In the 1970s, the Hippie movement was at its peak and Lou Majaw was among the first to represent this in Shillong by ‘Living the Life’ and through the Music. The long hair he was sporting drew a lot of attention and comment. Not always complimentary.

During the next few years he forms and leads Blood and Thunder. After this, there is a lull and Lou’s musical career awaits the next thing.

This ‘next thing’ is The Great Society which starts of with Lou Majaw (by now a major figure and the essence of a ‘live performance’), and Bert Cooper (the veterans) and novice Arjun Sen. The Band gets more novices in the next year ending up with a lineup that reads - Lou Majaw, Arjun Sen ,Rudy Wallang and Sam Shullai.

This band becomes a vehicle to showcase Lou’s songwriting. It’s also a learning ground for the rest. .The band soon has a cult following and is responsible for bringing in the Blues and Reggae genre of music to the north east region. It is also one of the few bands to depend on original material. As the years go on the members change and leave and Lou goes solo.

Among the other bands he gets together at this point is Ace of Spades with Nondon Bagchi, Lew Hilt and Arjun Sen. This band gets together mainly for ‘The Bob Dylan Fest’ in Shillong on Dylan’s birthday which is another of Majaw’s projects. This is an annual event and over the years has gained quite a bit of press coverage and publicity. The band Ace of Spades also plays sporadic gigs besides the Dylan Fest. 

By now it is the year 2000-odd and Majaw plays solo gigs and with mates from both the afore mentioned bands — sometimes under the name of Lou Majaw and Friends. 

The Great Society which Lou co founded enjoys international acclaim and recognition. It has been at the forefront of the musical scene in Meghalaya, verifiable veterans and the stuff of musical lore. This band is highly influenced by rock, reggae and the blues and has an active 279 number of hit songs to its name. 

The Great Society was formed in the mid ‘70’s with Lou Majaw (vocals/rhythm guitar), Arjun Sen (vocals/guitar) and Bert Cooper (drums) as the founding members. In 1980, Rudy Wallang joined the band as bass player. Soon after, Sam Shullai replaced Bert on drums. When Arjun decided to head out to Delhi, Rudy took up playing guitar and Ferdy Dkhar joined in as the bassist. Despite a series of impressive lineup changes in the twelve years of it’s existence, Keith Wallang on drums, late Babit Jyrwa on drums and bass, Danny Shullai on bass and Bob Lyngdoh on harp, The Great Society is essentially Lou, Arjun, Rudy, Sam and Ferdy. The Great Society disbanded in 1992 but do perform occasionally at reunions such as the Reggae Riddim Festival in February 2001. The Great Society toured the country extensively, earning cult status as one of the most dynamic livewire acts in the country. When The Great Society disbanded, Lou Majaw, singer/songwriter and the main force behind the band, took some time out before getting The Great Society together again with new members. All the while, Lou has been writing new songs and is now working on a solo album. Even though The Great Society split up a long time ago, all ex members have been keeping in touch with each other, the binding force being the fantastic music that they created together. At this point in time, while each of them has grown musically, it appears the urge to re-create their music has become even stronger.

The status of this prolific song writer and the mystique and awe that he radiates has inspired a film on his life and his arduous path to fame. The 40-minute film is on the pony-tailed vocalist by debutant filmmaker Shivajee Ashim Das. 

The film traces the rise of the musician and his contribution in spreading music across eastern India. “If not for Lou, Western music would not have achieved the popularity it enjoys today across the region,” said Das, an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi.

But the man in the spotlight is modest of his achievements. “It is a film not on me and my band. The film has for the first time brought to light the impact of Western music on the lives of common man of the region,” said Majaw. The film is named after Majaw’s band, The Great Society. 

“In a region marred by political turmoil, Lou’s songs are a breath of fresh air. Lou and his friends are no Sufis, yet no less,” said Hussain, a lecturer at the department of Mass Communication at the University of Silchar.

Lou is indeed an unmistakable character in the traditional and conservative society of his home town of Shillong. Extremely unconventional in attire and attitude, he oft turns heads of those not used to seeing an man getting on in years sporting long grey hair, a Vandyke goatee, miniscule shorts, non matching pair of socks, leather wristbands and his ever present carryall bag. He is so influential that people often jokingly attribute climatic changes to him. They go so far as to say that winter has not set in Shillong until and unless Lou abandons his shorts for warmer attire. Often shunned by the more conservative section of society, Lou is the least bothered. All that matters to him is his music and his quest to bring Bob Dylan to the younger generations. Whether he is a saint or a sinner is about as subjective as a question can get. Whatever the popular opinion, we know for sure that Lou rocks, and will continue to do so for many years to come.