Ahead of the release of second album Lonerism, Kevin Parker has revealed to FL that he doesn’t really consider Tame Impala a band.

The project is one of several offshoots of a collaborative Perth psych-rock scene that also includes POND, The Silents and Mink Mussel Creek. But while Tame Impala is augmented live by Jay Watson, Dominic Simper, Nick Allbrook and Julien Barbagallo, on record it’s a different story, Parker says.

“Yeah, I just do it by myself, basically,” he told FL from Paris, where he’s now based. “The band comes in when we play live, when we tour the album. So I guess you could say it’s not really a band … That’s the way it’s always been. People call us a band, but it’s not really very accurate. I just lay down each instrument as I feel inspired or whatever, and eventually the song is finished. That’s how it happens.”

Parker also revealed that he’s not currently playing in POND, which features Tame Impala members Jay Watson and Nick Allbrook. He previously played drums for the band, appearing on their most recent album Beard Wives Denim.

“It’s good for us all to have different musical projects. These two, Tame and POND, are really just two pieces of the rest of the puzzle, which is all the other things we do. Which is arguably less commercially accessible. It’s just the way we’ve always been doing it.”

Tame Impala will perform at this month’s Parklife, but Parker also flagged an as-yet-unannounced end-of-year tour. “Well, we’ve got this Parklife tour coming up. After that, I think we’re touring in December. I’m not sure if I’m allowed to say that, but that’s what’s happening.”

The full interview with Parker will be published soon. Lonerism will be out through Modular on October 5.

Parklife 2012 dates:

Saturday 29th September – Riverstage and Botanic Gardens, Brisbane
Sunday 30th September – Centennial Park, Sydney
Monday 1st October – Wellington Square, Perth
Saturday 6th October – Sidney Myer Music Bowl and Kings Domain, Melbourne
Sunday 7th October – Botanic Park and Botanic Gardens, Adelaide