Last week, we got the chance to talk to Licoln Parish of Cage The Elephant while they were on their current headlining tour. After the jump find out about the origin of the band name, Lincoln’s most embarrassing tour moment and the places that they want to tour before they die.

You started a tour yesterday and as they say that the first night is either the most nerve-racking or the most exciting, how was it for you?
I think it was more exciting than nerve-racking.  We haven’t played a show in like two months.  We had a little bit of time off so it was kinda wild. And yeah it was actually pretty awesome.

Tell me a little about the name Cage the Elephant, how did you come up with it and did you used to go by another name?
Basically Matt was talking to a friend and they were talking about society and how like a lot of the times you turn on the news and its all like negative.  They also were talking about the white elephant in the Hindu religion and how it means like positive energy and all that is good in the world.  They were just talking and it came up, society to us is “cage the elephant” and it kinda just stuck.  But before Cage the Elephant got together we had all been in bands.  Matt,Jared and Brad had another band together. I had been in different bands around Bowling Green.  We all kinda knew each other through being a small town and mutual friends and stuff.  Whenever we got together it’s when it pretty much became Cage the Elephant!

Looking at the music industry from an artist’s point of view, what would you say are some of the biggest problems in the industry right now?
I think there is a lot of really good music that is being looked over; there are a lot of amazing unknown bands.  I feel like artists and people in the industry should encourage each other to do better.  Back in like the 60s and 70s, all these bands were friends and kinda competitive but at the same time it was like a good kind of competitive and behavior.  Everyone was friends and they were all kind of in it together, not like fighting against each other.  I feel like everyone in the industry should take that more into consideration.

Since getting yourself out there musically would you say it has been a big learning experience for you?
Oh yeah!  From when we first set out in the van four years ago to like now.  It’s like you mature in so many different ways…not only as a person but you know from like being on the road.  You kinda like know the ropes and not so many surprises.  You kinda know more of what to expect and what you’re about to get yourself into.

Do you have any artists right now that you think deserve more credit or that you can’t stop listening to?
There is a band, we actually have them on tour with us right now, they’re our friends called Morning Teleportation.  They are amazing.  There’s this group called The Meanest Boys, Let’s Wrestle, Screaming Tea Party, uhh a lot of bands from all over….Manchester Orchestra, I know they’re kinda out in the open now, they’re amazing…I feel like they should get more credit than they get.  There is a lot of good music out there it’s just a matter of finding it!

What would you say is one of the most embarrassing things that has happened to you since you’ve been a part of the band?
Uhh too many!  This one time in England, it was like right after the end of the show and there was a song with a big guitar part.  I guess I was just really feeling it on this night in particular and I guess I was kind of walking to the front of the stage and I didn’t know how far and I thought there was more til the front of the stage than there actually was and I fell down and busted my ass!  There is all kinds of good stuff and its embarrassing at the time but you look back on it and you’re like “that was pretty funny”.

Do you have a favorite place to play aside from home shows?
Japan was pretty awesome when we played there.

And opposing that, is there any place that you haven’t played that you dream of playing?
One place that I’ve always wanted to play since I was a kid is the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.  It’s so like legendary with everyone who has played there.  That’s like my one dream to play there, it’s not some massive stadium or anything but it’s got a lot of history.

Say you have a chance to tour with four bands, dead or alive, together or broken up, who would they be?
The Pixies, Nirvana, The Beatles and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

What would you say sets you apart from other bands?
Its hard to say…but I feel like we’re pretty real and our music kinda is what it is.  I feel like our music has a certain catchiness to it but once you really get into the lyrics and stuff there is actually a deep message behind the music.  I hope people can really kind of dig into that message.

If you had to convince someone to listen to your band, solely from telling them about yourselves and your experiences since you’ve been together…What do you think you’d tell them?
I would just say “it’s like rock and roll, check it out.” I don’t know, I’m not like the best person to try and convince people.  It’s kinda take it or leave it, I’ll tell you about it but if you can’t figure it out it’s your own fault.

If you had to give people one song to listen to that you think would really reel them in, which song would it be?
Tiny Little Robots or Lotus