Rishi Dhir - Elephant Stone
Rishi Dhir.
When and where were you born? Are you originally from Montreal, Quebec? When did you first begin playing music and what was it that initially fascinated you about it? More specifically the sitar. What was growing up like for you? Do you have any siblings?
Yep, born and raised in Montreal. Initially I was forced into piano by my parents when I was 10. '91 kind of changed everything for me musically... Nirvana, Teenage Fanclub, MBV, Primal Scream, Pixies, Soundgarden, sonic youth.... This list goes on and on. Eventually, I picked up bass in '93 when I was 15. The sitar came later in '96 on a family trip to India.
Where would you go to see shows in your community and what groups/performances stood out to you the most during that time? What would you and your friends do for fun back in the day?
Been a Beatles/The Who fan since I was 7 years old (thanks to my older brother). I used to sneak out to shows when I was 15 years old... First show as The Black Crowes for their Southern Harmony tour... Robbie (ES guitar player) and I would make noise in my parents basement every weekend... We were obsessed with Urge Overkill.
Prior to Elephant Stone, you participated in groups such as The Datsons and The High Dials. Can you tell me about this outfit and how they came to be?
Datsons started off as a Mod 3-piece... suits, windmills, Northern Soul dance moves... The whole lot. We then evolved into a more expansive pop/freakbeat sound with The High Dials. I left the band in 2006 when I started ES.
The Datsons.
The High Dials.
How did you initially meet your bandmates Gabriel Lambert, Miles and Dupire-Gagnon? How did the name for the group come to be? What were your first impressions of the guys? When did the group make their live performance debut and what was that experience like for you?
Friends of friends. ES initially went through a lot of members... Our live debut was in 2008 I believe. Miles and I have been together for 10 years now. Gab has moved onto other projects.
Elephant Stone.
Tell me about writing as well as recording the band’s debut record “The Seven Seas”. I understand this was released on the band’s very own label, Elephants On Parade. Can you tell me about recording that record? What were those experiences like for you creating those songs with your bandmates for the groups first release? When and where did recording take place in ‘09?
It was such a long time ago... I only really started writing songs in 2006. In my previous bands, I was the sideman/bassist. So, Seven Seas was all very new for me and very cathartic. I lacked confidence in the studio, so I relied heavily on our producer Jace Lasek (The Besnard Lakes) to help guide the process.
“The Seven Seas.”
2013 saw the group’s second LP release, “Elephant Stone”, but this time on Hidden Pony Records. Can you tell me about this project and how you guys wanted to approach this record that differed from the previous? How did the deal with HP Records come about? What were the band’s activities between its first and second release?
That was a watershed moment for the band. We had a solid band by that point (short lived as our drummer and keyboard player left soon after recording) and I felt like I had a strong batch of songs. in 2010, we released a stopgap EP after the Seven Seas, The Glass Box, and had toured with the Brian Jonestown Massacre. I spent 2012 in the Black Angels as their bassist played Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Australia where I ended up performing sitar with Beck. From that experience, I headed into our 2013 album with much more confidence and deeper understanding of what Elephant Stone was.
“S/T”.
The following year in 2014 you guys would release your last record on HP Records entitled “The Three Poisons. What was the overall vision and approach to this record? When did you begin to see the band's trajectory and forward motion in progress as well as attention from your
audience?
By the time Elephant Stone came out I had already started writing songs for The Three Poisons. I was very much into Buddhism and the Tibetan Book of the Dead. I think lyrically the album reflected that.
“The Three Poisons”.
As the 20-teens continued to roll out the band released albums on Burgers Records before returning to its homebase, Elephants On Parade Records. What was the state of the group during the pandemic this last 2 years or so? How did all this affect you both personally as well as musically?
I kept myself busy with our first french EP, a movie + soundtrack, and writing a new album. I actually thrived during the lockdowns... I worked on my engineering/mixings skills at my home studio, spent time with my family, and got a couple of years older (and wiser, I hope!).
You guys released one record on the band’s label right before shit hit the fan to say the least. Can you tell me about the writing of “Hollow”? You guys also teamed up with Fuzz Club Records for this release, correct?
That was a fun one. I was burnt out after our 2016 release Ship of Fools. So, I put ES on the back burner for a bit and focused on my Acid House Ragas project (release a couple of singles) and MIEN, my project with Alex Maas, JM Lapham, and Tom Furse. That album came out in 2018 and we did a bunch of touring. All the while I was slowly putting together songs for Hollow. It was the first album recording at my home studio starting in January 2019. Was lovely to work with fuzz club... Very proud of the album.
“Hollow”.
I know the band recently released “Le Voyage De M. Lonely Dana La Lune” this year. What can you tell me about this project? Are you guys currently working on anything for the seeable future now that things have somewhat settled down?
Yeah, I worked with my friends and great artists Felixe Dyotte for M. Lonely. Was a big challenge to sing in french. I produced, recorded, and mixed the EP at my home studio. Was a great experience. Currently recording new album tentatively titled (((echoes))) slated for a fall '23 release. Onward and upward.
“Le Voyage De M. Lonely Dana La Lune”.
Is there anything else you would like to further share with the readers?
Don't be lazy. Refine your craft. Be kind. Make sure your loved ones know you are there for them.
