Wati Imchen has been at the forefront of the local rock scene in Nagaland for more than a decade now. After a glorious stint as the flamboyant frontman for Squadron, arguably one of the first ‘star’ rock bands to emerge from Nagaland, Imchen has debuted with his first original set titled Passion. Merenkumla and Al Ngullie of The Morung Express caught up with Wati since he was not busy running after his two boy-twins for off-tuning his guitar!
Morung Express: Thanks for taking the time to talk the Morung Express, Wati. Let’s begin with the person who served as your biggest inspiration for your pursuing music?
Wati Imchen: My earliest influence was my elder sister. She inspired me from an early age. She used to sing lots of hymns and often, I used to act as her back up vocals, there I learned to sing tenor! She used to bribe me with biscuits and sweets and then ask me to sing backing vocals (laughs)! It was around class 7 that I first learned to play 3 guitar chords D, A and G major which my sister taught me. That’s how it started. My sister died in 94’. The Eagles was the first western band I listened to. That’s why I play an Eagles number in every concert as a sort of tribute! I also began playing Rock, pop and Thrash. I can confidently say that in Nagaland we (Squadron) were the first to play thrash. But music is basically about feelings so I started to play soft numbers too. It gave me a chance to do the thing I loved doing. However my education suffered. Friends passed out of school while I failed! Exams and concerts always coincided and I always chose concerts! I gave importance to music so how could I pass! So my academic career failed due to music. Still I kept my passion alive to show that you can survive on music too!
MEx: Your album ‘Passion’ sounds quite personal. Could you share us about the some of the songs in ‘passion’?
WI: The first song that I ever wrote was “Why am I losing you”. It was basically about the relationship between me and my girlfriend (his present wife, Amenla).That time she was in Shillong and I was in Nagaland playing Rock and Roll! When you are a singer there are always suspicions if you might be falling for every girl because girls like musicians! (Laughs) so when my wife wrote to me she used to imply if I might be going out with lots of girls. So the song is basically about suspicion! ‘Beat the stuff’ was written by my co-producer, Imkong Imchen. He wrote two songs on Passion. “Beat the stuff” was about his best friend who succumbed to drugs. Seeing his best friend’s suffering and struggle with drugs led him to write the song. ‘My Guitar’ is about my life as a struggling musician. It’s about struggle. I’d always thought of living up to the expectations that dreams would allow. There were times when I was so discouraged that my anger burned inside of me. I don’t have money. I’m a poor man. Playing music comforted me in times of inner unrest. I have entertained many big shots of the society. All night they would drink and we’d play songs to entertain them. They would promise us many things like Money, jobs and all that but in the morning they would have forgotten their promises. When I approached them for help they would always tell me to come later. So I never got anything from their promises. The Naga high society has no time for poor people like us.
MEx: How did the idea to do the album (Passion) came about only now considering you have been on the local rock scene for more than a decade now?
WI: This year, Squadron will be celebrating the 15th anniversary of its inception. Squadron was formed in 1990 however most of my friends have now taken up other lines except me who’s still into music! I’d been working on the album since 95’.I thought I should put together my entire original compositions before my death. You never know what will happen! My manager, Moa Imchen, encouraged me to do an album. He said I had the talent and convinced me to do an album and last year July we started the recording process from Aries Music Foundation with Merang (Aries’ sound engineer)
MEx: What are your expectations from ‘passion?’
WI: Music is a choice. I know criticisms would come but it’s only natural because we cannot satisfy everyone. People had criticized me when I was with Squadron .They criticized everything from my pronunciation to playing cover versions. But I was not discouraged. Naga musicians should encourage and appreciate each other instead of trying to indulge in petty criticisms. Music is not competition! So musicians should be like minded. Any way I was a bit reserved because of rivalry between different bands and artistes here. However Alem (Native colors) and Lanu (Nightangle) and Sashi responded positively when I approached them to help me with the recording of the album. Band antagonism is there so I assured them that it would not be a band album.
MEx: Had you any formal training in Music?
WI: No, I did not have any sort of formal music training. I depended mostly on Ear-play as I experimented with different chords and positions. So my ‘training’ was basically self-taught depending mostly on my ear! My training in music was basically about wrestling with the chords and correcting them only with the help of my aural sense!
MEx: How has been the response to your album till now?
WI: Up till now, the response from friends, family and well-wishers has been very encouraging. They’d been enquiring when the album would be released and there were even suggestions for the album’s title! Song titles have been coming ever since word went out that I was working on an original album! I’m very grateful for their support and help. The title ‘Passion’ was given by my wife .She’s been my greatest strength and help when I needed encouragement. The album is basically a love letter to my wife!
MEx: Squadron was one among bands like Abiogenesis and Lystra (a Christian metal outfit) that made it ‘big’ in Nagaland. Being one among the ‘stars’ what are your views on the music back then and the music the younger ones are into, today?
WI: According to my observation, the 80s remains the ultimate era of good, creative and artistic music. The people who played music and those who listened to their music had good taste in music. Musicians back then were creative and good. The taste of the youth today is very different. Techno and dance-pop genres seems to have taken over. Most seem to like only dance music and have little idea what real, creative and progressive music is. There’s nothing like the high that good music gives. It’s better than the high you get from drugs. Sadly modern youngsters seem to be concerned only for dancing to the disco beats of Boom-Boom-Boom (laughs)!
MEx: What is your message to the Music lovers?
WI: Keep the passion alive. And be different!
