View source for Imphal Talkies and The Howlers

{{Short description|Folk-rock band from Manipur, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name            = Imphal Talkies and The Howlers
| image           = ITTH.jpg
| caption         = Imphal Talkies and The Howlers, Festival of Andro, 2015
| landscape       = yes
| origin          = [[Imphal]], [[Manipur]]
| genre           = [[Folk rock]]
| years_active    = 2008–present
| current_members = Yoihenba Chingangbam (Vocal and Guitar), Sachidananda Angom (Guitar), Irom Singthoi (Percussion), Choaba Thiyam (Pena), Karnajit Laishram (Bass Guitar)
}}

'''Imphal Talkies and the Howlers''' is a folk-rock band from [[Manipur]], [[India]]. The band released its debut album ''Tiddim Road'' in 2009, and has since then performed across India and released some prominent albums. The band is known for singing [[protest song]]s about politics, insurgency, human rights issues, and racial attacks in Manipur and across the North-East States of India. Their music has also been associated as working against the  draconian act [[AFSPA]] of 1958, that grant special powers to the [[Indian Armed Forces]] in some states of India, which are branded as "disturbed areas" by the Indian Government.<ref name="e-pao1">{{cite web|url=http://e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=leisure.Rock_Concert.Imphal_Talkies_released_When_The_Home_Is_Burning_By_Ringo_Pebam |title=Imphal Talkies released When The Home Is Burning By Ringo Pebam |publisher=E-pao.net |date= |accessdate=2017-09-29}}</ref> [[Rolling Stone Magazine]], India termed them as the ‘Voice’ of the North Eastern states of India while reviewing their album.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rollingstoneindia.com/imphal-talkies-and-the-howlers/ |title=Imphal Talkies and the Howlers |publisher=Rollingstoneindia.com |date=2013-09-23 |accessdate=2017-09-29}}</ref><ref name="thenortheasttoday1">{{cite web |url=http://thenortheasttoday.com/update-on-imphal-talkies-vocalist-road-accident/ |title=Update on Imphal Talkies vocalist road accident |publisher=Thenortheasttoday.com |date=2016-06-25 |accessdate=2017-09-29 |archive-date=27 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160627052752/http://thenortheasttoday.com/update-on-imphal-talkies-vocalist-road-accident/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The band was also chosen as one of the 33 bands from 33 countries for the music album compilation entitled ''Album of the Revolution'' released in UK by "Un-convention In Place of War Project".<ref name="e-pao2">{{cite web|url=http://e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=leisure.Rock_Concert.Imphal_Talkies_howls_against_environmental_onslaught_By_Jyaneswar_Laishram |title=Imphal Talkies howls against environmental onslaught By Jyaneswar Laishram |publisher=E-pao.net |date=2014-06-06 |accessdate=2017-09-29}}</ref> Recently the band founder Akhu Chingangbam signed a joint [[Human rights|Human right]] activists statement demanding withdrawal of sedition charge and release of Student Activist [[Rinshad Reera]] in [[Kerala]] .<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://keyboardjournal.com/joint-statement-of-human-rights-activists-demand-withdrawal-of-sedition-charged-on-students-of-malappuram-government-college-over-a-poster-they-pasted-regarding-kashmirs-freedom/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190601021808/https://keyboardjournal.com/joint-statement-of-human-rights-activists-demand-withdrawal-of-sedition-charged-on-students-of-malappuram-government-college-over-a-poster-they-pasted-regarding-kashmirs-freedom/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2019-06-01|title=Joint Statement for the release of Students|work=Keyboard journal|access-date=2019-02-23|language=en-US}}</ref>

== History ==
The band was formed by Akhu Chingangbam (vocal and guitar) with Sachidananda Angom (guitar) in 2008. Other band members include Irom Singthoi (percussion), Chaoba Thiyam (pena), and Karnajit Laishram (bass). Imphal Talkies and the Howlers derive their name from the name of a cinema theatre 'Imphal Talkies', in front of [[Kangla Fort]].<ref name="thenortheasttoday1"/> In June 2016, it was reported that the band's vocalist Akhu Chingangbam was involved in a major road accident and was kept in the ICU for some time. Later he was reported to be out of danger, although he suffered minor haemorrhage.<ref name="thenortheasttoday1"/><ref name="e-pao1"/>

== Career growth: albums and song track lists ==
The band has released two albums and twelve single track lists. Their first album in 2009, ''Tiddim Road'', has ten songs which include Ballad of Kishan, Manglan, Mamagi Macha, Leisabi, Nangbu Kanano, Tiddim Road, Imphal Sahar, and Pirang (Tears.<ref name="blogspot1">{{cite web|last=Pradhan |first=Siddharth |url=http://indianbandshub.blogspot.in/2011/09/imphal-talkies-howlers.html |title=Indian Bands Hub: Imphal Talkies & The Howlers |publisher=Indianbandshub.blogspot.in |date= |accessdate=2017-09-29}}</ref> Their second album ''When The Home Is Burning'' (2014) comes with 13 songs, which include, When The Home Is Burning, Napa Thorai Macha, Ode to The Loktak, I Wanna Go To Moscow, Ei Seeragey, Radha Leela, India, I See Blood In Your Hands, Sarkar Gi Thabak, Mr. President Is Coming, Eise Eini Kaorurey, Nostalgia, Nungshi Hidak, and Eegee Nong.<ref name="blogspot1"/> Their Single Track Lists include Eche,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_8Z3Y5-_QY |title=Eche (To Irom Sharmila)- Imphal Talkies |publisher=YouTube |date=2016-02-20 |accessdate=2017-09-29}}</ref> In The Fight, Rise, Hey Juliet,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xpuIceIWho |title=Imphal Talkies - Hey Juliet |publisher=YouTube |date=2016-02-20 |accessdate=2017-09-29}}</ref> Haikhokat Samte! Their Bullets Are Melting In Your Father's Tear, Tomba Gi Esei, AFSPA Why Don't You Go Fuck Yourself?, Local Hero feat. Bonbon,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o9EbvsHMWI |title=Local Hero – Imphal Talkies Feat. Bonbon |publisher=YouTube |date=2016-04-18 |accessdate=2017-09-29}}</ref> Ho Ya Ya, Qutub Minar,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1F4n3yj9YM |title=The Music Project : Imphal Talkies |publisher=YouTube |date= |accessdate=2017-09-29}}</ref> Lullaby,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-j7CkjG5to |title=Lullaby(Official) - Imphal Talkies |publisher=YouTube |date=2013-09-02 |accessdate=2017-09-29}}</ref> and Song For Bangladesh.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgNHB_j3m78 |title=Song for Bangladesh - The Imphal Music Project (feat. Summit Attempt, Sunil, Shankar, Davedutta) |publisher=YouTube |date=2013-07-02 |accessdate=2017-09-29}}</ref>

== Musical style and influences in popular culture ==
Ever since the release of their debut album Tiddim Road in 2009, Imphal Talkies and The Howlers have been quite vocal about social and political issues. Their songs are always tuned to societal issues and needs, and to date their internationally acclaimed single, ''Lullaby'', released in late 2013, shows the continuing living situation of the children of Manipur, under political and insurgency tyranny. Their song Where Have All The Flowers Gone? named after the popular [[Pete Seeger]] [[Where Have All the Flowers Gone?|song of the same name]] also voiced against environmental issue in Manipur.<ref name="e-pao2"/> The album ''When The Home Is Burning'' has pushed the band to its popularity in Manipur and across India.{{Citation needed|date=December 2025}} Released in 2014, the album is a journey into the past. It is a collection of old songs from concerts that Imphal Talkies and the Howlers used to perform in the streets of [[New Delhi]] over the last six or seven years. Songs in this album like India, I See Blood in Your Hands and When the Home Is Burning, written way back in 2007 and 2008, have street influences Other songs in this album like Ei Seeragey, was originally inspired by poet Thangjam Ibopishak's Charamnaraba Keithel Hui from his first poetry book Apaiba Thawai published in 1969. Most of the songs are political and the album is considered as a sense of resistance against political injustice across Manipur and other states in India. Reportedly, some of the band members were thrashed by the Manipur Police who were on duty during the visit of President [[Pranab Mukherjee]] in Imphal in 2013.{{Citation needed|date=December 2025}} This incident apparently led the members to write the song Mr President Is Coming.

== Discography ==

# Ballad of Kishan
# Manglan
# Mamagi Macha
# Leisabi
# Nangbu Kanano
# Tiddim Road
# Imphal Sahar
# Pirang
# When The Home Is Burning
# Napa Thorai Macha
# Ode To The Loktak
# I Wanna Go To Moscow
# Ei Seeragey
# Radha Leela
# India, I See Blood In Your Hands
# Sarkar Gi Thabak
# Mr. President Is Coming
# Eise Eini Kaorurvey
# Nostalgia
# Nungshi Hidak
# Eegee Nong
# Eche (Sister)
# In The Fight
# Rise
# Hey Juliet
# Haikhokat Samte! Their Bullets Are Melting In Your Father's Tear
# Tomba Gi Esei
# AFSPA Why Don't You Go Fuck Yourself?
# Local Hero ft.Bonbon
# Ho Ya Ya
# Qutub Minar
# Lullaby   
# Song For Bangladesh

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Musical groups established in 2008]]
[[Category:People from Manipur]]
[[Category:Indian folk rock groups]]