Kevin Parker
FULL NAME
Kevin Richard Parker
WHEN WAS KEVIN PARKER BORN?
January 20, 1986
WHERE WAS HE BORN?
Sydney, Australia
WHERE DOES KEVIN PARKER LIVE?
Fremantle, Western Australia
YEARS ACTIVE
2005 – present
WHO IS KEVIN PARKER?
Kevin Parker is the musical genius-cum-one-man-band behind Tame Impala, writing, recording, singing and producing the music of one of Australia’s biggest musical exports that’s been courting the charts worldwide for a decade. The Tame Impala inimitable brand of psychedelic rock sprinkled with disco, pop and surf rock sensibilities – with cues from various musical eras – spawned the infectious bass riffs and off-kilter rhythms on songs, such as “The Less I Know The Better” and “Let It Happen,” from multi-award winning album Currents in 2015.
Kevin Parker was born in Sydney but grew up in Perth in Western Australia, something which has shaped his sonic vision, and he was involved in a string of other bands and musical projects on the Perth scene. He was the drummer in the band Mink Mussel Creek in the mid-2000, and he was also the drummer of Pond between 2009 – 2011, and co-produced and mixed their eight studio album Tasmania released in 2019. (This in addition to his work as Tame Impala and putting out three studio albums and two live albums to much international acclaim.)
In capacity of producer Parker has been a busy bee, collaborating with a string of high-profile and diverse artists. These include Lady Gaga on Perfect Illusion, Kanye West for his album Ye, as well as continuing his foray into the world of hip-hop music with a feature on Travis Scott’s Astroworld – one of the biggest rap albums of 2018 – alongside Pharrell, Weeknd and Mike Dean. Parker’s also teamed up with Mark Ronson and Theophilus London – the latter for the collaboration Theo Impala.
In March 2019 Parker put out the first Tame Impala music since Currents in the shape of the single “Patience,” followed by “Borderline” in April. This was coupled with an appearance on SNL and followed by a highly-anticipated Coachella performance.
Parker famously explained in an interview with the New York Times in May 2019 that he started out making music as a kid to feel better about himself, and that he needs to feel “kind of worthless again to want to make music.”
SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY
As Tame Impala
Studio albums
Innerspeaker, 2010
Lonerism, 2012
Currents, 2015
Live albums
Live at the Corner, 2010
Live Versions, 2014
EPs
Tame Impala [H.I.T.S. 003], 2008
Tame Impala, 2008
Peace and Paranoia Tour 2013 (with the Flaming Lips), 2013
WHAT HAPPENED TO KEVIN PARKER?
In the summer of 2023, Kevin Parker fractured his hip during a marathon. It happened due to an underlying condition he had on his hip but luckily the singer is healthy and no further damages have been reported.
WHO IS TAME IMPALA?
Kevin Parker is Tame Impala
2007
Tame Impala is born. Kevin Parker, along with friends Dominic Simper and Jay Watson, form the band in Perth, Western Australia. They release their debut self-titled EP in September of the same year.
2010
Tame Impala releases their debut studio album, "Innerspeaker," to critical acclaim. The album's unique blend of psychedelic rock and dreamy pop sets the stage for their future success.
2012
The band's second album, "Lonerism," is released, solidifying Tame Impala's place as one of the most exciting and innovative bands of the decade. The album receives widespread praise and earns them Grammy nominations.
2015
Tame Impala releases their third studio album, "Currents," which becomes a commercial and critical success. The album's hit singles "Let It Happen" and "The Less I Know The Better" propel Kevin Parker and the band into mainstream recognition.
2016
"Currents" wins Tame Impala a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album, further solidifying their status as one of the most influential bands of their generation.
2019
After a few years of touring and collaborating with various artists, Kevin Parker releases Tame Impala's highly anticipated fourth studio album, "The Slow Rush." The album is met with critical acclaim and showcases Parker's growth as a songwriter and producer.
2022
In August 2022, Gorillaz released the song "New Gold", on which Tame Impala is featured.
2023
In April 2023, Tame Impala collaborated with Thundercat and released "No More Lies". He assisted in songwriting and provided guitar, vocals, drums, and keyboards.
