Hargobind Khalsa, of the band Hargo (source: NBC San Diego)

Hargobind Khalsa is a member of the band Hargo, and was recently interviewed by NBC’s San Diego affiliate to talk about his influences and musical style:

AH: How does your religious and cultural background come to play in your music?

HK: Growing up Sikh, I was surrounded by Indian music and a lot of ’60s and ’70s folk (a bunch of the “white Sikhs” like my parents who had converted to Sikhism were hippies and into that whole folk scene), so I heard a lot of Dylan, Cat Stevens, Beatles, etc. Mostly it was about consuming music that had a message, usually one of peace, love, and fighting “the Man” (I can’t think of something less cliche at the moment), and that had a massive effect on me. I write a lot about other people, situations around me, and not as much about myself personally. I’m a more empathic writer than an egocentric, though that seems like a somewhat egocentric thing to say, haha. But that concept of not dwelling on the ego is one of the founding ideas in all Indian and Eastern philosophy, which definitely comes through in the music we make.