Mike Rivard of Club D'Elf is our guest on No Simple Road this week! To the naked eye, Club d’Elf looks exactly like a world-class instrumental band: five or six fierce players laying down heavy grooves and exploratory solos on distinctive original material, as audience members dance or listen in rapt attention. To its fans, however, and its large and colorful cast of musicians, D’Elf is all that and much, much more. That is what we got from Mike on this week's episode... much, much more! We get right down to business discussing Mike's struggles with depression, what he's done to help heal, creating the new album 'You Never Know' (coming out April 1st), the music of the Gnawa, trance states, learning the Sintir, and oh, so much more!Club d’Elf began in 1998 at the Lizard as a kind of controlled jam session, featuring Rivard’s friends and associates from various bands. Out of the original D’Elf jam pool emerged a core group, usually augmented by one or two other players from a rotating cast. The core was eventually honed to its essentials: Rivard and drummer Erik Kerr, followed eight years later by drummer Dean Johnston.For more on Club D'Elf go to www.clubdelf.comSONG AT THE BEGINNING OF THE INTERVIEW: "Zeed al Maal" of the upcoming album 'You Never Know'SONG AT THE END OF THE INTERVIEW: "Dervish Dance" off the upcoming album 'You Never Know'NEW!!! No Simple Road Intro Music Performed and Created By ESCAPERFREE SHIPPING from Shop Tour Bus Use The PROMO CODE: nosimpleroadFor 20% off Sunset Lake CBD PROMO CODE: NSR20 For 25% off Electric Fish Lights PROMO CODE: NSRFOR 10% off your first month of Better Help CLICK HEREFor 20% off Grady's Cold Brew PROMO CODE: NSRFor 10% off your order at Fin and Wheel PROMO CODE: NSROTHER MUSIC BY AND USED WITH HE PERMISSION OF:NEW TRIBEOUTRO MUSIC BY AND USED WITH PERMISSION OF:CHILLDREN OF INDIGONo Simple Road is part of OSIRIS MEDIA. Osiris Media is the leading storyteller in music, combining the intimacy of podcasts with the power of music.We inform and delight music fans by creating shows with leading artists, telling untold stories, and working with brands to craft compelling narratives that bring music to life.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/nosimpleroad. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.