“For me music is blood, sweat and rock and roll. Music is my closest communion with God”
“Self-discipline is my best tool.. I called myself the music geek”

Music lam a ana chilgil mama guitarist, singer leh music teacher Pu Jimmy Thang Zogam.com in ki ngaisang mama in, apeisa 25 November 2012 ni’n a tenna inn Gurgaon ah Zogam.com team ten houlimpina va ki nei hi. Ama  Pu Jimmy Thang ahileh Traffic Jam band pankhe tu ahi banah Gurgaon a music school – The Sound of Music neitu pa jong ahi.

ZOGAM.COM: Pu Jimmy Thang na dam u maw? Nang tawh houlim khom lei chia Zogam.com team te hing pawt ka hi uh.
Jimmy Thang: Dam ung e! Kipah huai na e kei bang nang houlim pih ut ua. Lungdam huai e.

Hi chi bang hun lem nang gel sah jia in kou jong lung dam ung. Awle houlimna i pan pai mai vai in, na background chi lei na family leh a dang poimaw teng ing  hil ve maw.
Ka min tah Thangminlun ahi a, Singngat khua ah kana piang a, himah lejong Zou Veng (Lamka) ah ka khang lian hi. Ka pa ahi leh Pa John Zamkhomang Munluo ahi a, ka nu Jennifer Vungneikim ahi. Unau li (4) ka pha ua kei pasal a upa pen ka hi. Ka tung ah u numei 2 Janet Niangneichin leh Jesse Nemdeihching ahi ua, ka nuai a pasal Joel Ginzamawi ahi. Tu in Gurgaon ah ka lawinu Daisy Dimhoihkim (D/O Gengoukhup Mate) leh ka tapa Jonathan Mangliankhup toh ka khosa uhi.

School ahih leh mun tuamtuam ah kana kai kha hi. St.Mary’s, lamka a nursery, aban ah John Bosco Bishempur ah Class 2 tan kana sim a, Class 3 to 5 St. Joseph Sugnu ah ka kai a, Class 6 to 10 imphal ah St Joseph, class 11-12 St.Edmund’s Shillong ah kana bol a, Graduation Sri.Venkateshwara College, Delhi university ah kana kai hi.

E.. lekha lam jong bawl thei talua ang chi ua ...
Hahaha…moh? Class X board exam na a chu Manipur Top 10 chu ki hi sam. IAS bang jong gel ching di khop a hung na lamet uh hia, hilejong music in hung na jou jo chimeini …haha.

Ehe..siam pi na hi vele, lehkha lam na lunglut lou maw?
Sung  ten chu le kha lam a pai dia hung deihsatalua uh, ahivangin ka neu a pat ka lunglut na music lam mah a pai kana tum tinten hi.
 

Na pa le music lam a tal lang mama a chi ua..
Ka pa maw music lam ana lunglut ma e! Calcutta Salestian Brother’s te nuai a khang khia ahi a, music lam ah ana tempai mahmah khat ahi. Biehin kikhopna lah vel a music lam a makai in ana pang jing. Tua banah Donbosco ten band ana bawl uh “Bosconian” ki chi ah zong lead guitarist in pan ana la hi.  imphal GM hall lah vel a jong Concert vel ana bawl zia zia chi tang thu kanu’n hung na gen zelzel. All Manipur best guitarist award jong ana la kha ngei ahi (akum pen kathei sih a), Nanleh, 1993 kum in All Manipur best keyboardist award jong ana lakha hi..

Guitar na nei masah pen bang e?  Bang chih a pan a guitar ana lunglut na hiai?
Neu a pat guitar tawh ana ki khang lian chi theih ahi. Ahi’n ka pa’n guitar ana nei khu hi di ka tum masat pen. Kei a ding in chu Class iX ka pass kum ah ka nu leh pa’n Givson Hollow guitar khat ka result suoh jou in ang leisah uh khu ahi.

Music na lunglutna koi in ang influence deu in na thei ei?
Gen sa ma bangin neu a pat in music environment ah hung ki khang lian a, ka hung lunglut diah na ahih leh 1993 kum a “Goodbye 93 Welcome 94 Concert” Lamka’s rockstar Jessy band Drixian Empire te leh Zomi Fins ten ana bawl ua ki pan ahi deu hi. Hu chi loua jong neu a pat music ana lunglut him him kana hi hi.

Music school ah na kai ei? Bang chi dan a guitar hing siam khia na hiai le?
Self-taught ka hi. Hinanleh College ka pass out a pat sa in Parikrama band te music institute ah kana ki zang a, sum neih lou zia in pan pih theih dan dan in kana panpih jel hi. Parikrama band member  te a dia in Sonam Sherpa in zong nasa tah in hungna panpih hi. Tua banah Gurgaon School of Music te ah Guest Faculty (teacher) dan in ka na pang zel a, tua te a patsa’n nasatah in ka skill ka develop mahmah hi. Study material tampi ka kai khop te a pat ka ki zil a, tua banah music teacher ten tips ang pia te ka phat tuam pih mahmah hi -self-practice, discipline ahi pen mai. Mahni ki discipline ka van zat thupi pen ahi. Self discipline is my best tool.. i called myself the music geek.

Eh lasah jong siam ang chi ua, talented ma ma hi ding na ve mo. Lasah tawh instrument tum hei pen nuam na sa zawi?
Tel zaw ding ka thei tuansih e. Ei singtangmi te talented mahmah i hi ua, guitar tum tawh lasah ana ki thuah khawm zel a ki hih zie in, guitar tum tawh lasah natural deuh in kang bawl thei mai, a hi di dan mah in ka koih mai ahi.

Music lam tawh kisai a na kal suan na te hing gen ve maw.
College ka pass out a kipat in Parikrama band te institute ah amau panpih kawm in kana ki zang hi. Huh apat music tawh kisai theihbeh tampi kana nei hi. 2004 kum vel in Annette Phillip, ka colleague, tua Berklee College of Music, Boston a professor hita’n, in Artiste Unlimited chih ana bawl a, huah  kei zong ka tel kha hi. Annette tawh ki thuah khawm in NDTV vel ah jong ang na cover uh hi, Siri Fort Auditorium, Great indian Rock, iiT etc te ah show ka va nei zel uh hi.

Artist Unlimited tungtawn in Gaurav Ahluwalia (Friday the 13th Band vocalist), Aditi Singh Sharma (bollywood playback singer) te toh ka hung ki mel theih ua, amau toh ki thuah in Crimson band 2005 kum in kang form uhi. Crimson Band min in RSJ te sai na in Great Indian Rock leh mun tuam tuam ah gigs kana bawl uhi.  Turqoise Cottage, Agni, Cafe Morrison, 32 Milestone, We2, Revv, 32nd Milestone, Urban Pind, Chinese and Thai Café  Delhi leh Gurgaon sung leh mun tuamtuam te ahi deuh hi ka show neih na uh. Hu chi hun bang tan zawh nung in Crimson a ka band member pih Gaurav Australia lam ah apemta a, Aditi in Bollywood lam ah a join ta hi.  Abawn un tuni’n jong lawi hoih mah mah in kanei nalai uh hi.

Rock Street Journal (RSJ) te taw jong ki thua kha na bang , RSJ na muh dan hing gen  ve maw.
Rock Street Journal (RSJ) te’n, Amit Sehgal (late), india a band te nasa tahin support leh promotion pia ua, RSJ kan a oportunity hoih pia um dingka gingta sih hi.

Commercial Music a na hong lut dan bang chi dan a?
Mahni neh leh dawn poimawh ahih ziahin sum muh theihna di ken jong ka hol pan ta hi. Amasa pen dingin Shalom Hills School ah Music Teacher in ka va pang a, tua zawh 2007 lah vel in Gurgaon a 32 Milestone (a chain of restaurants) te nuai a restaurant outlet khat ‘Sizzlin’ Sizzlers’ah one piece artist dan in ka perform na dih Pasian in ang na gual zol hi. Huchi a ka hung hih touh chiangin 32 Milestone a manager pa’n ka performance ah impressed ahi ding a, a lian zaw Chinese Restauranta 3 piece band dingin mun angna pia hi. Hu chi in ken jong 32 Milestone ah kum 3 vingveng kana sem hi. Hi hun sung in mi tuamtuam te, for example Blue Corn te bang, Nagaland singer Azi  te vel kana hire kha hi. Azi ahih leh tuni’n Nagaland a band minthang Tetseo Sisters founder member ahi.

Tua banah DLF City Club, leh Palms country club,Gurgaon ah music administrator hihna zong  Pasian hehpi na zal in  kana len hi. Hotel line a proper music assignment ka hih masatna pen ahih leh Crown Plaza Gurgaon ahi. Tua banah Brix bar, TGiF te ah show ka nei zelzel hi. Hite a kipat audience response hoihtah kana mu a, tua na kipat sa’n Traffic Jam band bawl khiat na di ngaihtuahna hung piang hi.

Eh… Traffic Jam hing ki pat khiat dan leh a tangthu tomkim hing  gen ve mo.
Venky (DU) ah college ka kai lai peh in Traffic Jam band min zang in show tuamtuam kana bawl uh a, eimi te conferences, freshers meet te vel ah jong kana perform uhi. Hinanhleh band piching tah tah dan in kana bawlsih uhi. Hu lai in Traffic Jam band member  te ahih leh  Soson Ngaihte (Drum), Tua Ka loinu Daisy (Vocal), kanau Joel (Bass) leh kei Jimmy (Guitar) ka hi uh.

Lunglutna ki bang leh background ki bang band form ka lunggulh gige a, a dia in ei North East mi ngen hi thei leh chi in Traffic Jam band kana form thah hi. Ei lamka mi Thanlian, Steve Valte etc te lah amau band tuamtuam ah ana engaged jou ahih jia un, meitei lawmte 2 toh Sikkim te khat tel in Traffic Jam kang pan khe thah uhi. Tu le tu a band member  te Nizzi Arkay (Bass guitar), Kenny Singh (Guitar), Shaily (Drum) leh Jimmy (Guitar and vocal) kahi uh.

Traffic Jam tawh kisai in Steve Valte min jong ka lou ut hi. Ka drummer uh a om louh chiang in nasa tahin a hung panpih gige ahi ziehin a tung ah ka kipah mahmah kahi. Dilli Haat a Human Trafficking tawh kisai a 5 days campaign - Traffic Jam festival ah Steve in drum ang tumpih a, tua banah tu nai in NECCOD (North East Catholic Community Of Delhi) fest “PEACE iN THE NORTH EAST” a jong hungtumsah kia hi.

Traffic Jam in hei sung sung  ah show na nei zel ua?
Show ka neih masat na mun uh ahih leh, Select Citywalk Mall ah, Geoffrey’s leh Brix Street Rock Bar, Gurgaon ahi. Hauz Khas a Manajsha Pub ah performed nuam kasa pen. Tua banah tuni a rock pup a dia happening na pen, iNDiA’s no.1 pub and bar (voted 2012) STRIKER, Gurgaon ah resident band in ka pang ua, tua lou mun tuam tuam Rock a Fella, Revv, Radisson, Dilli Haat, Picca Dilli, Bahi. Leon’s, Sura Vie, De Villa, etc chih te ah ka perform uh hi.

Bang la vel na sa tang pi uai le? Covers leh original tawh kisai bang e na ngaihdan?
Neh muh nadi a tum akih zieh in, crowd te ngaih ut mah tum pen poimawh hi.  Hu zia in music chi tuamtuam audience te hung nget dan zil in genre teng teng CCR, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins a pat Guns N Roses, Megadeth, iron Maiden, Metallica etc ka tum uh hi.
Covers leh original tawh kisai a ka muhdan hih ahi. Neh leh ta dih poi mawh ngaih khollou a, livelihood dia music zang lou a, a original la te ua public message khah pawl band a om a, huchi lou a livelihood dia music zang te’n pen crowd te ngaih ut mah cover hi le jong a play uh ngai ahi.
Huh i chi na toh, hichih den chu a ut huai sih ma a, khat vei chia, ki ning ching chiang a ding in chi’in Traffic Jam in zong first album project a dingin ka ki sa khol pan ta ua, original bangzah e khat ka nei ta uhi. Mid 2013 vel a release zawh ka lamen uhi.

Music tawh kisai a events or activities na tel khah nate gen tua nasak om nasah leh hing belap ve mo
Delhi Commonwealth Games 2010 ah theme song pen ah guitar ken kana tum a, advertisement tuamtuam Whirlpool, Lakme Fashion, GE te jingles vel jong kana bawl hi. Huchi lou in Shalom Hills School, Gurgaon te school anthem jong kana compose sah a, Hindi pop singer Anamika, Aditi Singh Sharma, Shubhra guitarist in jong kana pang kha hi. Tantriks, JJhoom band te guitarist in jong kana pang kha ngei a, tua banah NRi artist Shubhra tawh jong kana bawl khawm kha ngei uh a music video vel jong kana bawl khom uhi.

Lamka lam ah music tawh kisai in activities na nei hia?
Music line a ka pai nung Lamka lam ka um vang mahmah a, 2012 kum bul lam inlam ka pai lai in TT Lal tawh la bangzah e ka record uhi.

ZOTON 2009 ah na performance kana en kha a…
Zoton 2009 ah guitar instrumental show na ana nei kha mah ing e. Eimi society lah a ka perform tam sih a, hichi bang festival ah ka talent ka va show theih ka kipah mama hi. Nuam kasa a, kei a dingin eimi lah a foundation hoihta hung sua hi.

Music tawh kisai in pahtawina bangbang nana sang ei?
Ka neu lai in Church Choir ah na ki zang a, pahtawina tampi kana sang kha hi. Bethany, Don Bosco VBS vel a bang prize tampi kana la kha gige hi. Ka college Venkateshwara Delhi University ah Music Society President kum 2 kana pua a, hi hun sung in ka college team te music activities tuam tuam ah kana tel pih a, certificate tuamtuam 50 val ding kana ngah sam. Tua lou music teacher ka hih nung in ka student khat in Trinity GuildHall London ah Grade V Guitar ah topper hiihna ana la hi. Adang teng jong Distinction nuai lou koi mah ana um sih uhi.

Bang music genre na ngai na deu ei? Bang band na ngaisang pen ei le?
Hmmm…. Gen hah talua e. Ahi vangin, Rock music ka lunglut pen. Van Halen, White Snake, White Lion, Skid Row, Petra, iron Maiden, Dream theater, Mr. Big, Firehouse, Bon Jovi, Harem Scarem, Extreme, Led Zepplin, Pink Floyd, Poison, AC/DC, White cross, Bullet for my valentine, Avenged sevenfold, Deff Leppard, Maroon 5, Direstraits, Warrant, Ugly Kid Joe, Skid Row, Winger, Bad Company, Black Sabbath, Damn Yankees, TNT, Kiss, Cinderella, Twisted Sister…..te a hi deuh uh.
Tulai, Jazz rock toh fusion genre jong ka en deuh hi..

Guitarist na ngaisang pen?
Steve Vai, John Petrucci, Nunu Betencourt, Joe Satriani, Jeff Beck, Lee Ritenour, Futurist Guitarist lak a Guthrie Govan, Frank Gambale, Alex Hutchin, Tom Quayle, Vinai Tripakdee, Jack Thammarat

Ei singtangmi te a kipan musician koi kuoi siam nasa ei?
Jessy kana ngai sang mahmah ve, because of his style, Thanlian, Gohau, Steve Valte siam ka sa a, Mizo artist te as a whole in ka appreciate mama ve.

 

 

Lamka ah music lam khangtou hi in na mu hia?
Lamka ah music khang chu kasa ahivangin ka et chiang in technology based talua in ka mu hi, i music te uh sequential thei talua kasa. Meitei leh kol te beats tam kasa a, mahni idea a pat raw music mah a bawl hi zaw thei leh chih ka dei. Ahi vangin koimah ka mawhsa sih, azia music lam a basic education i  neih louh zia uh ahi tangpi, tua banah exposure umlouh leh sum le pai hahsat na zia hi in ka thei.

Music lam a Zou tribe te khangtou na sa hia?
Damhoihching, S Chingnu leh Haumang ten Zou music nasa tah in ana contribute uh. Tu lai in TTLal in nasa ta in Zou la hung su laar a siam jong ka sa. Zou te ka tawm zia deuh ahi diei, a artiste ki tam nai lou hi. Ka unau Zou artiste te ka deihsa ahih leh open mind tahin hung om uh hen la, Zou la leh i culture uh i tawi sang ban ua, western element te apat hoih lam te i la lut theih ua cross collaboration i bawl theih uh poimawh kasa. Chidih a, a guitar te leh drum te leh computer i zat teng  teng uh jong western hilou i? (I find it hard to digest people who say they don’t like outside influences. Without it, we would not have all these instruments, drums, technology etc,..forget the clothes we wear, houses we live in etc,. we’d probably be still living without electricity, without clothes, education, religion and everything else… under our thatched roofs that leak.)

Ei singtangmi te music lam ah bang ziak a tuantual deuh se i hi uh hia? Bang chi leh music lam ah i khangtou thei dia?
Music ngaina society ah i na um ua, mipi iki muh khawm chiang un music tawh la i sa ua, biehna i hih chiang un jong music mah ahi. A dih tah a gen in i society ua music in role a play tuh in music ah poimawh na i pe zou sih uh kasa, we are unfair to music. i neu a pat a music i na ngaina chiat ua, music ngaina society a khanglian te'n kol le vaite kipha zou lou chu jum huai kasa. I gam ah music show room khat zong ki nei nai lou, a hou pen in gen lei guitar string khat bang ki tan ta leh va lei zual na di om khol lou. Music lam a khangtouh na dingin nu le pa ten music a muh dan uh (attitude toward music) heng ngai in ka mu. Tua banah Music School hoihtah um hen la, formal education um thei leh i gam ah nasatahin music lam ah khangtouhna hungtung dingin ka gingta.Khangthah te jong local music chouh ah ki bual lou a, music chi tuamtuam a ki expose uh poimawh kasa. i gam ah electric hoih hen lan, khovel mun tuamtuam a music te TV leh media tuamtuam tungtawn in muh theih hi lebang pha tuam mahmah ding in kathei leh deihsah huai kasa.
Music toh drugs meh khom top san hun ta, music tum na dia sam khoi sau sese ngai lou ahi. Khamtheih jia a music ki siam tuam tuan het lou ahi!!!! Mel jong hoih jo tuan lou ding, pil jong pil tual lou ding…The love and passion for music should come first and then image/glamour should come later, but when image/glamour come first, then music get messed up.

Lamka ah Music School hoih leh ki chian om nai kei a. Music School hoihtak a om hoih na sa hia?
Lungsim ki bang ka musician pih te kung ah ka nget ut ahih leh kum 5 sung beh ah i gam ah Music School hoih tah khat pat khiat hi leh chi deih na kang Phuong hi. Music a dingin kei jong bang e khat i gam a dingin ka bawl ut. investment hoih tah jong ahi ding a, music industry bang ki set up thei leh ut huai kasa mahmah. Mizo ten amau music industry a ki neih ta ua, tua banah Nagaland te bang in Hornbill Festival kum teng in a nei ua, Nagaland sung a musician te audition bawl ua, a siam te gamdang Delhi, US etc te a maban zil di bang in sawl khia uh hi. Tua banah government a pat back up zong mu hoih mahmah un ka thei. Refer “music Task Force” Nagaland.

Mi tampi ngaihdan in music lam a pai te khamtheih hih a ki bual tangpi uh chih ahi a. Hiai tawh kisai bang ngaihdan na nei a?
Music leh drugs ahih leh Hippie culture hun lai a ana om hi tangpi a, tu chiang in drug tel lou in music um thei talua. For me music is blood sweat and rock and roll. Music is my closest communion with God.

i gam a nu le pa ten a ta te uh music lam a pai dingin a hanthawn khol kei ua, a ziak pi pen a hih leh nekmuhna leh ki ngakna tak hi a theihlouh ziak uh ahi. Nang muh dan in nek muhna leh insung khat ki ngak na tak in na thei hia?
Neh muhna di um talua. i officer te uh leh mi poimawh te entertain di mei mei jong a um ngai a ve le.. haha. Bollywood i chih india a dia industry lian pen pawl ahi, Bollywood sung ah artistes, actors, technician, scriptwriters, director’s etc component tuamtuam ki gawm khawm te’n Bollywood bawl khia uh ahi. Hu dan mah in i gam a jong music industry pat khiat theih ding ahi. Music ei lam te’n i et chiang un lasa leh musician te chouh i en ua, hu chi lou technician, sound engineer, lyricist etc te vel jongpoimawh talua ahi. Hi te a dia jong opportunity tam mahmah ahi.

 

JiMMY WiTH HiS FAMiLY

Maban a music lam tawh kisai a na future plan bang khong a?
Music director khat ki hi leh ka ut. Tua hi leh ei singtangmi lah a talent hoih tahtah nei te guide ut huai kasa. Hulou AR Rehman nuai a music zil ut huai kasa. Tu le tu  a ka music school – The Sound of Music hi sangin hi let ka ut a, full-fledged school suah ka ut. Tua banah ka band Traffic Jam next level tung touh pih ka ut. Huchi lou Bollywood project khat leh nih bang neih theih leh ut huai kasa.

Khangthak musician te bang chi dan a ki prepare dingin na hanthawn a.
Music tawh kisai a basic te priority pia ding. Art dang te dan mah in discipline leh education music line ah ong ana poimawh hi. Theoretical approach neih a, music chi tuamtuam te a lungsim ki hong tah neih a poimawh. Tua banah style conscious jong poimawh kasa.Na mel, appearance in jong ban tan e ang panpih ding hi. Athupi pen, Passion, Discipline, Consistency, positive mindedness and character poimoh kasa hi.

Music tawh kisai a na van zat te bang bang a, bang a na favorite guitar?
Ken chu ibanez mah hoih kasa.
Guitars:
Ibanez S series, Custom shop built from Los Angeles
Ibanez Prestige RG 2550, GW zx Pro
Ibanez Artcore
Aria Custom
Ariana acoustics
GT6 boss processor
ibanez Tubescreamer TS9
Marshall amps MG 100 dfx, 250 dfx
Roland Microcube
Changes from time to time too…

Hu chi in Jimmy lawinu'n meh limtak a huan Zogam.com team te tawh ne khawm in hun nuam tak a zah zawh un in ki khen ta uh hi.

 

 

 

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