Modular acts Tame Impala and Jonathan Boulet have been touring together recently, sharing the laughs, the tears and the inadequate riders that characterize life on the road, so Time Out Sydney asked them to reveal what they thought of each other. Tame Impala’s bassist Dominic Simper and Jonathan Boulet, frontman of, er, Jonathan Boulet, graciously obliged.
Tame Impala on Jonathan Boulet
“What struck me first about touring with the Boulets (or Booblets, as our techie/tour manager Super Dave lovingly calls them) was how young and fresh-faced they are to the world of touring Australia. At the first show of the tour someone mentioned that it was their first show – ever. Having played well over a hundred shows in the last year, that idea kinda blew me away.
“When I casually brought up the topic of the whereabouts of our rider (and by that I mean complained loudly to anyone within earshot who would listen) guitarist Ravi more or less replied ‘Oh we wouldn’t know, we’ve never had a rider before.’
“The enthusiasm they have every day after staying in dingy backpackers’ could only come from a band who hasn’t done it pretty much every night for the last year.
“They also have a pretty good habit of showing up to the venue sporting different injuries/various missing limbs as a result of spending the day at the skate park of whichever town we’re in.”
Jonathan Boulet on Tame Impala
“Nicest guys in the world. Absolute pleasure to be touring with.
“Playing before Tame Impala: It’s weird sometimes because the crowd aren’t expecting the music we play. Sometimes it’s well received but sometimes there’s this look of ‘am I at the right show?’
“One time they gave us and the Laurels a roasted chicken to make chicken sandwiches. No one was in the band room to accept it, so they left a pleasant little note. ‘Dear Laurels + Boulets, help yourselves to this chicken etc etc. Love Tame Impala.’
“They taught the boys the many, many ways a beer could be opened using water bottles, tabletops and other beers.
“Nick says he used to skate, but we are yet to see the proof. He’s also the only band member that always wears shoes on stage.
“[Drummer] Jay [Watson] told us he never used to like heavy music at all. He said he used to always play the drums softy because he didn’t like the way heavy drummers played. Apparently he used to be in a jazz band.
“On their rider list, right at the bottom, they request a cuddly dog. This request has not yet been delivered.”
Check this extra stuff out from our bros at Time Out
Check this extra stuff out from our bros at Time Out…
• Buy the Music Issue of Time Out Sydney (on sale in all good newsagents from tomorrow, Wednesday 28 October) and get a free mixtape download album featuring 11 exclusive tracks from Modular artists including Ladyhawke, Tame Impala, Van She, Wolfmother and Cut Copy
• Win tickets to see several of these artists perform live at Modular’s Christmas Party on 12 December
• Sign up to Time Out’s free weekly e-newsletter http://www.timeoutsydney.com.au/Newsletter.aspx
• Get six issues of Time Out delivered to your door for just $6 – and no obligation thereafter here.
• Vote in the Sydney Music Art and Culture awards here.
•Buy the Music Issue of Time Out Sydney (on sale in all good newsagents right now) and get a free mixtape download. Here’s the tracklist:
Bag Raiders: ‘Shooting Stars (Shazam Remix)’
Canyons: ‘Big City Lights’
Cut Copy: ‘Hearts On Fire (Joakim Remix)’
Ladyhawke: ‘Magic (Burns Edit)’
KIM: ‘Wet N Wild (Midnight Juggernauts Remix)’
Softlightes: ‘The Microwave Song’
Tame Impala: ’41 Mosquitoes (Canyons Rework)’
The Presets: ‘I Go Hard I Go Home (Juan Maclean Remix)’
The Tough Alliance: ‘Neo Violence (Woolfy Remix)’
Van She: ‘Changes (Vemixed)’
Wolfmother: ‘New Moon Rising (Fontan Version)’
Title Image by Ryan Pierse via Getty
