A Chat with Elephants and Dogs (15.09.22)
Named after the mnemonic for memorising guitar strings, Elephants and Dogs is a Canada-based fusion of dream-pop and indie-rock. We speak with singer-songwriter Joseph Carmen Narducci about Elephants and Dogs’ new album, musical inspiration, biggest fears and much more!
OSR: How did Elephants and Dogs come about, and how did you come up with the name Elephants and Dogs?
Elephants and Dogs: It began when I was living in Kingston, Ontario for university in 2018 and playing in my hard rock/psych rock band JIMBO. Though I love playing long and complicated 70s-inspired rock songs, I became more interested in other genres of music including shoegaze, bedroom pop, dream pop, and garage rock at this time. I began writing simpler songs, different from the ones I had been writing and performing with JIMBO and referred to these songs as my “Elephants and Dogs” songs. It really began as sort of an imaginary band and how I’d refer to the simpler songs I had been writing and demoing.
Later in the year when I was back home in Toronto, my good friend Zak was interning at this fantastic studio. He invited me to come hang out with him there in the evenings when the space was free to do some free recording. The songs that came out of those sessions became the You Won’t Be Seeing Me Around EP that came out in March 2021.
The name Elephants and Dogs is a reference to a mnemonic for remembering the guitar strings, “Elephants And Dogs Grow Big Ears” (EADGBe). Since my songs for the project were very simple and “back to basics” I figured I would name the project after the first thing I learned on guitar.
OSR: What inspires you to make music?
Elephants and Dogs: I think I am not alone when I say that I often feel like an outsider. Music has always me feel like I belong and be a source of self-affirmation. I think I am inspired to make music for myself for those reasons but to also share it as there is a chance others may listen and have the same experience.
I think there is also a lot of negative content being created in the world right now and being shared on social media. I believe as an artist, if I can direct someone’s attention away from that and instead to a song or a music video then that is a few minutes of attention I stole away from the people who are trying to divide us.
OSR: What can you tell us about the album Everybody’s Smiling Nobody’s Happy? Is there a particular theme or backstory?
Elephants and Dogs: The album is biographical and the backstory or theme is really just events in my life. I think maybe, as a more overarching theme, it’s a reference to modern city and suburban life where it really seems like everybody’s smiling but nobody’s happy. When I first started making the album I tried to make the lyrics impersonal and meaningless because I was insecure about sharing what was really on my mind. I figured out very early on in the process that the only way I was going to finish this album was if I told the truth and shared what I was feeling. Once I had made that decision the songs and lyrics came out very quickly and easily. I believe the album as a whole is more cohesive as a result.
OSR: If you could change one thing about Everybody’s Smiling Nobody’s Happy, what would it be?
Elephants and Dogs: I would like to re-record the vocals. I started vocal training during the process of this album and I believe I have kept improving and I am better now than when the songs were recorded. But all in all, I am very happy with how this album turned out.
OSR: What do you hope people take from the album?
Elephants and Dogs: I hope that people just enjoy the music and feel inspired to start a creative endeavour themselves.
OSR: What does this album and music, in general, mean to you?
Elephants and Dogs: This album means a lot to me. It’s very personal and it came out at a time when there had been big changes in my life. In my experience with depression, there are two voices in my head. Like an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other kind of thing. I found it somewhat helpful to personify my depression in therapy. This album, to me, is physical evidence of the positive voice – the one that encourages me to get up and brush my teeth. I don’t know why that voice is there but I am grateful for it and it uses music time and time again to drown out the negative voice. A lot of these lyrics came from that voice. It was encouraging me to be honest in my lyrics and to tell the world what happened, even if it’s dark it’s better to talk about it. Some of the lyrics are purely the voice motivating me to keep going. I think music in general is that positive voice’s tool. I think that a positive voice is in everyone’s life and it’s a constant battle between the two. We just need to keep giving tools to that positive voice, whether they be creative, athletic, anything. It is always looking for ways to keep us here, we just need to give it some ammunition.
OSR: If you had to spend one day with anyone (not necessarily a musician), who would it be and why?
Elephants and Dogs: Some high-ranking person from Area 51. I need to know if aliens exist or not.
OSR: What is your greatest fear?
Elephants and Dogs: Not taking enough risks.
OSR: What is the best compliment you have ever received?
Elephants and Dogs: The best compliment I ever received was while I was on tour with The Wilderness this past summer. We played on a ranch owned by a retired rockstar from L.A. He said that as a lead guitarist there was a humility to my playing. He said that I could shred over every song if I wanted to, but he noticed I was just as happy playing a solo as I was being in the background. That really meant a lot to me for two reasons. One, he is an incredibly experienced musician and has seen and worked with a lot of lead guitarists. Two, I take a lot of pride in being a team player. I think being in a band is not about how good you sound but about how good you can make your bandmates sound. My goal has never been to be the star of the show but instead to feel like I belong and fit somewhere.
OSR: Do you have future plans for Elephants and Dogs?
Elephants and Dogs: Yes! We have our album release show in Toronto at Sneaky Dees on September 23rd. Then we are doing a mini tour playing in Portland ME October 6, Brooklyn NY October 8, and Cambridge MA October 9. If we are coming to your city come out and say hi!!
Many thanks to Elephants and Dogs for speaking with us. For more from Elephants and Dogs check out his Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
