Weekly > Interviews
Elefant
A band with a light but driven sound, Elefant are a rising band and a perfect counterbalance to the dark post-punk bands saturating the scene. Based out of New York, the band defies a simple description, but expertly combine elements of Bowie, U2, and the Smiths, along with a new wave aesthetic. With a devoted fanbase that includes Jarvis Cocker and Morrissey among them, they are about to make their trek across the pond. On the eve of the release of their debut album in the U.K., Sunlight Makes Me Paranoid, the Beat Surrender spoke with frontman Diego Garcia about the bands history, inspiration for the bands music, and being picked by Morrissey.
How did the band come together?
Well, I saw Kevin [McAdams, Drums] and Mod [Guitar] perform in a band together, and I always kept it in the back of my head that they were a couple of guys I really wanted to play with. I was given some money to make a demo, and they were the first people I contacted. And that is the genesis of Elefant. I met the bass player [James Berrel} at a bar in the East Village. I asked him if he played bass and he said “yes,” and that was that.
How has the band progressed for the small time you have been together?
We are definitely much more of a unit, a more cohesive entity that is Elefant. Musically we have found each other in our ways. It is to the point where we finish each others sentences.
Now the songs on the album (Sunlight Makes Me Paranoid), were they written before the band got together?
I write every day. It is just something I do to live. It’s my one true passion. I had a bunch of songs before the band got together, but I wrote a good portion of the record once we were complete. Even the songs I did have written, once the guys each added their own signature, they became Elefant songs.
How does the songwriting process work in Elefant?
Like I said, I write every day. I own a very beautiful guitar and piano. We are always writing. Once it’s born, I present it to the band, and we do our magic. We play it live a bit, we water it, watch it grow, give it time to change and mold into something beautiful.
Now the lyrical content, are the songs 1st person or 3rd person, or should I not be asking that?
No, you can ask that. A lot of the songs are extensions of my life, definitely. But what’s most important for me is that other people can connect with them. There is a little play between 1st and 3rd person. I like to interject a little character. There are 2 Diego’s. There is the humble, accessible Diego that just loves making music and enjoys lying on a bed and making out with his girlfriend. Then there is “Diego Garcia: Rockstar,” the one the press likes to latch on to. Party goer. Sex symbol. Rock god. I am fine with that too, as long as they love the songs.
Now is there going to be any difference between the U.S version of the album, and the U.K. version?
No, not at all. We just got a major label backing us. It will be the same album. The only difference will be the machine behind us. All that is important to us is that someone in London can get their hands on the record, or someone in Boston, or someone in Houston, and they can experience Elefant.
- Elefant
- Interviewed by: Michael Chadwick
- Published on: 12 Nov 2004
- Comments: 0
I ask that only because there is a difference between the single and album versions of “Misfit.”
We are leaving the album version on the album because it fits better. It is much more sparse, and works well within the sounds of the album. More raw. We decided to rerecord it when we made the decision to get into radio. I like both versions. Each one suites a different purpose.
Speaking of radio. Now that you have traversed the radio jungle for the last year, do you have any reflections or thoughts on the process?
You know, I really just try to go with the flow. I live day by day. I am so focused on Elefant and the music that we make that I don’t worry about the other stuff, that is someone else’s job. I love talking about our music, and spreading the word, but the promotional aspect, the political aspect, is in someone else’s hands so Elefant can focus on being Elefant.
Will there be any new videos from the two you guys have [“Misfit” and “Now That I Saw Her”]?
Yeah. Actually, we were have begun work on a new version of “Misfit.” I can’t really get into it right now because we are still looking at treatments, but the ideas we are looking at are fantastic. To be honest, I thought the original video of “Misfit” was lacking a bit. It was just an excuse to hang out with models for a day. “Now That I Saw Her” has a definite feel that fits with what the band is, and we want the new version of “Misfit” to do the same.
Could you explain the live show a bit? It is a very simple set up, but very powerful?
When I was younger, I loved bands that didn’t hide behind elaborate light and video shows. I enjoyed raw performances, just a group expressing who they are without all of the bells and whistles. We want to get that across with our live show. It is about connecting with the audience and getting them to feel the music.
Have you guys played the U.K. yet?
We were personally invited by Morrissey to play the Meltdown festival this summer, which was a big honor. Morrissey and the Smiths are an amazing band, and are an influence on us, so to be chosen by him to play at a show he was putting together goes beyond words. A while back we played a 5-day/5-show stint in London, which was a big success. We are doing some dates in Germany first, and then we are hitting the U.K.
Last Question. Name 5 bands you think people should check out this year?
1. The Beatles
2. Elvis
3. The Kinks
4. The Stooges
5. Carlos Gardel
Elefant’s debut album, Sunlight Makes Me Paranoid, is out in the UK this week.
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