Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker on the release of Deadbeat, his Yallingup Wave House, Currents and maturing as a dad

About 250 kilometers south of Perth lies the town of Yallingup. This is where you’ll find Kevin Parker’s Wave House, a classic, laid-back Western Australian beach town. Surrounded by bushland and overlooking windswept Injidup Beach, it’s a place that has long meant a lot to Parker.

In 2009, he rented the house to record Tame Impala’s stunning debut album. internal speaker. He returned a few years later to piece together the 2015 record. Currents. He finally purchased the house and several dozen acres of bushland where the naturally formed limestone amphitheater is located in 2020.

This amphitheater has a storied history as it was the venue for many raves in the 90s. After buying the place, Parker would stand in the open area, finding old glow sticks and remnants from long-ago parties. “You don’t even have to dig them,” Parker says with a laugh over the phone. “You go over them.”

Parker would spend long periods of time in the amphitheater delving into history and imagining the rhythms reflecting off the rocks. A new album was floating in the back of his mind. “You can feel the energy of past tributes there,” he says. “It’s really intoxicating because you can almost hear the music. How perfect this space is for this kind of thing.”

Parker is calling from Mexico City, where he plans to play a DJ set at a secret location. Presentation of Tame Impala’s fifth album DeadbeatIt’s in full swing and Parker is trying to enjoy the ride.

Since its publication internal speakerTame Impala has become one of Australia’s biggest musical exports. As the sole songwriter and creator, Parker has evolved from a Perth-based musician to a critically acclaimed, globally respected songwriter and producer.

His work extends far beyond Tame Impala; He has collaborations and credits with artists such as Lady Gaga, Travis Scott, The Weeknd, SZA, Gorillaz and Dua Lipa. He won a brilliant Grammy Award for his work on the song Justice Neverenderand received numerous nominations along the way.

2020 sequel Slow Rush, Deadbeat It began to take shape in mid-2023, after Parker rented a house on the California coast. He’d done the same for other records, and his routine followed a similar line: staying in the dark, early hours, trying to magically conjure a hook into existence.

This was followed by a week-long trip to Wave House; Parker was accompanied by some of his Tame Impala touring band and musician friends. After creating four separate albums, Parker was determined to open up the world of Tame Impala. However, nothing came of the sessions.

“It’s such a special time when I can make music with my friends and it means everything to me,” he says. “I really wanted it to fit, but what we did didn’t fit.”

Parker realized he was on his own once again. “It wasn’t a sad feeling at all,” he says. “It was just like, ‘I won’t be able to share the load this time. I’ll have to be me again.’ This is simpler, at least in a way.”

With the idiocies of Wave House rattling around in his head, Parker set about building the propulsive world of Wave House. Deadbeat. In a back catalog of great albums, it stands as one of Tame Impala’s best, with Parker’s stylish psych-pop arrangements backed by liberal doses of techno and acid house. Get the standout single Draculawith its turbulent disco-funk beat and slinky hook.

Or outdatedwith a deep, bouncy bassline lifting Parker’s vocals as he offers his love to someone with desperate hope. He also sings one of the heaviest dance tracks in his techno adventure. Spiritual ConnectionWhich you can imagine thundering around the Wave House amphitheater. Deadbeat his respect for these bush fools.

“I’m in love with the spirit of it and the freedom,” Parker says. “I think, for me, I’m always after that trance-like state with music. Something like bush silliness or madness… that’s where my mind goes. It captures the soul, and to me it’s a pure way of absorbing music.”

‘There are times when people stop me on the street to take pictures and I say, ‘Why do you want to take pictures with this loser?’ I think. ‘

Kevin Parker

Parker’s love for techno is so great that he has already made an album DeadbeatNot sure it will ever see the light of day. “Hopefully something comes of this… It’s not always easy to give your songs free rein as they please when things are known about you. It might have to be something anonymous.”

we are going through Deadbeatand all of Tame Impala’s albums are subjects of Parker’s concern. The title is a reclamation for Parker, a way of acknowledging and dispelling Parker’s self-deprecating thoughts. After a decade at the top of the music industry, Parker still feels imposter syndrome weighing on his brain. But lately it’s getting easier.

“It’s something that bothers me and haunts me, one of those other bad feelings people can have,” Parker says. “But for the most part, I’m extremely proud of the music I’ve made. I’m extremely proud of where I’ve come. I’m extremely grateful. But sometimes people stop me on the street and ask for a photo, and I’m like, ‘Why do you want a photo with this idiot?’ I think. And there are times when I say, ‘That makes sense.’

He laughs. “Then I thought, ‘Why aren’t there more people asking me for photos right now?’ There are times when I think. This is complicated. But when any of my songs are played in a public place, or a store, or a fucking restaurant, or wherever, I’m extremely proud to hear it.

Another big change in his mindset came with the birth of his two children in the last few years. “Being a father made me realize how unimportant being cool is,” he says. “I’ve never cared so much about what people think of me since I had kids.

“My anxiety about proving myself socially has changed lately. I can walk into a group of people and say: ‘I don’t care about anything. If these people like me, I don’t care.’ “It’s not always like this, but I’m managing much better than before.”

It didn’t go unnoticed by Parker. Deadbeat It comes just as we are passing its 10th anniversary. Currents – the hugely successful album that changed the course of his life. He looks back fondly now, but back then it was a different story.

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“When these two planets align simultaneously on the 10th anniversary Deadbeat …it was like a pain in the ass,” Parker says. “It was getting in the way, but it really helped me remember that even if you feel bad about an album coming out, it can be great. It could be this great Currents and you may still feel bad about it.

“When Currents “I was getting out, I was so disappointed in myself,” he adds after a brief pause, “I thought I was wasting an opportunity to do something good. It took me a long time to realize when people told me they loved me. CurrentsThey weren’t lying.

“I know that sounds ridiculous. It’s hard to finish something and put it out into the world and feel good about it. Every time I put out an album, I get a little down… so reminding myself of how things were going 10 years ago helps this time.”

Is Parker in the dumps right now? “Well, I’ve experienced a lot of maturity since then,” he says happily. “Mentally and spiritually. I remind myself to enjoy every album. If I had any regrets Currents It turned out, I didn’t like it. If my past self could tell me anything now, she would yell at me to enjoy this. Just enjoy it. So that’s the voice I’m trying to listen to, not the others.”

Tame Impala Deadbeat It comes out on Friday.