WHEN you first walk into the Perivale studios of top Asian producer Rishi Rich, the first thing you notice apart from a huge mixing desk full of technical equipment is that one entire wall is covered with photographs.

On closer inspection, you realise that all of the pictures are of Rishi in the company of some of the UK's biggest names, including top girl band Mis-teeq and the So Solid's Crew's Romeo and Harvey, to name just a few.

That's because Rishi has honed and perfected one particular skill - he knows how to make music. When you hear a track that you like, think about what the song would sound like within any vocals and you have an idea of exactly how important his role is.

He's the man behind the music, the person who sits down for hours, playing different melodies on a keyboard, making the beats, trying to find the right sounds that will fit the lyrics that he or the artist that he is working with at that time has written.

The 26 year-old, who has lived in the borough for all of his life and currently resides in South Harrow, first became interested in music at the tender age of 4, when he began to learn how to play Indian classical music.

This developed as he got older, with Rishi trying his hand at different genres, even becoming a member of a reggae band when he was a first year student at Gayton High School.

"I developed a real passion for music from a very young age and that just got stronger as I got older. I was always playing instruments and trying to create sounds.

"I got a keyboard and a sampler and began to start making proper songs in my 'bedroom studio'. Then when I was 14, I sent a demo tape of my work to Groove Records.

"They contacted me, said I had a lot of potential and asked if I would like to come and work for them. We created 2 Kool, a re-mix outfit, and two months later I had a record deal with Audiorec.

"Within a short space of time, 2 Kool became the biggest selling music producers of RnB style music with Indian vocals. That success continued for two years and during that time I created about 10 albums.

"But then I kind of hit a brick wall - it was as if I had got as far as I could get with that genre. I decided I wanted to move away from re-mixes and start creating original music.

"I began working with a local singer called Veronica, who sang in English with Indian vocals. The style was very innovative, ground-breaking and new and we enjoyed tremendous success- we even won awards."

That success spurred Rishi on and in 1999, he decided that he needed a proper studio. He found the perfect space on an industrial site in Perivale and The Heights, his very own studio, was born.

"I was starting to get a lot of recognition for my work and I began to be approached by a number of record labels who wanted me to work with their artists.

"Then Telstar records contacted me. They told me that Mis-teeq had been asked to record the title track for the Ali G movie In Da House. I created Roll On/This is How We Do It and it went straight in at number 7 in the national charts.

"After that things really took off - I signed a deal with Universal Publishing and began working with artists like So Solid Crews Romeo and Harvey and Abs from 5ive. I also produced three tracks on Mis-Teeq's new album Eye Candy."

Rishi's latest music venture has seen him working closely with RnB superstar Craig David, on his new single Rise and Fall, which was released on Monday (April 28th).

Rishi has remixed a version of this track that originally sampled the guitar riff from Stings 1993 hit 'Shape of my Heart'. The remix of the track 'Kulcha Desi Mix' features the artful Juggy D on Punjabi vocals and is set to make huge waves across the industry.

Commenting on the new single, Craig said: "Working with Rishi Rich has been a great experience. Asian lyrics and sounds are really influencing the music scene at the moment.

"This track is fresh and new and should really help Bhangra music into the mainstream where it belongs. It's been a real learning curve for me, I've even learnt how to sing Punjabi lyrics!".

Rishi has finally gained the respect that he truly deserves and over the next few months will be working with artists such as Westlife and the Sugababes.

May 1, 2003 11:00