SQUADRON : The Unbeaten Rockers

 Akangjungla

 

Nagaland’s longest surviving music band defies the law of age and time

 

It was a Saturday morning in the year 1989 and five young men are trying to figure out ways to form a heavy metal rock band. Little did they know they were about to create the most popular band ever known in the music history of Nagaland.

At first, the project to form a heavy metal rock band did not sound like the perfect idea: all five of them - TK Lanu Aier, John Walling, O Temsu Imsong, Mar Tzudir, and B Bendang Jamir had completely diverse musical taste. However, that morning, life opened a new chapter for these young music lovers.

A band is born

The song ‘Highway Star’ by the rock band Deep Purple from their 1972 album Machine Head decided the fate for the lads in Nagaland to form their famous band.

After much planning, they had all gathered at Temsu’s place, which was then located at DC Hill, Sangtemla Ward in Mokokchung town, to discuss about forming the band. While the discussion was on, they all played some jazz, blues and sang some songs with relatively high densities. Surprisingly, they blended well and did few 1970s hits by Beatles and Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR).

After the impromptu discussion and unrehearsed session, Bendang, who was least convinced to join a rock band amusingly said, “I will join the band if Deep Purple songs are on the list.

Highway Star is on our list,” Lanu responded like a rapid fire round. They all jammed the song and it was almost magical.

The high notes and screaming with the music blasted the room. It caught the attention of Temsu’s parents – late Odi Imsong and his wife. Happy with their decision to start a music band, after some quick word of advice and prayer, they left the boys to continue with their business. From then on, they opened their home as the meeting place for the band.

“Both my parents were music enthusiast but my mother was the real rock star. She went all the way out to encourage the band,” recollects Tialiba Imsong, younger brother of late O Temsu Imsong talking to The Morung Express. 

Finding SQUADRON

Their next task was the name of the band.

Before coming together, they were all part of different bands like Whiplash, The Whiz, Slid Image.

“We all came up with very hard and fancy names like ‘AK47’, ‘Civilians’ but during those years, the situation in Nagaland was generally not so good. There were lots of army operations and having a name associated with military sounded intimidating,” Lanu shares with this writer during an interacting at his residence in Dimapur.

“As usual, we had all gathered at Temsu’s place. While the discussion was going on, from the corner I picked up a Commando comic book where I came across the word SQUADRON. I suggested it as the name for the band,” Lanu reminisces. “We never thought of really knowing the literal meaning but it sounded good so we all agreed to call the band SQUADRON,” he adds.

Thus, unofficially around the end of 1989, SQUADRON was formed by K Lanu Aier (bassist), John Walling (vocalist), Mar Tzudir (drummer), B Bendang Jamir (guitarist) and O Temsu Imsong (guitarist)

Next, they all knew that to make the band work, a good manager was primary and therefore, on the same day they decided to ask Along Aier to take that role. Along, whose father was late Akangyanger, Commandant at 2nd NAP Alichen with his family welcomed the band.

“Both Along and his father were very important aspects of SQUADRON. During our initial years, his father allowed us to use his private car and even the police entertainment hall in Alichen for our practice sessions. Alichen was our second home,” Lanu acknowledges recalling, “It was in November 1989.”

Metal Galaxy

In just five months time, SQUADRON was confident of doing shows.

In May 1990, before going big, they decided to host a tryout show in Alichen under the banner - ‘Metal Galaxy.’

“We did everything – painting the banner, setting the gadgets, even designing the ticket which cost Rs 10. It was a house full performance. We collected around Rs 5000-6000 which was used to pay the charges for an amp and speaker we hired from Gorkha Union, Mokokchung,” the band bassist shares.

He adds that only Mokokchung District Art and Culture Council (MDACC) had some instruments for hire.

Metal Wednesday

Motivated by the Alichen success, the band decided to take the bigger stage.

They choose August 15, 1990 to make their debut appearance as a band in Mokokchung town- which during those years was the central point of music in Nagaland.

Loyal to their love for heavy rock metal music, they called the debut show - ‘Metal Wednesday.’ They opened the show with Iron Maiden’s ‘Wrathchild’ to a jam packed Town Hall, Mokokchung.

“We played Rime of the Ancient Marnier, Am I Evil, Space Stucking, Johnny be good,” the band also records in their facebook post.

“Things were going as planned until our team mate John had to leave Nagaland for his further studies,” Lanu shares while transitioning the conversation into bringing Longriwati Imchen in to the band. “We decided to approach Wati, front man of Daze Operation to cover the show since John could not perform the entire concert due to his other calling.”

Few days after the concert, Wati officially joined the band as the lead vocalist and continues to be till date.

The August 15, 1990 concert was a mega success. It established the foundation of SQUADRON- the longest surviving music band in Nagaland.

400+ concerts and counting

It did not take long for SQUADRON to capture the heart of many fans, creating a huge community of loyal headbanger and posers.

“Rock scene in Mokokchung was very strong. Actually, the music chain has never broken,” shares the band member while adding that in the last 31 years, they have performed over 400 concerts.

Winning the ‘Best Band’ and ‘Best Vocal’ awards in the nation-wide open beat contest at IIT, Chennai in 1993 was the highlight as SQUADRON was the only band from Nagaland to ever win the titles.

“The IIT Chennai show was remarkable. Even the Rock Street Journal featured us in their first edition, 1993. Unfortunately, none of us have stored the copy,” Lanu adds.

Back home, at an average, they performed around 18-25 songs per concert. At times they had two-three concerts back to back on the same date. The night before the concerts, the members remember carrying the speakers, boiling the guitar strings, making their own distortion effects for the show.

Looking back, the veteran musician reflects, “During our times, the best and most popular brand was Yahuya. Most of the instruments and gears were handmade. Also, there were no mobile phones or modern devices so we had enough time and opportunities to come together for practice and performances.”

“The fun was that we were not competing with anyone. Our focus was to keep the band tight and to move forward. Our passion and love for music and entertainment united us,” he asserts.

Besides the countless home concerts, they performed in states like Shillong, Meghalaya, Assam, Goa, Chennai, Bhopal, Pondicherry and more.

During their tours, they recollect being stopped by army in the middle of Helipong forest. “It was raining but we were asked to unload all the equipments. One time our hotel rooms were raided by army. Naga political situation was tense then. Because of our long hair and gadgets, they must have suspected us to be some cadres,” one of them narrates. “They made us kneel down outside our room and left only after seeing our guitar and other gears.”

Dedicated fan tribe

SQUADRON and their fans will always remember the 1993 concert at the State Academy Hall, Kohima. It was their first Nagaland tour concert.

On reaching Kohima, late Akangyanger presented them with a surprise package of sound system – full stranger set, bass distortion, octave and even a small mixer board. To add extra effects along with the upgraded sound, they arranged to release gun powder smoke on the stage.

With the new sound system and the smoke effect, SQUADRON delivered an extra ordinary two night show.

Tialiba, who accompanied the band as backup guitarist and keyboardist says, “The fans were amazing. They were like how we imagine foreign celebrities were treated. The volunteers and security had to make passage for the band members to pass through.”

It is said that the tickets including the counter foil were sold out. On the second night, the fans gate crushed the venue and police had to blank fire to control the situation.

“Fans were very supportive. They forced us to extend the concerts and will not even allow us to come down from the stage,” Lanu quips with amusement adding, “They would crowd the stage and take away our handkerchief, tear off the shirt pockets and badges. They did not leave the drum sticks, guitar pickup or anything they were able to get hold of.”

He also does not shy away from sharing that the concerts were followed by parties, more music and drinks and sometimes fights.

Cover song and fashion

SQUADRON rise to fame during the heavy rock metal era. Demand was higher for cover songs rather than original.

Explaining this phase, the band members narrate, till the 90s’ radio was still the most popular medium. LP and tape recorders were a luxury. People had to tune in the right channel at the right time to hear a song and that is it. The imagination was limited to hearing.

“The music and sound was all that mattered. We had to learn and replicate the song, melody and composition based on hearing. We have sung some incorrect lyrics and even played our own chords,” admits Lanu.

Conversing on practice session and updating the playlist, Lanu informs he would supply the latest record of different bands from Chennai. It took months to get some songs right on the tape recorder- after several plays, rewind, forward.

“Pencil was our best friend” he exclaims in laughter.

Talking about fashion, the band member says there was not TV. People were familiar only with what they heard on the radio. It did not matter how they looked on the stage. “We did not care about the presentation. We just go to stage in jeans and t-shirt.”

The band lead guitarist, Bendang Jamir also adds, “We dressed what was best suited during that time. Keeping long hair was a fashion statement and we loved it.”

Making original songs

As much as the band enjoyed writing original songs, it could not beat the popularity and demand of cover songs.

Some of their originals include Victim of Death, Fly by Night, Cry Citizen Cry, Loving you is all I need, My girl and Welcome (and get killed), Crush Landing.

“Never thought of recording the songs; There was no studio. All we had was the tape recorder. Everything had to be done in one go,” they share with regret that they have lost some of the lyrics and forgotten the tunes.

Victim of Death was recorded for documenting which is yet to be released.

Invincible friendship

Despite the glorious fame, SQUADRON had to deal with their share of challenges. They were not unaffected by the drug and alcohol addiction wave that hit Nagaland deeply during the 80s and 90s.

To their distress, in 1992 addiction got the better of Temsu. “The band members never gave up on my brother. They supported him to overcome his addiction and played key role in sending him to rehabilitation for recovery,” Tialiba recognizes.

By 1996, other members also got into drug and alcohol addiction. “The band was not looking good but with the support of our family and each other, we rose up above the odds and we are in a better place today,” one of them notes.

As the years progressed, the band slowed down and ventured into unplugged and acoustic. By 2000, most of them shifted their priorities to families and settling livelihood.

“If anyone were to earn and become rich through music we would have become so. Very early we realized that our survival could not be depended on music alone,” Lanu states in respond to the question why the band never turned what they do into a full time profession.

However, nothing stopped them from making music. With age, they found deeper purpose. In 2008-2009 they organized ‘Save a life’ Nagaland tour to contribute towards the district hospitals.

In 2015, to mark SQUADRON’s 25th anniversary, Mokokchung Town Lanur Telongjem organized a concert on December 25 in Mokokchung.

The Naga Musicians’ Collective Tribute Concert, Kohima in 2019 was their last performance with the complete band as Temsu lost his battle to cancer on June 17, 2020.

Comeback concert?

“Would take if opportunity comes, misses a lot what we used to do. It might be challenging but would definitely love to perform,” Lanu says while talking about the possibilities of a comeback concert. “Absolutely! I still play and I can perform on the stage even now,” Bendang adds in confidence. Hopefully, the desire of SQUADRON and their fans will come true as imagi.Nagaland event management plans for a concert in the future.

31 years ago, SQUADRON gave the most famous band to Nagaland, and it still continues to inspire many with their gift of pouring so much raw emotion into their songs- all for the love of music and the show.

Awards:
•    Best Band and Best Vocal – IIT Chennai annual social and cultural festival, Mardi Gras, 1993
•    Best Vocal – YMC, Chennai 1993
•    Winner of MDACC Beat Contest – October 18, 1994
•    Winner of All Nagaland Beat Contest, Kohima – December 2, 1994
•    2nd Runner Up – North East Beat Contest, Aizwal 1995
•    The Lifetime Achievement Award by M-Table – 2019
•    Governor’s Award for Excellence in Music, Nagaland – 2020

Some major shows: 
•    1st trial gig – Metal Galaxy, Alichen (April 1990)
•    1st Concert – Metal Wednesday, Mokokchung (August 15, 1990) 
•    1st show outside Nagaland- Chennai, February 1993 followed by Vasco and Panaji 
•    1st Nagaland Tour – Kohima, 1993 
•    Represented Nagaland at North East Beat Contest, Aizwal - 1995
•    Represented Nagaland at Rastriya Yuva Utsava, Bhopal – 1995 
•    Free open air concert in aid of victims for Mokokchung carnage by Indian army – December 25, 1995 
•    JIPMER Medical College Festival Padan, Pondicherry – 1996 
•    SQUADRON 10th anniversary concert – 2000
•    Hornbill Festival (Unplugged Concert)- 2009 
•    Save A Life Nagaland Tour – 2008 & 2009 
•    SQUADRON 25th anniversary concert – December 29, 2015