The master Manipulator
If you're a fan of Tame Impala, and who hasn't drunk that Kool-Aid by now, then you'll dig Californian indie rocker Ty Segall.
The 27-year-old channels similar influences to the Freo heroes, alternating between chugging Sabbath riffs with Beatles-esque melodies, T. Rex glam, Stooges garage and Hawkwind space rock, and fuzzed-out guitar squalls via Dinosaur Jr. and Thee Oh Sees.
The latter band has had both a practical and creative impact on the prolific Segall, who tomorrow releases Manipulator, his seventh solo album since 2008.
Chatting from Los Angeles on the eve of epic North American and European/UK tours, Segall says that Thee Oh Sees frontman John Dwyer is like a "big brother" to him.
"I've learned a lot from John," he says. "He definitely gave me a lot of advice when I was starting off . . . what I should and shouldn't do, and he put me in touch with a lot of people.
"But the cool thing about John is that he does what he wants. It's really great to know someone like that and work with someone like that, and it's nice to feel like 'Yeah, I can do that too - I can do whatever I want as well'. That's awesome."
Segall, who describes the 17 tracks on Manipulator as a "grab-bag of all the things I like", brings a very relaxed attitude to making music. He often works alone but is "excited" about combining with other artists. This attitude has seen him play with numerous bands, including Fuzz, Epsilons and Sic Alps, as well as collaborate with touring bandmate Mikal Cronin.
Two years ago the ever-busy guitarist and drummer put out three full-length albums; his fifth solo effort Twins, the Slaughterhouse LP with his touring band and White Fence's debut Hair. The latter outfit recently released their second album.
"That was just an accident," Segall says of his hectic 2012. "They weren't meant to come out that close to each other."
This high-volume output is symptomatic of this era where musos can make good-quality recordings at home.
Segall agrees but adds that the flipside is that no one will pay you to make music.
"The 90s and early 2000s were the time to be in a rock band, because you'd actually get money to go into a studio," he asserts. "There isn't a lot of money in recording, so you just do it yourself."
Last year Brooklyn-based guitar pedal manufacturers Death by Audio created the Sunshine Reverberation Pedal in honour of Segall. The self-described "psych-head" - like the Tame Impala lads - says this unusual tribute was "super wild, super cool". Segall uses the personalised pedal in the studio but prefers to travel light with one pedal.
In December, the indie rocker heads to Australia for the second time. The first visit followed the release of fourth album, Goodbye Bread, in 2011.
"It was great. I wish we could've played more shows on that tour," Segall says, "and now we're coming back."
Manipulator is released tomorrow.
Ty Segall plays the Bakery on December 11. Tickets from nowbaking.com.au
