This special edition of Campus Celebrity features not one celebrated member of Tulane University, but four. The collective efforts of the band Yelephants, comprised of Jack Hardy, Robert Tornillo, Jeremy Herbsman, and Mike Benson, have resulted in a distinctly soft rock sound that I personally (and humbly) compare to The Strokes. Listen for yourself here and here and follow them on Facebook to receive band updates. Below, I asked the band some questions about their success. Rock on.
Her Campus Tulane (HCT): “How did you guys get your start as a band?”
Jack Hardy: “Towards the end of freshman year, Bob and I started to try and make music together. We had no idea what we were doing and it didn’t come out sounding particularly good. So, last year, we decided that we needed to form a band if we were going to do anything with what we were writing. Mike and Jeremy volunteered for the job and from there we just played a lot together. Eventually, we got offered a show by a friend of ours and from there we’ve just tried not to suck.”
HCT: “Tell us a little about yourself and your position in the Yelephants.”
Jack Hardy: “I play guitar and sing. Bobby and I switch off singing and Jer and I just play whichever part of the guitar stuff we write. We don’t really have a ‘lead’ anything. Sometimes I also play drums if Mike wants to play guitar.”
Robert Tornillo: “I play bass and share vocals with Jack. It’s fun.”
Jeremy Herbsman: “I’m a guitarist but we don’t really have lead anything. We all kind of just play whatever parts we write.”
Mike Benson: “I play the drums—just started but it’s been fun.”
HCT: “Where is the most memorable venue you’ve played at?”
Jack Hardy: “I like house shows best.”
Robert Tornillo: “House parties are sick, especially Trent’s basement.”
Jeremy Herbsman: “The most memorable venue was definitely One Eyed Jacks. We played there with FIDLAR and The Orwells, both of whom we are big fans of, and we spent the whole night hanging out with them and playing our sets. It was a really fun show.”
Mike Benson: “Mostly just house parties and Circle Bar—and definitely the One Eyed Jacks show.”
HCT: “What is your personal favorite Yelephants song?”
Jack Hardy: “My favorite song changes pretty frequently. Right now, it’s ‘Girls’. My buddy Matt Connor made the video for us.”
Robert Tornillo: “We’ve got a bunch of cool ones on our new EP—pretty hyped on those. I really like playing ‘Five Tulips’.”
Jeremy Herbsman: “My favorite song of ours is one we just recorded called ‘The Waitress’ and it’ll be coming out on our next release at the beginning of next year sometime.”
Mike Benson: “I don’t play favorites.”
HCT: “Where can Tulane students see you perform next?”
Mike Benson: “Friday (12/6) at Circle Bar. It’s our last show in New Orleans for a little while and we’re playing with a really wholesome band by the name of Diarrhea Planet.”