Music and Mokokchung
The influence of music on human society is immense. This was so in the past, so it is today and so it will be in the future. “Music is universal”. This is more so in the context of the present-day world.
In my opinion, music and Mokokchung – they blend together. I will not be very far off the mark if I opine that as far as music (specially Western) goes, Mokokchung was rather advanced quite early on. Here I will try to enlighten my readers as to why I am penning my opinion on this subject “Music and Mokokchung”.
As far as I can remember, the music scene (here I am referring to Western Music) in Mokokchung Town began during the early sixties. Famous bands like the Beatles, The Rolling Stones etc were just about getting famous in the field of popular music (Rock N Roll, R & B) around the world.
The youth of Mokokchung town were keenly keeping up with the changing pace in the music world. Songs of the 60s were effortlessly imitated by local bands like the Drifters, the Echos, Highlanders, Shadows, Flames etc. The infrastructure (musical instruments) was very poor. Acoustic guitar, improvised bass, basic drum kit, basic PA system comprised a band’s gear. Naturally, the quality of sound produced was very poor. Nevertheless, these bands were playing songs of the Beatles, The Shadows, The Ventures, Elvis Presley, Jim Reeves etc.
In the late 60s and the 70s, many bands sprang up at Mokokchung Town. The Controllers, the Fulgents, Groves, the Celestials, the Lunatics, Soul Fingers playing songs of the Beatles, Badfinger, Cream, the Archies, Guess Who, the Who, the Rolling Stones, Shocking Blue, the Hollies, Christie, Creedence Clearwater Revival etc. With slightly improved musical instruments, the quality of sound was slightly better. By now, local bands were better equipped with electric guitars (lead, bass and rhythm) and a drum set. “Jam Sessions” were often held by the local bands late into the night. It was during the 70s that Mokokchung town was enthralled by the all girl bands like the Seekers and the Four Birdies.
Around the late 70s and the 80s, numerous bands were formed. Some of them were Heavy Zapp, Mingle Project, Evergreen Club, Dazzle Channel, Brain Damage, Exodus etc. Some of these bands were state famous. By then, the taste of music/songs were changing (naturally). They played Deep Purple, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Steely Dan, Grand Funk Railroad, Wishbone Ash, Uriah Heep, Smokie, CCR, the Eagles etc.
The late 80s and the 90s saw bands like Werewolf, Cruise Missiles, Pyramids, Abiogenesis, Squadron, Knights in Gale, Psycho Symphony, Vanadium, Galatica, Argorious, Sleet Wind, Hedonic, MF18 belting out heavy metal, Rock N Roll, trash etc – the sound of Deep Purple, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Metallica, Def Leppard. The influence of Hendrix, Ritchie Blackmore, Eric Clapton was immense in their style of singing and their guitar play.
Right from the inception of Western popular music in Mokokchung, organisations like the Adventurers, Caretaker, RockDale Club, the Social Service League etc were organizing and sponsoring various Beat Contests and Beat Nites from time to time inviting out of state bands like the Living Dead (Shillong), Super Sound Factory (Shillong), the Gnats (Jorhat), Mojo (Shillong), the Great Society (Shillong), Phoenix (Aizawl) etc. All these bands were a great influence to the youngsters and was a source of encouragement to the local youth. Many of the band members of the various local bands mentioned above are not with us today but their contribution to society will live forever with us.
The birth of Naga Idol taking place in such a backdrop – Music and Mokokchung and a place of happening as is known is a blessing for our state. Let us all unite and feel the pulse of our land.
(More details in my next article)
Dr Imliwati Imchen
Member
MDACC