The Anticipated Resurgence of Tame Impala's Kevin Parker

In the vintage ambiance of Little Dom's, an Italian restaurant in Los Feliz, LA, Tame Impala frontman Kevin Parker sat down for an interview with triple j Drive hosts Abby & Tyrone. The restaurant, with its vinyl-lined booths, wood-panel walls, and black-and-white portraits of silver screen stars, offered a fitting atmosphere for the conversation.

Parker, who is 39 years old, referred to the discussed personal past as "the vault of the Parker family history." During the interview, he opened up about his parents' divorce, neglect during his teenage years, and the realization that the only friend he had might be the music he made.

The Kodachrome rock band, started by Parker in Perth, Australia – the most remote capital city on earth – shares a similar vintage feel with Little Dom's. Tame Impala's earliest music, much like the restaurant, provides an illusion of being imported from another era while still feeling new.

Parker took beta-blockers before the interview, a practice he also follows before performing with Tame Impala. However, he admitted that he had not taken his beta-blocker that morning. Despite his nerves, he asked about the interviewer's opinion on Tame Impala's latest album, "Deadbeat," which he had finished two years ago and is the first since 2020's "The Slow Rush."

"Deadbeat" is a significant release for Parker, as he has not explained the making of an album in an extended interview since nearly five years. He characterized the two years he discussed as "the worst two times of my life," but stated that everything else has been "pretty good."

Parker, who spends part of the year nearby, considers Little Dom's a favourite place. During the interview, he had his second Negroni of the day, a testament to his fondness for the establishment. The interview with Tame Impala's enigmatic frontman was a revealing insight into his personal life and creative process, further cementing the allure of one of the world's most intriguing musical acts.