AIM110.1 Genealogy Report by Adam Mountain

Radiohead

1033968_5_2 — 2024-06-03 07:59:32 UTC

As one of the most critically acclaimed and best selling acts of the late 20th and early 21st century, Radiohead's mark on popular and alternative music cannot be understated. The band's blend of live acoustic instruments with electronic experimental studio layering combined with sincere and provocative songwriting has greatly influenced my music taste and my own songwriting and production as a result. I love to sample both acoustic and electronic instruments and I attribute Radiohead as the main inspiration for this.

Aphex Twin

1033968_5_2 — 2024-06-03 08:31:47 UTC

Radiohead's drastic turn from alternative rock to electronic, avant-garde experimentation led them to 'Kid A' (2000), exhibiting glitchy drum machine beats and ambient synthesisers reminiscent of electronic artists such as Aphex Twin (Richard D. James) (Zoric, 2000). Lead singer Thom Yorke was a particular admirer of James, stating that he "opened up another world that didn't involve my f*****g electric guitar" (Dazed Digital, 2013). Ironically, James thought little of Kid A and its successor, Amnesiac (2001), despite his imprint on them, “I don’t like them. I heard maybe five or six tracks, and I thought they sounded really really cheesy" (Hoffmann, 2001).

Tame Impala

1033968_5_2 — 2024-06-03 08:50:01 UTC

Fellow Aussie Kevin Parker is perhaps the closest person on earth to someone who shares my music taste. His love of 60s and 70s psychedelic and progressive rock combined with (in his words) 'sugary' pop and electronica has morphed over time into his now solo project Tame Impala. When I first heard his music, I was captured by the incredible soundscapes he created in addition to his near-genius level riff and hook writing. Parker is an inspiration to me in terms of using all the music-making tools one has available to use in the most creative way possible. As my music producing skills have evolved I have often ended up taking a lone-wolf approach in my songwriting and have tried to learn more instruments to make this possible. I attribute Parker's multi-instrumentalism in showing me the importance of dedicating yourself to your craft in order to unlock your potential; a process in which I am constantly engaged in.

My Bloody Valentine

1033968_5_2 — 2024-06-05 01:04:20 UTC

Shoegaze pioneers My Bloody Valentine have been acknowledged by Kevin Parker as an influence on the reverb-y wash of noise present in much of Tame Impala's music. Parker has admitted that he has “always been in love with the wall of sound as employed by My Bloody Valentine" (Weiss, 2010). This notion is most present in Parker's vocals and guitar textures, where harsh, abrasive distortion and fuzz is contrasted to the soft, obscured and dreamy vocal played quieter in the mix (Sharples, 2020).

Adam Mountain (me)

1033968_5_2 — 2024-06-05 01:06:42 UTC

Supertramp

1033968_5_2 — 2024-06-05 01:09:53 UTC

Whilst both bands have vastly different sounds, Kevin Parker has cited Supertramp as one of his favourite bands and a massive influence on Tame Impala's music, saying that he is always "channelling Supertramp in some way" when he is singing (Wallen, 2014). Beyond just the vocal tones, Parker has expressed admiration for the band's "explosive quality, that big sound" and their introspective lyricism (Marchese, 2012).

The Flaming Lips

1033968_5_2 — 2024-06-05 01:10:49 UTC

Tame Impala's early sound greatly contributed to the re-emergence of the sounds of 60s and 70s psychedelic rock within indie alternative music. Kevin Parker has cited American Psych-Rock band The Flaming Lips as an influence, describing what would be his second album, 'Lonerism', as "sugary pop crossed with f****d up explosive cosmic music" (Fink, 2012). Parker was able to collaborate with the band in 2012, releasing an EP of covers which Parker said "didn't take long to put together" because "we all knew the songs so well" (The Know, 2013).

R.E.M

1033968_5_2 — 2024-06-05 01:12:31 UTC

Radiohead lead singer Thom Yorke looked to fellow 90s alternative rock contemporaries R.E.M for inspiration in some of his songwriting. In an interview Yorke claimed that he had "ripped them off left, right and centre for years and years and years and years", even going as far as to call frontman Michael Stipe a hero of his (Draper, 2004). It wasn't merely from an artistic standpoint where this influence came from; Yorke sought Stipe's advice personally amidst the stress of an intense touring schedule, a conversation which led to the inspiration for Yorke's favourite Radiohead song: 'How To Disappear Completely' (Taysom, 2021).

Miles Davis

1033968_5_2 — 2024-06-05 01:14:26 UTC

There have been multiple instances where Radiohead have cited 60s and 70s jazz artists as influences, particularly the experimental work of Miles Davis (Varga, 2001). Guitarist Jonny Greenwood expressed great respect for the legendary composer: "Discussing Miles makes you feel like a dimestore novelist talking about Shakespeare", and Thom Yorke stated that Davis' experimental album 'Bitches Brew' was "at the core of what we were trying to do with OK Computer" (Taysom, 2021).