This might be naive, but I always assume rock stars will be interesting. They're meant to be charismatic and suave, with the Pied Piper ability to attract hoards of groupies. On top of that, they usually have PR training and heads the size of hot air balloons. (My mum: "Stay away from them, darling. They're all egomaniacs.") 

But there is something strange about Dom Simper of TAME IMPALA. He's not your typical rock star. I feel more like I'm talking to a friend's fourteen year old brother than the bassist for one of Australia's most promising new rock bands. He keeps saying "I don't know" and I feel like any second he may grunt at me. 

An obvious question is about their influences. Tame Impala's new single, Sundown Syndrome, is so infused with '60s rock that you could easily confuse them with Cream or The Doors. When I tell him I think the vocals on Sundown Syndrome sound very Beatles, he seems genuinely pleased, admitting "I'm a Beatles obsessed freak!" I ask if it's difficult to follow in the footsteps of these musical giants. "Not really," replies Dom, "'cause we don't even pretend to be anywhere near as influential or massive as them, it's just kind of the music we grew up with." 

So why did they choose to draw on the past so substantially? "I don't really know. We never really set out to make any particular type of music," Dom offers. "The new stuff doesn't sound quite as '60s as the stuff on the EP, so hopefully it will be a new kind of music." Clearly they intended to draw on the past to some extent, with their version of '90s hit Remember Me by Blueboy set to be released with Sundown Syndrome as a nice little package deal. It might sound like a weird choice of song, but it's a lot like when The Byrds covered Bob Dylan's Mr Tambourine Man - they've made it something completely different. 

Halfway through the interview Dom's still unresponsive and I'm flagging, so I trot out an old faithful - coming from Perth, what does he think about the booming Perth music scene? "I've got no idea to be honest, it's just another town in Australia." Even people who've never BEEN to Perth have an opinion about that one! 

Soooo I resort to asking him if there's anything he'd like to add. "Um, we're going to Japan on Tuesday." Awesome! Tell me more! "We're playing a festival over there called Summer Sonic, and yeah, we're playing on the same day as Beyoncé. How rad's that?" Pretty damn rad. And I was right - definitely like a fourteen year old boy. 

At the end of the day, the music's interesting - amaaaazing - and that's all that matters. Maybe Dom is just a nice, normal person with a normal-sized head. Mum would much prefer I brought him home than Mick Jagger. Even if he does grunt at her. 

Tame Impala roll into town on Friday September 18 for a show at the ANU Bar. Tickets through Ticketek.