Photo credit: Olivia Perillo
Tell us about your tour vehicle. Any notable breakdown stories?
We were lucky enough to trade in our old van a few years ago and build a touring van from the ground up. Everything was DIY. We spent a lot of time on YouTube, learning how to do the thing we were about to attempt, and a lot of time actually doing the things (electrical, carpentry, plumbing, etc.). We’ve already passed 75k miles and have only had one freak breakdown. As we pulled into the Kerrville Folk Festival in 2023, we noticed a large puddle of oil on the ground. After tracing it back to its source, we found that the CV Boot had torn open. That’s how the joint that connects the motor to the wheel, on a front wheel drive vehicle, stays lubricated and cool. Aside from the cost to repair, we were so thankful to be in one of our favorite spots on earth when this occurred.
How do you eat cheaply and/or healthy while on tour?
Grocery stores instead of restaurants! Although, there’s also prep time that we have to take into consideration, so we sometimes pay a little more to get our veggies pre-cut and washed, and chicken pre-cooked. One of our favorite snacks is sliced avocado with lime juice and salt on Swedish crackers (minimally processed, only three ingredients!).
How many strings do you break in a typical year? How much does it cost to replace them?
We rarely break strings, and try to keep our instruments in top shape as we drag them through different climates (inside flight cases with humidity control packs when on the road). We also usually prefer the sounds of worn strings. The brightness wears off quickly if they’re uncoated, so we tend to use those. A set of strings can be anywhere from $8 – $15.
Where do you rehearse?
We rehearse a lot in our van, on the road. We ended up building in a lot of storage, which takes away from our ability to move around as freely, so it can be tough to face each other while standing the way we do when performing. At home in south Louisiana, we practice our instruments separately, on opposite ends of the house, and then usually rehearse together at night in our lamplit living room that flows right into the kitchen. Lighting is so important to us when creating the feel of a space, and the living room/kitchen is the heart of our house!
What was the title and a sample lyric from the first song that you wrote?
Fortunately for everyone involved, we’re on the road right now, and don’t have access to our old stacks of notebooks ????
Describe your first gig.
We met at a songwriter open mic in Bryan, Texas, and then played some shared shows together prior to performing as a duo and becoming Ordinary Elephant, so it gets a bit hazy as far as our actual first gig as Ordinary Elephant. Our most memorable early shows, and what feels like our true start as a duo, were in Houston, about 12 years ago, at the recently-closed JP Hops House out on the west side of the city. Owners Pam and Jim were so incredibly supportive of the songwriter community, and we’re so grateful for the space they provided for us to grow.
What was your last day job? What was your favorite day job?
Prior to doing music full-time, we had fairly serious careers as a veterinary cardiologist (Crystal) and a software developer (Pete). We both loved various aspects of our jobs, but slowly worked our way into making Ordinary Elephant our livelihood. We feel so lucky to get to make music together and connect with people through our songs. It’s such a privilege.
One of my (Crystal) favorite past day jobs, in my late teens/early twenties, was delivery driver for a florist. Getting paid to be alone with my thoughts and write in my head for so many hours felt too good to be true.
How has your music-related income changed over the past 5-10 years? What do you expect it to look like 5-10 years from now?
We started out not making much of anything ten years ago, but it’s slowly become our main source of income for a humble living. We feel very fortunate to be where we are. For us, the more we’re on the road, the more we bring in. Spreading the word and keeping everything afloat is getting more costly as we keep growing. Hopefully, in the next ten years, we can keep everything moving forward, and continue to grow, playing for larger audiences, while keeping our costs relatively low, trying to start saving more.
What one thing do you know now that you had wished you knew when you started your career in music?
We’ve grown to appreciate the power of habits and flexibility. There’s a lot of things in this industry that happen, for all practical purposes, because of luck. You put yourself out there, and sometimes something magical happens. Sometimes something crazy. Trying to temper any expectations that may arise is a valuable lesson, because there are so many things out of our control. To us it feels like the best thing we can do is continue building all of the small habits that keep us always working to improve, and then keep getting out there and spreading the word and connecting.