Kevin Parker Performs With Tame Impala @ Splendour 2015 / Photo: Yael Stempler

Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker Is Cool With You Illegally Downloading His Music

September 21, 2015

Turns out the only thing more chill than Tame Impala’s relaxing AF new bedtime mixtape is their attitude towards downloading music.

Well, at least, their own music.

In a recent interview with the BBC’s Mary Anne Hobbes’ 6 Music radio show, frontman Kevin Parker admits that, while he doesn’t reckon that music itself should be free, he really couldn’t give a flying Guy Pearce lookalike about making people pay for his own music, if they don’t want to.

“There are some CDs I saved up for months to buy when I was doing a paper round, I’d literally spend two months saving up to buy a CD,” the singer said, reflecting his early experiences buying music (via NME).

“But then later in life my friend would burn me a CD that he’d downloaded illegally and it was just as much of a powerful experience, even though the sound quality was kind of crappy.”

He continued: “For me that shows that it’s not really how much you pay for it or even whether or not it’s physical, it can still have an effect on you. I’m not sure what that says about artists making money in the future.

“Obviously artists need to make money but I also believe that if you do something good the wealth will find you some way.

“If music was free I think it changes the experience but it doesn’t necessarily cheapen it. It doesn’t make it any less profound.

“I used to download music illegally, everyone has. Nobody is innocent. If someone says ‘I love your album but I downloaded it for free’ then good! I don’t want his 20 bucks.”

Parker also called on fans not to “rag” on bands who sell their music to advertisers in an attempt to make actual money, which has otherwise been haemorrhaged thanks to illegal downloading.

Speaking of which, Tame Impala’s brand new album Currents is out now and readily available for your purchasing or dodgy torrenting pleasure.

The Perth act are getting ready to tour the new disc across Australia this November.

Listen to Kevin Parker’s full interview below.

Gallery: Tame Impala @ Splendour In The Grass 2015 / Photos: Yael Stempler