, smoked oysters.
Kevin: Yes.
THIRSTY: Now, of course it’s the major barbeque season here in Japan, summer festivals and all. So, that said, what is a must for one?
Kevin: Ah… Veggie patties and… Um, also some capsicum…
THIRSTY: What kind of spices are we talking?
Kevin: Ah, I don’t know. I just eat anything.
Nick: No you don’t! You’re a vegetarian.
Kevin: Anything you know that’s not an animal of some kind.
Jay: Oregano.
THIRSTY: Yes.
Jay: I’ll help you out. It’s a good spice on barbeque.
Kevin: Oh, spice. Well, I like herbs and stuff. Ah, um, basil. I quite like basil.
THIRSTY: What about to wash it down?
Kevin: Sapporo beer.
THIRSTY: Oh, okay. You’re a believer.
Kevin: Yeah.
THIRSTY: Okay, next one. Go ahead man.

(credit: Matthew C. Saville)

Jay: (digging around, clutching a few then settling on a can)
THIRSTY: Ah, Prime Draft (a Japanese beer).
Nick: It’s beer! (Eyes wide with a his Cheshire cat smile)
THIRSTY: Now you keep that too.
Jay: Thanks very much. I’ll definitely drink it.
THIRSTY: So what’s prime draft to you?
Jay: Ah…hmmm… I can probably do something prime or draft, but can’t do prime draft. I can do what’s prime to me.
THIRSTY: Okay… because you’re mathematical?
Jay: Yeah (big grin). Um…
Nick: Prime numbers?
Jay: Prime to me is, ah, the Japanese people. Prime example of…
Nick: Prime (cheeky grin).
Jay: Awesome (then laughing at Nick’s comment). 17 years old…
(All laughing)
Nick: Yeah. People in the prime of their lives such as all of ourselves are prime… definitely.
(Passes the bag over as Dom reaches in)
THIRSTY: Ah, Lawrence of Arabia (1962) …
Dom: Sweet! Do I get to keep this?
THIRSTY: Well, actually you can, but of course you have to have a region free DVD player (Japanese DVD’s are region 2) for it.
Dom: Ah okay… Then you can have it back man.
THIRSTY: Now this is the 1962 epic Sir David Lean film with Peter O’Toole and others in it of course, but what would be the name of the epic for your band and which actor would play each of you?
Nick: Ah…now that’s a good question.
Dom: Um, the name… Hmmm… What do you reckon Nicky?
Nick: It’s your question Dom.
(All laughing minus Dom)
THIRSTY: He’s not going to help you out.
Dom: Something African-themed.
Kevin: John Travolta would play Dom.
Dom: No way.
Nick: We haven’t even got to that yet.
Dom: (Long pause again) We’d call it… I’ll get back to you. I’ll do the actors.
THIRSTY: Okay.
Dom: Macaulay Culkin playing Nick (big smirk).
(All laughing)
Nick: Asshole…
Kevin: If that’s Nick then I should be…
Jodie: He’s going to be Brad Pitt.
Dom: No!!!
Jodie: Dom can be like Johnny Depp.
Nick: I was going to say, wouldn’t that be someone like Owen Wilson?
Dom: Oh yeah.
(A lively argument ensues)
Nick: Yeah Johnny Depp is awesome. Macaulay Culkin is a little shit.
Dom: He’s a crack fiend now isn’t he?
Jodie: He used to be…
THIRSTY: Okay, so far we Macaulay Culkin for Nick.
Nick: No…
THIRSTY: You’re stuck with it man.
Nick: I reckon Kevin would be Nick (Nicholas) Cage. He’d play Kevin, just let his hair grow long…

Dom: I was thinking more like Edward Norton for Kevin…
Nick: Ah!!!
Jay: I was thinking Kevin Sorbo.
Nick: Ha-ha! Ah yeah, Kevin Sorbo! Hercules… that guy!
Dom: Yeah, yeah, yeah. That’s Kevin.
Kevin: I got a body-builder build.
THIRSTY: Okay, Kevin Sorbo it is.
Dom: And Jay…
Nick: Jay is more Macaulay Culkin than me.
THIRSTY: So how would it be?
Jay: Come on Dom. I won’t be offended at all.
Dom: I’m trying. Um… Maybe…
Nick: Who’s that teenage heartthrob that everyone loves?
Dom: Zach Efron.
Jay: Yeah, that’s me.
THIRSTY: And yourself?
Dom: I wouldn’t… Maybe… I’ve had like people call me and say that I look like an Emile Hirsch. That dude.
Nick: I can dig that. You can be Adrian Grenier. You can be him.
Jay: I reckon Johnny Depp or some shit…
Kevin: Yeah.
Jay: ‘cuz you can never take a photo of Dom without …
Jodie: Yeah, Dom’s definitely Johnny Depp.
Jay: Even if Johnny Depp is doing Willy Wonka or some character…
Nick: He still looks fly.
THIRSTY: Alright, next…
Nick: (pulls out the a bartender’s guide)
THIRSTY: So Nick, which drink would describe each of you best?
Nick: Kevin would be, yeah, as far as things that Kevin’s like, would be a gin and tonic. It’s very specific because Kevin is very strong
THIRSTY: Any particular gin?
Nick: No, no. Any will do. Jay… Jay would get ah…
Jay: Champagne.
Nick: No… I think uh, like a good stout, a good British stout because um… Not because he likes stout particularly, but because he’s a strong, hearty individual. He doesn’t change particularly, depending on anyone.
THIRSTY: He’s ready to climb Everest.
Nick: Dom gets ah… Dom gets a Japanese beer. I reckon a glass of Asahi because it refreshes you and is constantly pleasant no matter what the weather. And I… Hard to describe what drink you get yourself. Um… I don’t know.
Jay: It’d be Coopers.
THIRSTY: Oh, I like Coopers.
Nick: Do you?
THIRSTY: Yeah, I got introduced to it when I interviewed one of your countrymen, an Australian musician and surfer by the name of Nigel Swifte. That’s his favorite.
Nick: I like Coopers Pale Ale, but after a couple of nights in Japan and drinking Japanese beer. We went to a place owned by an Australian guy and got a Coopers Pale Ale and all of a sudden it didn’t taste so good. Japanese beer is incredible. I like it.
Jay: You could be sake Nick I reckon (big broad smirk).
Nick: Okay. Al right, I’ll get sake then ‘cuz Jay said that and I can’t say my own drink (chuckling).
THIRSTY: Right on. Onto round 2!
Kevin: Oh wow! (Edging forward, ready to get into the bag)

Nick: Awesome.
Jay: Ah sweet.
THIRSTY: No Winnie-the-Pooh is massive here.
Kevin: Right.
THIRSTY: So out of the Pooh characters, who would each of you be?
Kevin: Um… I would be, um, Tigger.
Jay: Because?
Kevin: Because I’m an idiot.
(All laughing)
Kevin: A fumbling buffoon.
Nick: You gotta be Winnie-the-Pooh man.
Dom: Don’t you reckon?
Kevin: I guess so.
Nick: The main guy, the main character, still bumbling, still an idiot, but still lovable.
Kevin: Ah, al right… Jay would be um Tigger then. He’s a skinny, fun-loving…
Nick: And bouncy individual…
Kevin: Fool that bounces along everywhere.
Jay: That’s fair.
Kevin: Dominic would be um… Eeyore.
(All laughing) Because he’s quiet…
Nick: Not because you’re all sad. He’s just unassuming…
Kevin: Just says what needs to be said. Nick would be Piglet.
(Huge laughter)
Nick: No! I already got Macaulay Culkin!
Kevin: Because he’s um, you know, ah smaller than the rest of us, but jolly and wise. And that just about covers it.
Nick: In fact it does.
Jay: That was the most accurate one of all the things we’ve done so far.
Kevin: Yeah that was good.
THIRSTY: And you keep that (as he tears into the packaging to prepare to blow Pooh bubbles).
Jay: Oh, I’m not actually allowed to look am I?
(Reaches in an pulls at LOOK A La Mode chocolate bar)
THIRSTY: What is the ultimate chocolate confectionary and why?
Jay: Hmmm…I just think completely plain Swiss chocolate. Good Swiss chocolate is the best. Ah wait, actually Tim Tams® I really like. Chocolate Tim Tams are the best. That’s my ultimate.
THIRSTY: Now hold this, this is a bonus… Made only in Japan, here you have Single malt whiskey chocolate. So if you were going to have any spirit of choice in chocolate, what would it be?
Jay: Rum.
THIRSTY: Any particular?
Jay: Pusser’s Rum.
Nick: Yeah.
Jay: Good strong British, English rum. Naval stuff.
Nick: Keeps you nice and warm.
THIRSTY: And you keep both.
Jay: Ah thank you very much (as he passes the bag over).
Kevin: Well-done.

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Nick: Let’s chow down.
Dom: What’s this thing?
Nick: Oh!
THIRSTY: Ah fireworks.
Nick: Do we get to keep them? (Eyes wide and alive)
THIRSTY: Yes. (a jovial eruption ensues)
Jay: Awesome.
Dom: We’ve been trying to get some.
THIRSTY: So, if you were going to your own fireworks display, where would it be and whom would you invite?
Dom: Um, it definitely be in Japan, probably Osaka. And um, I’d invite Wayne Coyne from THE FLAMING LIPS and his wife. She’s lovely as well.
Jay: Michelle… You’re badass (all laughing in agreement).
THIRSTY: Yeah and you got the bubbles to add their show. Gotta power up for that. Alright, last one and then to see GRIZZLY (BEAR).

Nick: (Reaches in and brings out a different kind of bar).
THIRSTY: Ah yes, soap and made in Japan as well. It’s “Beauty Soap.”
Nick: Fantastic. It’s got a cow on the front!
THIRSTY: For you, what is the preferred soap?
Kevin. Yeah!
Nick: Preferred soap? I really didn’t know that there were different types. Um…
THIRSTY: Okay man, let me put it this way: If you were going to make your own scented soap, what would it be?
Nick: Ah yeah… Um, scent… scent?
Jay: What’s a really good scent?
Nick: Ah… I really, really like the… In Perth I’ve noticed when you go through the… out further from the city, in the winter especially, and it’s been raining and stuff’s been burning, like fire. Um, so like wood fire combined with rain.
THIRSTY: So like burnt rain would be the scent?
Nick: Ah yeah! (Big broad smile and a chuckle) “Scorched Rain soap.”
Jay: “Bushfire soap.”
Nick: Yeah, “Scorched Rain soap.” That’d be it.

While escaping without giving the title of their unfurling future epic, it will undoubtedly be filmed over many years and one for a most flavorful screenplay. These young dudes are in their element with their prime foundation to sail the seven seas repeatedly with plenty of Scorched Rain Soap to be stocked. Nick, secure that scent patent.

To see them, their past, present and future interstellar overdrive and alter egos, just click away below. They take four to know:

All opinions expressed by Michael Lara are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of Stay Thirsty Media, Inc.

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