McGee's Place

The Evolution of Music Online | Off Book | PBS Arts

2012-01-18T05:59:00.000-07:00

Veterans Day 2011

2011-11-11T18:00:00.002-07:00

Friday, November 11th, 2011, after the Phoenix Veterans Day Parade, the 224th Infantry Regiment Korean War Veterans placed a wreath at the Korean War Memorial at the Arizona State Capital. This will likely be the group's final reunion as there are only a handful left. I was honored to be their Piper. God bless you gentlemen, and thank you for your service!

Played Vegas?

2011-09-28T18:30:00.001-07:00

Last year I was asked to play for residents and families at the new Marquis Care at Centennial Hills Skilled Nursing & Rehab Center in Las Vegas. It was a holiday party, and I was the surprise entertainment. I used one of the un-occupied suites on the upper floor for a “Green Room” and I must tell you, these accommodations are VERY nice.

At the appointed time I entered the elevator playing Scotland the Brave and descended to the first floor, exited the elevator and marched into the party. The effect was wonderful. I was introduced and then played another tune, then the guest speakers, followed by a blessing and Amazing Grace. During the meal itself I switched to the small pipes and played to individuals, tables and groups.

I must tell you that the warmth and care exuded by the attentive staff was truly remarkable. This must be one of the finest facilities in the country! So have I played Vegas? Well yes, not “The Strip”, but I was able to help some very warm and caring people brighten the day of individuals who were having a hard time of it. I’ll take my gig anytime!

Slainte mhor! Pops :-)

Thrown in front of the Bus!

2011-09-22T16:42:00.002-07:00

One of the neatest birthday parties I have ever played was for the hostess's husband's 40th birthday. As a surprise present to him she was going to take the celebrant and all guests (some 40 of them) "pub crawling". In a remarkable display of social responsibility she had rented a double-decker London Bus for the job.

I was to meet the bus half a block from the house and out of sight, and then when I received a phone call I was to Pipe the bus up to the house. The call came and to the skirling of Scottland the Brave and The Minstrel Boy I piped the bus up to the house where all were assembling in the front yard. I continued piping while guests and copious provisions were loaded onto the bus, and then as it drove off into the night.

I have always regretted not being able to accept their generous invitation to accompany them on their grand adventure. It must have been quite the party as late the next afternoon I received a call asking if I had found any items left on the bus!

Slainte! Pops :-)

A private service

2011-09-04T13:00:00.002-07:00

It was a beautiful morning to be piping at Roadrunner Park. While working through my tunes a friend approached me with a request. His father had been given 90 days to live and he wanted a Piper for his funeral. He wanted to video tape me so his father could see me perform. I readily agreed and went through Amazing Grace.

Sadly, the appointed day came even sooner than expected. To begin the service I piped Danny Boy in the lobby as everyone was seated. As soon as the service began I left and walked over to the Mausoleum where the interment would be. A short time later the family and mourners arrived at the site and there was a brief additional service.

At the conclusion of the graveside remarks I piped Amazing Grace to each of the four corners, and having finished piping to the East I slowly marched into the East playing Highland Cathedral. The family and mourners departed for the wake, and I and my thoughts left for home. Such days are bitter sweet, drowning in a dark sense of loss and dispair, and then the pipes, breaking the floodgates and releasing the grief.

Happy Birthday!

2011-08-25T19:24:00.000-07:00

It was a fortieth birthday party, and as is often the case with such events the piper was to be a surprise. I arrived at the party on schedule and was met in the front yard by my hostess and the perpetrator of this event. Everything was progressing according to plan.

The party was in the back yard, so she opened the gate on the side yard. I gave her a moment to rejoin her guests, and then proceeded to march in playing a medley of Scotland the Brave, The Minstrel Boy, and The Rising of the Moon.

A brief silence fell over the crowd until they realized what was going on (Pipers are something of a rarity here in Phoenix, Arizona) and then they really started to get into it.

It was a lovely multi generational event with everyone from Toddlers to Gray Beards present. It occurred to me that this is one of the things I enjoy most about what I do, seeing and being a part of extended family and close friends celebrating and interacting with one another.

The birthday boy was singled out for special attention and I piped Happy Birthday to him, and Amazing Grace to his vanished youth!

In all I piped for about half an hour, and before anyone’s eyes started to glaze over I was gone. What a Great Time!

Slainte Mhor!

"Pops"

A Funeral in Yuma, AZ

2011-08-20T07:41:00.001-07:00

Earlier this year I was contacted by a young woman in Yuma (a community in the far Southwestern corner of Arizona) who’s father had just passed away. He had often spoke of having a piper play Amazing Grace at his graveside.

I accepted the engagement without hesitation, and 48 hours later at five in the morning I found myself packing my pipes into the car for a three hour drive down to Yuma. The drive down was uneventful. As the dawn broke over the vast desert ushering in the new day and I arrived at Desert Lawn Memorial Park about two hours early. This gave me ample time to tune and get the lay of the facility. The lush green grounds were a beautiful contrast to the desert I had just crossed.

In due time family and guests arrived, fond memories were shared, and a moving service delivered. This was followed by a salute rendered by a Veteran’s Military Honor Guard, and that followed by my humble piping of Amazing Grace.

The odd thing was that people thought it strange a Piper would drive three hours one way just to pipe for sixty seconds. I guess they can not understand, nor can I adequately explain, how great it feels to provide this “release” for those grieving. The old Celts knew that only the Pipes can provide this.

Slainte,

Pops

A Local Legend

2011-08-15T19:12:00.001-07:00

August 10, 2011: We raise a pint in honor of Frank Murray, a great man who passed away this week.

Frank, a Korean War veteran, moved to Arizona in 1954 and managed a cotton gin in the West Valley during the day while tending bar at night. For over 50 years, Frank was in the bar business in some way, shape, or form.

He worked at the Dubliner Irish Pub before becoming the manager at Seamus McCaffery’s – which he eventually purchased after ten years. And in 2009, he opened the Turf Irish Pub nearby. For those of you who knew Frank, you knew that Phoenix was his town. Frank was a visionary for downtown Phoenix and for that, he will always be remembered as a legend.

“May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the hollow of his hand.”

Slaintè Frank!

Wedding Bagpiping

2011-08-13T09:33:00.002-07:00

I piped for a wedding yesterday down in Gilbert, a small satellite of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan area about 40 miles from home. It was at a facility named Shenandoah Mill. If you are an event planner or wedding planner you really need to give this facility a look.

There is something wonderful about piping for weddings. The gathering of extended family and close friends, the excitement, the little cousins running about, it is just a very warm feeling. For me, a piper, I feel very blessed to be a part of it.

While it was Phoenix in August the temperature was under 100 and there was a breeze. Huge thunderheads were building in the Eastern sky and during giving and taking of vows and rings, three dove briefly circled over the couple. Just beautiful! The assembled guests also took part in the exchanging of vows, something that seems to becoming more common.

After the lighting of the unity candle I piped in from the back playing “Rising of the Moon” (yes, it was an Irish family) and up to the couple. I then led them out, followed by the guests, to the reception line playing “Highland Cathedral”, and continued piping as the reception line passed into the main room.

And then the party began!

"Dog Days of Summer"

2011-05-15T08:27:00.001-07:00

Well, it’s broken 100 degrees in Phoenix so its time to hang up the wool argyle and kilt, and break out the lightweight kilts for Summer. In just a few weeks the one hundred degree mark will seem like “cool” weather!

Actually, this time of year you begin to look forward to the out of town gigs in Flagstaff and the High Country. They give you the much needed excuse to go where its not so hot.

Things seem to slow down a little here in the Summer. Funerals remain relatively constant, but garden weddings slow way down, and so do back yard parties as it gets still warmer. Even the municipal street fairs shut down for the season. But after a busy Spring that is not such a bad thing! J

Be well, I’ll write again soon.

Pops

Another St. Patty's slips into the books

2011-03-19T18:33:00.000-07:00

One more party tonight and we can close the books on St. Patty's 2011. Block parties, street parties, birthday parties, and more than a little "busking". This old man is getting tired! Still, a grand time seems to have been had by all.

Slainte Mhor!

Pops :-)

New Project?

2011-03-16T12:47:00.000-07:00

The Fourth of July is just around the corner, and I am thinking about releasing an “extended play” single. I’m thinking about a medley of The Crusader’s Hymn, The Battle Hymn of the Republic, The Marine Hymn, and America the Beautiful. Politically correct? Maybe not. Offensive to those who want to behead us? I can only hope so.

Anyway, what are your thoughts? All these tunes can be played on the bagpipe’s narrow nine note range and while definitely not “traditional bagpiping”, they really don’t sound that bad together. Please, give me your thoughts on the project.

Slainte,

Pops

St. Patty's Parties

2011-02-08T15:04:00.000-07:00

Well now, as you can see St. Patty’s Day is nearly upon us. And for those of you intending to celebrate with private parties it’s time to start planning your event. Should those plans include a piper I have a word of caution for you.

While there are over six million people in the Phoenix Metro area alone, it has been estimated that there are fewer than two hundred fifty pipers in all of Arizona, not all of whom hire out. Many of us who do have found that a very good time (and obscenely lucrative) can be had simply pub crawling and playing for tips. So they will not be available.
The message is clear if you want a piper for your St. Patty's party contact them as early as possible!

There now. You've been warned. Now party on!

Slainte,
Pops :-)

Down but far from out!

2011-01-27T14:27:00.000-07:00

In keeping with the optimistic view point of my last post I must assume that January has had all the adversity for 2011 rolled into just one month! I had some health problems which were compounded by a lack of insurance, and while they have knocked me down, they have not knocked me out! I am mending well and will be back in the swing of things in February. A huge thank you to all my friends and supporters, without whom this may well have gone a different direction.

Now, it goes without saying that I did not get a new single out in January, and will be doing good to get one out in February. So in March I am shooting to release two. I’ve also had to pass on a few gigs, but that should just about be over with as well.

As you can see, I’m well enough to resume posting, so you’ll be hearing from me more often in the weeks to come.

Don’t forget, St. Patty’s Day is just around the corner!
Warmest regards,
Pops

Goals and resolutuions :-)

2011-01-02T18:56:00.000-07:00

2011! The “oughts” are over. Last year saw things improve dramatically for the McGees, and if this year brings the same progress it will be a very good year indeed! If it is any indication “11” is already off to an auspicious start. I am making bookings all over the state; my singles on CD Baby (http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/MichaelNealMcGee ) are selling. Actually it appears the singles have been selling all along, it is just taking three to four months for the sales from the various digital distributors (iTunes, Amazon, etc.) to post to my CD Baby account.

So what am I committing to do in 2011? I’d like to release at least one single per month, and this coming year have a Christmas album rather just a couple of singles. I’d like to expand my repertoire to include more casual music. I’d like to start “busking” at some of the fairs and festivals. I’d also like to keep my blog more current.

Sounds like I’m going to be hard pressed to get it all in. But the thing I want to do most, and what almost all these goals tie to is that I want more opportunities to share my music with you.

So time is short and I have a lot to do. Better post this and get busy. Oh wait! Posting this is one of the goals.

Have a great year,

Pops :-)

2010 winds down

2010-12-28T09:18:00.000-07:00

Another year has almost passed! There have been many transitions in my household and most have been for the better. While Katy’s passing was a bitter loss, she is in a better place. Other than that we have all kept our health, survived this ragged economy (at least so far) and are doing fairly well.

Record sales are creeping up. The Christmas gig drought has passed and I am getting more bookings. Funny thing about getting gigs and Christmas, if you don’t have a Santa suit they just don’t happen. That’s OK though as it is the best time of the year to be spending with friends and family!

Speaking of Family, my Dad celebrated his 90th birthday this month. I started my grand-niece and my younger brother on the pipes and my younger brother retired from the Phoenix Fire Dept after 35 years.

All in all the McGees have had a very good year and hope that you have as well.

Wishing you a merry and Prosperous New Year,

Pops :-)

December?

2010-12-10T10:04:00.001-07:00

December already! Where did the year go? Looking back there have been some changes. I’ve analyzed my wed traffic and dropped non-performing sites. This obviously wasn’t one of those :-). CD Baby .com is turning out to be a great experience. Gigsalad.com has provided me with more leads than I can handle. Thumbtack.com has also been a very good source of gigs. Surprisingly (at least to me) so has Google maps. I find I am using my Droid as much as my laptop now, and it looks like that will only increase with time and new apps from Gigsalad.com.

This coming year I want to release more singles, a couple extended plays, and maybe even an album. We’ll see. I’ll have to balance that with gigs, oh, and with busking. A late 2010 development! Busking in the Park is morphing into Busking on the street (mostly at street festivals and markets). What a gas that is! I still plan to pipe each morning at the park though.

So, may you and your’s have a joyous holiday season, and I’ll see you around!

Pops :-)

Catching up

2010-11-14T18:08:00.001-07:00

I had a really great weekend! Saturday afternoon I piped for a wedding. Always feels good to be involved in "beginnings". It was a beautiful ceremony. Lots of smiling faces!

Later that evening I had the pleasure of piping for a fiftieth Wedding Anniversary! How great is that combination! Again, it was a lovely, lively party. It was wonderful to see the honored couple surrounded by family and friends, celebrating their life together.

Lately I've been doing a lot of piping in the park. I'm there almost every weekday morning and I really enjoy it. I am beginning to think about branching out into other locations, down town, light rail platforms, flea markets, etc.

I've also released a Christmas carol (God Rest ye Merry Gentlemen), and am working to get another one out before December (Oh Come All ye Faithful). It will be close though because I've got an engagement in Las Vegas, followed by Thanksgiving. Doesn't leave a lot of November!

No excuses!

2010-09-29T11:15:00.000-07:00

OK! No excuses. I have really been sluffing off on the blog posts. I have not been idle though. I have had a full plate with weddings, parties, memorials and yes parades. It is very time consuming to orchestrate this and still pipe and rehearse. However, I do love it.

I’ve got five singles on http://cdbaby.com/artist/michaelnealmcgee now, and I am working very hard to get a Christmas selection up as well. I’d like get the tunes up that I go caroling with. Again though, the issue is time.

I think that this increase in activity is directly attributable to the work I do on Myspace.com, Ilike.com, Facebook.com, Thumbtack.com, this blog site, my websites etc. It just seems that I’m so busy promoting me there is almost no time left to perform! A catch 22 I guess. But again, what fun!

In addition to the local engagements I have a Las Vegas engagement coming up toward the end of November. More on this as it gets closer.

So in the short term I promise to try to stay more current with my posts. Note, I said “try” :-)

Slainte,
Pops

2010-08-06T07:29:00.002-07:00

Wow! June 25! I didn't realize it had been so long. Well whats been going on this past month? I've started releasing mp3s through http://cdbaby.com/ . About one every other week. These are in turn distributed through Amazon, Itunes, Verizon, Myspace, about 40 e-distributers in total, where they can be downloaded as mp3 singles or even ring tones. Its a lot of fun! I'm also working on a Christmas collection to match the tunes I go carrolling with. I hope to realease it by Thanksgiving.

I've moved at least my Monday and Friday parctice sessions to Road Runner Park. Usually from 8:30 to 9:30. It is great fun to watch people trying not to watch you! And, I've met some interesting individuals. I'm also going to try going to Squaw Peak Park this weekend, it has sort of a natural ampitheater and I am curious about the acoustic effect with pipes.

That's about it for now, it's time to load up and head for the park!

Have a great day. :-) Pops

Here Comes the Bride

2010-06-25T06:22:00.002-07:00

Bagpipers are becoming more popular at weddings. Many people are unsure of what the role of the piper at a wedding is, when he should play and what tunes are best.

The Wedding

The bagpiper (at the entrance to the chapel) traditionally pipes guests in and out of the ceremony playing medleys of traditional Scottish marches and aires including Scotland the Brave, etc. It is also traditional but not always requested for the piper to pipe the bride down the aisle, maybe play during the signing of the register and then pipe the newlywed couple out of the ceremony. In my experience the bride has always had a tune in mind for being piped down the aisle and in this part of the world that tune has generally been The Wedding March (“Here comes the Bride”). If asked to play during the signing of the register it is almost always Amazing Grace or occasionally Highland Cathedral.

Afterwards

The next point of call for the piper is to have him play during the taking of the photos (off camera and in the background). Traditionally what the piper plays is at his discretion and will include medleys of marches, jigs and reels to entertain guests. It is often required of the piper to pose in several photos, usually just with the bride and groom and any photos of just men wearing kilts.

At the Reception

The piper is not always required to play at the wedding reception but if he does it is traditional for him to pipe in the guests and then pipe the bride and groom to the top table (and be presented with a whiskey for doing so.) The tune he will pipe the bride and groom in with is usually one that will get guests clapping. Scotland the Brave never fails or Gerry Owen and neither do numbers such as The Minstrel Boy or The Rising of the Moon (AKA The Wearing of the Green).

More is less

As with all piping you must remember the pipes have a loud and commanding presence. Used even slightly to excess they will detract from any service. Therefore this is the most I would consider using a piper at a wedding. Many opt for much less, using the Piper to punctuate the event at one or two key points.

Piper's Field of Dreams

2010-06-12T16:14:00.001-07:00

“Build it and they will come.” Great premise for a movie, but a little out of touch with the real world. If you’re looking to turn a buck with your music you need a strategic approach that will expose the maximum number of people possible to all aspects of your performance, clubs, parties, events, and yes recordings. Each is a facet of your profession that must not only shine, but must seamlessly interlink to every other facet.

Your pub performances should be a platform for promoting your party gigs and recordings, etc. just as your recording should promote your pub gigs and parties and your party gigs should promote everything as well.

Do this on the Web with your various sites and you will go “viral”. That is what you want to do with your music. Use the web as a tool or tactic to help link yourself together into a package that everyone wants a piece of.

Then, play your a$$ off! It’s what you love doing anyway, and that is contagious. Your linked out persona will result in as many opportunities as you need to be in front of your market. Give your performances away if you must in order to be out there. If you build the following, the following will in time take care of you.

That is what must be built and if it is then the dollars will come.

2010 1000 Stand

2010-06-07T11:01:00.002-07:00

2010-1000 Stand is a charitable initiative which provides developing nations access to fresh water via Play Pumps (manually operated water well pumps). Please read more about their efforts at http://1000stand.com/.

To support these efforts I have released a single of Amazing Grace (Amazing Grace / Michael Neal McGee) that will be available through CDBaby, Amazon.com, Itunes, and almost every other source of digitally deliverable tunes. It will cost $0.99, of which $0.70 will go to me. The direct website is: http://cdbaby.com/cd/MichaelNealMcGee

I in turn will donate 100% of all monies received between now and July 16th (my Birthday) to 2010-1000 on July 16th, 2010.

It doesn’t take a government to help your fellow man, just a heart.

Pops

Techno - Piper

2010-05-20T15:01:00.001-07:00

I'm trying to step into this century.. Yes its true, I'm setting up sites on MySpace.com, YouTube.com, Ilike.com, thumbtack.com, twitter.com, trying to inter-link them, my existing websites, and my gigsalad.com site....... good Lord, I thought learning to pipe was difficult! Even with the grandkids showing me what I've done wrong (far more often than I've "done right") I don't grasp it!

I'm thinking that the best thing I can do is leave it to the kids, and go learn a new tune or two. Far less stressful, and for me just as rewarding.

Western Shrine Association

2010-05-14T15:26:00.000-07:00

Well, the WSA (Western Shrine Association) has come and gone. What a great time! Parade units from everywhere. It took almost an hour for all the units to pass (and it was only a fifteen minute parade route through "Olde Towne Tempe"). Old freindships were newed and new ones forged. Fifteen new Nobles were initiated. The City of Tempe and the Tempe Mission Palms were truly gracious hosts. We all came away with a renewed comittment to our Shrine Hospitals and their mission. The very best thing is that "It is all about the Kids"!

Our next Shrine parade isn't until June 19th, up in Prescott Valley. We'll all be ready!

The 5th Street & Farmers Bagpipe Hip Hop Band

2010-04-29T06:06:00.003-07:00

Sometimes we get a little too impressed with ourselves, take ourselves a little too serious and over estimate our place in society. Yesterday I had a “Reality Check”. A friend up in Mohave County called me looking for a bagpiper for a Cancer Awareness Walkathon weekend after next. He couldn’t find one but was certain I could. After scouring my PDA, the internet, and every other contact I had, it suddenly occurred to me that I was the only piper in the area when I left 3 years ago. No matter how important we think we are there simply are not that many of us! We are at best a rare oddity in this part of the world!

White Tanks Cemetery improvements

2010-04-10T11:26:00.002-07:00

I just returned from my weekly visit to White Tanks Cemetery. Though I must confess, with Dad’s recent illness this was the first visit since early March. Regardless, Maricopa County has done a wondrous job of upgrading the landscaping. There are new cinder paths through out the facility, fresh crushed granite everywhere, including the southern half which lacked any improvements until now. There are new benches, and from the looks of it there will be some new trees placed about as well. Is it “Forest Lawn”? No, of course not but it is dignified and does reflect the proper amount of human compassion. Kudos to the Maricopa County Fiduciary. When you got the funds you did the right thing!

A Season of New Hope

2010-04-06T16:10:00.001-07:00

Thursday before St. Patty’s Day and Dad winds up in the heart Hospital. At ninety this was nothing to take lightly. Still, he is a tough old Marine and pulled through in better shape than when he went down. None the less the stress of those two weeks pretty much eclipsed the festivities of St. Patty’s this year. However, the relief brought about by his remarkable recovery has filled us all with new joy. And at Easter no less, a wondrous time to celebrate new hope. I hope the season puts as much spark into your life as well (though without the stress of course).

Slainte,
Pops

Welcome Home

2010-02-24T15:52:00.000-07:00

I had occasion this past Sunday to Pipe a warm “Welcome Home” to one of our veteran’s returning from Afganistan. His friends had gathered at Joe’s Grotto, a local pub, and the vet was actually in Alaska, easily 2,000 miles away! Thanks to the electronic wizardry of Skype and the internet we were all able to see and hear each other just fine. Perhaps not as nice as if he were here at home, but at least he is safely back in country. I will continue to do gigs like this for free as long as I can. Regardless of how you feel about the politics, you must support the young men and women.

Bagpiping for the Desert Foothills Theater

2010-02-07T18:04:00.000-07:00

This afternoon was the final performance of “Unnecessary Farce” by Paul Slade Smith at Desert Foothills Theater. I hope you had an opportunity to see it, Petey Swartz did an outstanding job of directing and the cast were fabulous.

Todd (the character, AKA the Highlander) is living proof that there is such a thing as “Death by Bagpipe”, and it is to be feared!

I want to thank Desert Foothills Theater for inviting me to pipe before each performance, it was a joy. Well, in light of Todd’s method of execution, it was at least a joy for me! Thank you all for a wonderful time.

Pops

The Bagpiper and Gigsalad.com

2010-02-03T15:28:00.001-07:00

http://gigsalad.com has a website where aspiring performers can post their talents, something which you may have noticed I do. Recently they began a feedback/rating/review service on the site. If you have ever seen or heard a performer, hired the performer, etc. you are invited to leave a review. This is much akin to the feedback systems used on Amazon, eBay, and many other sites (excepting it requires no purchase) and is intended to give the potential consumer some insight into what they may be getting.

To hear the performers crying “foul” you would think they had all been told they were being “blackballed”. Concerns about everything from shameless self-promotion to fears of hordes of people “bashing” their favorite performer’s competitors.

And initially some of this may occur. But with a provision to respond to criticism, and a promise to investigate the “irregular” I believe the system will sort itself much as eBay has done. I’ve sold on eBay for almost a decade and seen the feedback system significantly refined, to the benefit of BOTH the buyer and seller. I fail to see that this will be any different.

At any rate, with blind faith in the basic integrity of my fellow man, and a belief that the consumer is entitled to as much information as possible, I have put a link on my contact page at http://mcgeesplace.com inviting all who have heard me to leave a review. At best it will be great for promoting me, and at worst it will help to keep my ego in check!

Slainte,
Pops

Unnecessary Farce

2010-01-30T07:01:00.000-07:00

The year is starting off grand! No Burn’s Night engagements but I have been piping at Desert Foothills Theater before each performance of the play “Unnecessary Farce” by Paul Slade Smith. Petey Swartz is directing it and it is absolutely delightful. It gives a whole new twist to “Death by Bagpipe”. If it comes to your town be sure to see it! You will love it.

On a more somber note, we had a local Police Officer gunned down yesterday morning. He leaves behind a young family. All of this because some dirt bag had an outstanding warrant. So tragic.

Street Art and Artists

2010-01-09T06:17:00.000-07:00

While surfing other blogs I found this post, and thought it might prove interesting to the pipers here. I have no idea who Marion is, he may be a piper, singer or guitarist. Regardless, this common sense approach has merit in my book!

"I'd like to propose the following rules of etiquette for busking, based on my own experiences and intuition.

RELATING TO OTHER BUSKERS

1. Share the best locations. If another busker indicates that they'd like your spot, agree on a time for them to come and take it over (at most one hour later) and then don't leave until they arrive. Conversely, if another busker has the spot you want, ask them how long they plan to be there. And if they're really on a roll when you get back to claim the place, i.e., they have a crowd built up, give them a few extra minutes so their roll isn't broken.

2. Share information. If somebody has harassed you or tried to steal your tips, warn buskers taking over your spot. If a passerby compliments your show, tell them they should come back in an hour and hear the other busker, too.

3. Keep a respectful distance, especially between musical acts. A musical act and a non-musical one can be closer together, but should be careful not to interfere with each other's visibility/traffic flow.

RELATING TO THE PUBLIC

1. Respect a captive audience. If your location is such that everyone who hears you is just passing by, then you can be as repetitious as you want. But if you are close to market vendors or an outdoor cafe or such, don't play the same tune for 10 minutes or sing the same song five times an hour.

2. If you're amplifying your music, keep it at a decent volume.

3. Be careful not to block traffic flow, along the sidewalks or especially access to vendors or stores.

FOR PASSERSBY, ON RELATING TO BUSKERS

1. I've been photographed, filmed, and tape recorded while busking; none of which I minded particularly, but I think it would be reasonable to expect a tip for it.

2. I've had people want to tip me by giving me a two or five and taking back a smaller amount, or just want to change bills for coins; again, I don't mind this, but the person should wait until I finish a tune then ask for permission. Until then, hands out of the case!

3. If you like the music but can't give much or anything for a tip, it's still OK to respond to it (by stopping to listen, letting the kids dance, talking to the busker between tunes etc.). Perhaps some buskers will disagree with this, and be annoyed if someone tips 5 cents or stops to listen without tipping at all. But personally I find that small tips or people responding to the music provides a lot of encouragement. When busking is a crucial part of your income, and you go for a stretch of time without any tips, it can get really discouraging; a kid dancing or someone smiling at me can give me the energy to keep going.

Additions, arguments?

Marion"

Happy New Year

2009-12-31T08:57:00.001-07:00

As we enter the waning hours of the year I suppose some reflection is in order. The question was raised on another site and I echoed it here as to whether or not Piping was in a recession. I put together and posted a little survey. Judging from the responses I can only assume that Pipers are far too busy to take time to reply (read prosperity) or they can no longer afford their internet connection!

This got me thinking (very dangerous). There really are many different economies to consider. If you work for a large company you haven’t seen a raise, probably have experienced some manner of work furlough, and possibly a cut in wages and or benefits, all the while experiencing no cut in living expenses. This economy really sucks!

On the other hand, if you are self employed and you service a local need you are probably doing rather well. You have not experienced any reduction of income and so your purchasing power relative to your neighbor who is sweating out a “pink slip” in his next check has improved.

For example, you are the village Piper. People continue to die (sad but inevitable) and you are continuing to pipe them home. People are depressed about the current economy, but they continue to socialize at the pubs, one of the last amenities surrendered. So, you continue to get gigs there. Now your compensation may not always be in cash (maybe car repairs, meals, chickens, pigs, etc.) but you are still compensated.

Maybe we need to reorganize our society around the micro economy, rather than the macro economy and let the bankers and brokers eat each other.

Just my thoughts at the end of a rather remarkable year. Regardless, have a Happy and far more prosperous 2010.

Slainte,
Pops

A peaceful Saturday

2009-12-27T05:53:00.000-07:00

White Tanks Cemetery is frequently defamed by the media. It is a place where the poor often go as well as those who are “unknown” or "unclaimed". It is Maricopa County's "Potter's Field" and it is maintained and improved out of a very tight county budget, the landscaping lagging behind the burials by years.

But those resting here are not forgotten. All life is sacred and no passing should ever go unnoticed or unmourned. As you can see in the attached video, there are such humble markers as poor families can afford, and judging from the fresh flowers and arrangements I find there every Saturday these graves are visited frequently by loved ones.

Piping recession?

2009-11-22T07:14:00.000-07:00

I read a post earlier this morning questioning whether or not piping was in a recession. Asking if the "Brave heart effect" is wearing off. I guess I was oblivious to the Brave Heart effect! Still it is a valid question in general. If "Paying the Piper" is an option, are we doing more or less than before the crash? In areas like funeral piping where cost is not usually a determining factor how are you doing? Wedding piping is a little more discretionary but still the cost of the piper is not a large percentage of the total cost (usually). Parties and special events may be impacted? And how are receipts from the ever popular pub crawling (not that we would ever cut back on the most fun item!), up or down? I've posted a a little questionnaire and hopefully we can all get some feedback.

Slainte

Veteran's Day Parade

2009-11-08T15:32:00.000-07:00

Well... it seems that on my last visit to the cemetery I managed give my right knee a pretty good twist. While it is bad enough to have to put up with the discomfort, I have now missed the Veteran's Day parade in Anthem yesterday, and will in all likelihood miss the Veteran's Day Parade in Tempe as well. El Zaribah Shrine is participating in both! I just cannot bring myself to pipe from a "float". It just doesn't seem right.

While getting old is better than the only known alternative, it is beginning to have some draw backs!

El Zaribah Shrine Ceremonial

2009-10-19T04:33:00.001-07:00

Saturday I had the honor and pleasure of piping for the El Zaribah Shrine's fall class of 2009 initiation. Seventeen new nobles were brought into Shrinedom!

A hearty welcome to you all! There is much hard work ahead for you, but it will be the most rewarding work you can possibly imagine. As exemplified in the Arch Degree, the need is great. But just as great is the fellowship of good men doing great work.

Our Ceremonial was held at the Nautical Inn in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. This is the home of the London Bridge (sort of an oddity for a desert city). Google it, it is an interesting read.

The Fallen

2009-09-05T13:57:00.001-07:00

First of all I realize that it is usually a mistake to post anything "political" on this forum. However, that being said, I attended my first Patriot Guard Riders funeral today. It was very moving, for many reasons none the least of which was the tear filled expressions of thanks from the freinds and family.

The purpose of the PGR honor guard was to shield the family and loved ones of the deceased from the obscenities and insults of a group of Topeka "Christians".

Suddenly it occurred to me what a great honor these protestors were paying to the deceased. Captain Corey Jenkins gave his life to insure them the freedom to hurl insults and obscenities at his greiving family. Such was the value he placed on personal liberty.

Captain Jenkins, you are a far better man than I!

2009-08-03T19:47:00.001-07:00

I’ve read the bios on so many pipers now and there seems be some very common threads. They fall into the one or more of these categories:

1.) I am the most experienced piper alive (at least in this area).

2.) I play at the highest level possible (as defined by those who should know).

3.) I am very competitive and have won many prestigious awards (surely you’ve heard of them).

4.) I have been playing most of my life (maybe even longer).

Wow, not much room there for anyone else!

Well, I thought I should write my bio.

“I am a piper who plays for the joy of playing. I leave and always will leave competition to athletes, businessmen etc. and of course to many bagpipers. I have no idea what level I play at I only know that it brings me great joy, and if you enjoy hearing me play I will be happy to play for you as well. I will not play for anyone who has not already heard me play, and I will only play for such a person at thier request. I do believe that if my piping is advertised, promoted, and whored out like a business the joy will leave and I can’t bear to think of that. I also believe the joy is contagious and infects those who hear me. So it is my mission to protect the joy my piping brings, and share with those who so desire. Nothing more, nothing less.”

A passing

2009-07-05T07:12:00.000-07:00

I parted with an old friend this past week. I closed my Ebay store. for over a decade I have been importing and selling bagpipes, harps, bodhrans, sporrans, pins, brooches, etc. With the recent economic meltdown I had a horrible holiday sales season, and with our moving, and starting a new company there just wasn't time. I sadly put the remaining inventory in storage and vowed to re-open upon retirement.

Now I will focus on my own piping with what free time I have! Things are beginning to settle down and I have actually found time to play again. I discovered that horses (the neighbor has four) have a fine appreciation for piping, which of course is what you would expect from such a noble beast! And, as I have told you before, my dogs love to sing along. All in all it is quite a spectacle.

While the neighbors themselves have yet to express their opinion on piping, at least they have not shown up at the door with pitch forks and torches!

All things considered life is getting back to a pretty good place. :-)

Slainte,
Pops

A "New Day"

2009-07-02T19:19:00.000-07:00

Arrrgh... We are finally moved out of the old digs and into the new. It's a "Horse Property" about a mile north of the old location. No horses, but lots of construction equipment, and now after almost a month I can get back to my pipes!

Tonight they really punished me! After four weeks without touching them my lips and cheeks "blew out" in no time at all. Its going to take a little time to get it back I'm afraid. But hey, its Summer, parties, parades, camping , a few weddings, a GREAT time to be a piper (but then any time is a great time to be a piper if you think about it.)

Enough rest, back to the pipes you slackard! Blow, blow your lips off! Swear you'll never leave them alone so long again! :-)

Slainte,

Pops

Extended absence!

2009-06-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

Wow, it has been a while. A lot has happened and is happening. The Family is lauching a new business venture, a construction company, and all hands have turned to. Doesn't have anything to do with piping, but it sure sucks up every available minute. My poor pipes are sitting over in the corner chair giving me a very baleful look. I've got to get my act together though as there are parades just around the corner, and a wedding coming up, not to mention several birthdays..... it is bad to be a slacker!

Breast Cancer Relay

2009-05-01T12:50:00.000-07:00

The local pub (Joe’s Grotto) participated in a 12 hour Breast Cancer Relay May 1st. The enthusiasm was such that the pub patrons, headed by Kellee, a survivor, actually signed up two full teams of participants. Initially, they had asked me to Pipe the two teams around the course, a task I would have been honored to perform. Sadly, organizers got in the way. Regardless, there still was an entire Kilted contingent from the pub. Let me be perfectly clear, this was an event the pub was participating in, not hosting.

By the time you are my age you can not help but have been touched in some way by the tragedy of this awful disease. It is wonderful to be able in some small way to contribute to the fight against this bane.

So Jan, Liz, Tori, Kellee, here’s to you ladies and to your good health. You beat it and God willing so will many others!

Pops

2009-04-23T20:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Mr. McGee:

First: Good website!

I am of Scot/Irish descent and there are questions I have and would like answered. I'm having a difficult time getting the proper history about my heritage
...why are the bagpipes played at funerals? I can't find the answer to where they started, why it is done, and when was the origination. …..where I might learn more about the tradition of playing the pipes at funerals? It is a wonderful thing..."piping someone Home"...

Thanks for your help.
Judith Bingham

Dear Ms. Bingham, I wish there were some beautiful story or even some glorious tale I could regale you with explaining why Pipes are played at funerals. The truth though is a little sad and certainly a blemish on our history.

It would seem that when the Irish and Scotts were "displaced" by the Land Clearances of the early nineteenth century many immigrated to our shores. Like most new arrivals they were less than welcome. There was great resentment against them and employment was extremely difficult to find. "No Irish Need Apply" was a sign found in almost every window. The exceptions of course were those jobs considered dangerous or not desirable, such as police officer or fire fighter.

And so it was that our fore fathers gravitated to these occupations no one else wanted. These were and remain occupations which engender a strong sense of comradeship and when coupled with a common heritage the bonding is doubly strong. They are also professions with a tragically high mortality rate. And so it was that when one of these brothers fell he was honored by his comrades in a traditional manner, which in this instance included "Piping the departed home". The soul wrenching skirl of the Pipes touched all who heard it and in a very short time they became associated with funeral services in general. From there the Pipes have gravitated to Honor Guards of every sort.

It goes without saying that this is the most solemn act a Piper can perform, escorting the Fallen to the Gates.

Warmest regards, Michael McGee

El Zaribah Shrine

2009-03-21T14:40:00.000-07:00

Late yesterday afternoon was the spring equinox. The gray cold grip of Winter gave way to the new life of Spring, life once again returning to the World.

Today, the first full day of this season of re-birth I was privileged to Pipe for the new Nobles of El Zaribah Shrine. New Nobles stepping forward from our Masonic ranks, to carry on our work, and the work of all who have gone before.

Nobles of the El Zaribah Spring Class of 2009, we salute you!

Slainte,
Pops

Yet another St. Patty's :-)

2009-03-19T17:59:00.000-07:00

Well, Saint Patty’s day 2009 has come and gone. A brief five days and evenings of parties, pubs, and suds. Now the public demand for pipers will return to normal (near zero). Try pub crawling with your pipes for the next 51 weeks and you are more apt to incur bodily harm than free drinks. Still for a glorious 120 hours the public could not get enough of us! If you had a particularly unique experience or captured that once in lifetime photo share it with the world. Send it to gopiper.com and we’ll post it with everyone else’s. Or leave it here as a comment and I’ll “cut and paste” it over for you. Keep the party alive!

Slainte,
Pops

Tune it D*#mn it!

2009-02-26T16:33:00.000-07:00

I'm not much in favor of "Cutting and Pasting" Blog Posts but Nate over at keydetpiper.com has posted a very good blog. Rather than commenting on "tutored" versus "self-trained" pipers he focuses on the primary problem with many self-trained pipers. ie. They don't TUNE THIER INSTRUMENT. Listen up lads, no one would tolerate a guitarist who was seriously out of tune.

Here follows a re-print of Nate's post. Its a very good read.

"As much as I hate to admit it, not everyone likes bagpipes. Yes, I know it’s hard to believe, but there are people dislike or even outright hate bagpipes. Just do a search for “I hate bagpipes” and you’ll find a plethora of sites devoted to the hating of the instrument I love.

I have this theory that goes like this: “If you don’t like the bagpipes, you’ve probably never heard them played correctly.” I will be the first to admit that listening to bad bagpipes is a terrible experience. The best way I’ve found to describe it is sushi. Good sushi is a wonderful dining experience, but bad sushi will have you in the bathroom retching your guts out. Bad bagpipes have a similar effect.

The problem is that most people don’t have an opportunity to hear good piping. If someone only hears pipes that sound like this, or this, or this, there’s no wonder the instrument has a bad reputation. Those performances have all the musicality and tonal quality of banging pots and pans together, and most people would recognize that it isn’t really music.

So the question is how to expose the general populace to better piping. It doesn’t have to be top-notch playing, but it should be close to in tune with correctly-played embellishments and some sense of rhythm. I offer a two-part solution.

First, if you are a decent player, play often in the public eye (or ear). I play outside all the time when the weather is nice, and your local park is a great place to get some playing in while exposing the non-piping public to decent playing. The more they hear good piping, the better off everyone will be.

Second, educate the poor pipers that most people usually end up hearing. Once a piper learns how to tune his or her pipes, the result is much more pleasant on the ears. I think the problem with a lot of the buskers and street bands is that they haven’t been taught properly in the first place, so they themselves don’t really know how the pipes are supposed to sound.

There’s my recommendation for how to improve the pipes’ public image: better pipers should play more where the public can hear them, and we should all work together to improve ourselves and our peers as pipers."

elegant solution

2009-02-09T13:53:00.000-07:00

I had just gone into the garage to begin my practice session when once again my base drone reed found its way out of the drone and into the bag ( a non-zippered hide bag). My son who was working on another project asked for a quick definition of some of the explicatives that followed and what was the cause. Now he is a rather fine mechanic and when I explained the situation he came up with a most elegant solution. He went over to his tool box and took out a set of taps. He then “threaded” all my reed seats, in both the drones and the chanter. I doubt I will ever drop another reed! Thanks son!

Macnish Distillery Pipe Band Volume 3

2009-01-06T15:41:00.000-07:00

It is always good to start the new year off with something pleasant, something to look back on and smile. In a previous post back on December 11, 2008 I told you about sending my kitchen pipes back to Jim at Scott’s Highland Services, LTD. Well they came back, totally restored and in great working order. I spent the evening annoying the family and dogs... just had a wonderful time. When my lips finally gave out I spent some time listening to the new CD Jim sent me, the "Macnish Distillery Pipe Band Volume 3". Now I don't sound all that great, but the CD, well that's another story. This is a GREAT CD. The band is based in St. Thomas, Ontario and has successfully competed for over three decades throughout Canada, The US and Scottland. They have recently changed their name back to the "St. Thomas Police Pipe Band", a name they had previously carried for many years. Get a copy, you will be delighted. Now, where is that dog hiding?

Wishing you and yours a Happy New Year!

2008-12-28T09:37:00.001-07:00

Well, looking at the calendar this will probably be the final post for the year, so some closing thoughts may be in order.

I had something of an epiphany this week. I was driving down the road and noticed all the graffiti. It occurred to me that in general the only person who normally sees it is the tagger who did it. Then it hit me! Cyber space is just one big vacant building. And 99.99% of us posters are just cyber-taggers. We put up the best sites we can, we are very pleased with our work, and we haven't a clue how to drive traffic to our sites. I did some research on the visitor activity on my blog, and found that the most heavily visited page was one of the earliest posts. It contained a semi-erotic picture of a European performer. It gets hits from all over the globe even now, six months later, while the other posts get random hits if any! Hmmm... I wonder if there is data base of erotic bagpipe art?

The really important thing to remember is that we love Piping. The cyber world is just a place to go when the lips give out! Have a great and prosperous New Year! See you again in 2009.
Pops

Piping... Who Cares? Just do it!

2008-12-24T19:35:00.000-07:00

I was just reading a discussion board where the topic de joure was “How do you ask a bad piper to stop playing?” and I wondered, why would you? If you don’t like it move on, if those listening do like it (why else would they be listening) leave them alone, they’re having a good time.

I thought back a few years to an event where our club had retained an Elvis and a Neil Diamond impersonator. No one thought them the real thing, or held their music to that standard (besides it was kareoke), yet everyone had a great evening.

I think more people piping and enjoying pipers is far more important than all pipers sounding the same (no matter how good that may be.) For Christ sake people, just do it! You’ll be amazed how much fun you have.

Worthy of your patronage!

2008-12-11T15:23:00.000-07:00

As we are all out shopping this time of year I want to share one of the best customer service experiences I have ever had. I have a set of "Kitchen Pipes" made by Scott’s Highland Services, LTD. I purchased these back in 2004. I always thought it strange that these pipes which produce a much lower volume than my GHBs would be noticeably harder to blow. You know, one of those things you always intend to inquire about but never get around to.

Well, I finally sent Jim at Scotts Highland Services an email asking about this phenomena. Not only was he full of useful suggestions, he insisted I return the pipes to him for a complete refurbishing. It is a rare thing for me to encounter a manufacturer who is so proud of his product as to offer this level of support. In fact, you would have to call him a craftsman, not a manufacturer.

Good on you Jim!"

The Holidays begin

2008-11-29T10:19:00.000-07:00

Well here we are, with only two days left in November. Despite an overload of Thanksgiving turkey, I have finished prepping and practicing my Christmas set. First I’ll inflict it on family and friends, and then it’s off!

And, while I’m goofing around with Christmas, I will begin prepping for St. Patty’s day.

I also want to pick up another march or two as I have six parades between now and the next Shrine Ceremonial in March (right after St. Patty’s.)

It is just one continuous cycle. But such fun!!

Sharon and I want to take this opportunity to wish you and those you love the Merriest of Christmases and a Happy New Year.

Anthem Veterans' Day Parade

2008-11-09T16:42:00.000-07:00

I piped for El Zaribah Shrine in yesterday’s Veteran’s Day parade at Anthem, Arizona. It was a little over two miles in length and I learned some valuable lessons. I was the solo piper immediately behind the Color Guard, and just in front of the Legion of Honor.

Lesson number one: Although the first mile and a half is up hill do not complain, the last half mile is a real downhill treat.

Lesson number two: Because the crowd is intermittently spaced along the parade route they can not appreciate your piping on vacant stretches of the route. Save your breath for when you have an audience!

Lesson number three: If you don’t have a lot of non-Celtic marches and you are following the Color Guard, play obscure marches, and resolve to learn a few “American” marches by the next parade.

Lesson number four: Finally, and this is true for everything, do not take yourself too serious. Have fun, this is not a dress rehearsal.

See you at our next parade!

El Zaribah Shriners

2008-10-27T14:56:00.000-07:00

I just returned from Lake Havasu City in western Arizona. I had the pleasure of leading the 2008 fall class of Shriner Candidates on their mile long parade through town, and then Piping for the Arch Degree in that evening’s ceremonial. It gave me pause to think of just how blessed most of us are, not just for our own health, but for the health of our children and grand children.

All day on the way up and then again the morning of the parade I was totally focused on performing for the Shrine. However, as I watched and participated in the Arch Degree, which is a celebration of the great work done by the Shrine hospitals, I realized what larger blessings life gives most of us.

So, here’s a toast to your good health and to the good health of those you love. May you never need the Shrine and may you always know they are there.

Slainte

Reeds for your Bagpipe

2008-10-05T07:02:00.000-07:00

Just in case there is anyone out there who actually follows this blog, you will notice that I have posted a link to Chris App's website. Now I know this will appear to be a bit of shameless whoring (advertising), but the truth is Chris has some excellent on-line videos on reed adjustment and maintenance. There is also a lot of very good information on reeds in general. I hope he will forgive me for saying so but by following his video directions it is really quite easy to make even Paki reeds serviceable.

Naturally, he also has an outstanding product line at very reasonable prices when you consider he will custom build to your specifications. Good on you Chris! :-)

2008-10-01T09:31:00.000-07:00

This was written by an Anah Shriner Highlander regarding an incident prior to a parade in Bangor Maine

WHY WE MARCH
An Experience Related By Highland Drummer Noble Tony Smith

Friday afternoon, August 22nd, we were tuning up for the Sea Dog gig under the Joshua Chamberlain Bridge prior to the opening of the Folk Festival. We were approached by a Maine family; a Mom, Dad along with the approximate 3 or 4-year-old child in a stroller. The child’s mother kept waling towards us shouting: “THANK YOU”, THANK YOU”. At first from a distance it wasn’t apparent why she was saying thank you. I was thinking she may have thought we were one of the traveling bands there for the Folk Festival and was happy to see a pipe band in the lineup.
That certainly was NOT the case. She saw the ANAH logo on the Bass drum and knew exactly who we were. She pointed to her child’s prosthetic legs and said that is the work of the Shriners Hospital. “THANK YOU so much for what you do, ALLYOU SHRINERS, THANK YOU”. This child was wearing shorts and sneakers and if she had not pointed out they were prosthetic, then I probably wouldn’t even noticed.
This family was very grateful for the work Shriners hospital had done for their child and even watched our band’s performance. They wanted us to convey their thanks and gratitude to ALL SHRINERS for the hard work they do to support the hospitals and families of patients.
Hearing this really brightened up that late Friday night drive to Manchester for the Northeast Shrine Field Days which followed the Sea Dog gig.

Learning to play the Bagpipe

2008-09-05T08:26:00.001-07:00

I was watching the ads appearing on the side bar here and I saw one for”learn2pipe” a DVD tutorial by Pipe Major R Pinkman. Well… I decided to give it a try.

It was without doubt the best $40.00 I have ever spent! Mr. Pinkman’s course is complete, sufficiently detailed, and VERY well illustrated. He walks you through the very basics of holding the chanter properly, finger positions on the chanter, the scale, grace notes, doublings, triplings, tachums, grips or leumluaths and toarluaths and includes a nice repertoire of tunes. Naturally you must provide the effort to practice.

Now, will this make you a piper in 48 hours? Absolutely not! But, if you live far from a qualified instructor as I have for most of my life, then this is the very best alternative I have ever seen and I must tell you I have tried many. If you treat each lesson as a private tutoring session, practicing diligently each week in between, you will amaze yourself. In addition you will not spend much of your life as I have “un-learning” mistakes.

This package can be ordered at learn2pipe.com. Do not be put off by the basic nature of Mr. Pinkman’s web page; after all it is his teaching you are buying not his skill as a graphic designer. As soon as you make payment, you will be directed to a website where you can download the entire course onto your computer or play it directly from the Web site. The DVDs will arrive by mail with in a few days.

If you want to learn to pipe and for whatever reason can not get a qualified instructor then you must get this course. It is just that good!

Medeival experience in the 21st century?

2008-08-19T16:26:00.000-07:00

And so, as I sat around I began to ponder….. How bad would it be to become a Ren Fair/SCA vendor? Have a small enclosed trailer to transport your pavilion and wares, traveling from one event to the next, and then returning home for the Winter. You could simultaneously sell your wares on Ebay and at the event, running all your credit transactions through Paypal or some such service.

A good source of inventory would be critical, from a wholesaler who could ship timely to different locations as you traveled. Deciding what to sell would be a challenge. Establishing price points for the product could also be an issue. There is also the merchant’s fee to consider as well as various local sales taxes. Also there is the cost of living on the road. I'm sure it wasn't this complicated in Middle Ages!

Wouldn’t it be grand though! I used to ride a motorcycle, and I attended many of the larger rallies. The merchants were always a main attraction. You knew they had substantial mark-ups, but it was all stuff you had never seen before. Very exciting.

Selling your wares by day, piping by the fire of an evening, all the while traveling the country with some rather colorful individuals.

Sadly, as a consultant by trade my first inclination is to develop a Business Plan, and then there goes the Majik!

First Bagpipes, now the kilt?

2008-07-31T18:42:00.000-07:00

Mike,

I saw this on the internet,

"After all this, it is hardly a surprise to learn that the kilt and tartan, too, are not quite the Scottish traditions that they seem. Sad to say, the kilt was invented by an Englishman, Thomas Rawlinson, who came to Scotland in the 1720s to manage an ironworks in the Highlands. Rawlinson observed that while the actual native costume of the Highlanders — the long belted cloak called the plaid — might have been suitable for rambling over hills and bogs, it was "a cumbrous, inconvenient habit" for men working at a furnace. So he hired the tailor of the local army regiment to make something more "handy and convenient for his workmen" by "separating the skirt from the plaid and converting into a distinct garment" — the kilt. This symbol of Highland tradition, as Trevor-Roper notes, was "bestowed ... on the Highlanders, not in order to preserve their traditional way of life, but to ease its transformation: to bring them off the heath and into the factory." As with so many of the tales Trevor-Roper has to tell, the truth may not be as romantic as the legend, but its irony makes it no less compelling."

Ron F.

My god man, no one challenges our belief in Davey Crockette, Daniel Boone or Casey Jones! Reality is way over rated. Protect the legend. It's all that brings beauty to this otherwise drab existence. ;-)

15th Century Bagpiping anyone?

2008-07-27T16:25:00.000-07:00

Well it looks like I’m in for a unique experience. I have been invited by Clan Amuck to attend the SCA War at Mormon Lake as their bagpiper. Period attire required. It immediately raises two questions in my mind. Exactly what pieces are period (14-15th Century) appropriate? And more importantly, is the bagpiper classed as a combatant?

The first question is not too great an issue as the Clan Chief advised me to just play “what ever”. Scots Wha Hae to march them into battle. Scotland the Brave and Minstrel Boy while they are flailing away at each other…. I don’t know.

The second issue though is of some concern, for both me and my bagpipes. I’ll need to get a little more information here! I think my youngest son has made the wisest choice, he is going as the Clan "Brew Miester" and entering the brewing competition. I guess the worst that can happen there is he could be carried off as "spoils of war".

Polish them drone bores?

2008-07-25T20:32:00.000-07:00

Well, I don't know that there is an absolute "correct" answer, but here is what the lads on Bob Dunsire's forum seem to think!

"That said, there's no proof that highly polished bores create better tone. The old bagpipes, made on treadle lathes, don't have polished bores and yet they produce the best tone. Besides, the tuning chambers and drone bells don't have highly polished bores, and it's often said that these sections of the drone bore are what produce the better tone.Then again there are those who say 'its all in the longjoint bore.'
_________________________Iain Sherwood

A polished surface allows water vapor to condense far more rapidly than an un-polished surface because you're decreasing the surface area of bore.Compare this to frosted glass vs smooth glass. Water vaper condenses to form droplets far more quickly on smooth glass than on frosted glass.Mark

I remember a fad for drone polisishing some years back. Several Highland bagpipe dealers advertised the service. Aside from removing metal burrs and paper curls with pictures of queens and presidents from the drone who ordered the polishing, I never heard any improvement in tone. And not one experienced player I have ever asked has said, "Och, aye, you must get that done, and straight away!" Several suggested that they haven't even got a clue what their bores look like, really. As Iain, Richard, and Robin are saying, it may not do a thing for your tone. Do any top players swear by polishing?

Twenty years ago I polished the bores of my drones and noticed a slight increase in volume and brightness. I'm not entirely certain it was worth the effort. Mostly I concentrated on the bottom joints of each drone. I did the polishing with a piece of drill rod held in a variable speed drill. I wrapped the end with two sided tape and then twisted steel wool onto the tape to make a polishing head. With fine steel wool the effect is more of a burnishing than removal of material. I finished up with a twist of nylon stocking soaked in bore oil. The bottom joints came out very slick indeed.

From Bob Dunshires forum:That said, there's no proof that highly polished bores create better tone. The old pipes, made on treadle lathes, don't have polished bores and yet they produce the best tone. Besides, the tuning chambers and drone bells don't have highly polished bores, and it's often said that these sections of the drone bore are what produce the better tone.Then again there are those who say 'its all in the longjoint bore.'
_________________________Iain Sherwood

From Bob Dunsire's forum:
http://www.bobdunsire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=462128#Post462128

New trends in Bagpiping

2008-07-21T13:25:00.000-07:00

So where will bagpiping go from here? There can be no doubt that the main thrust for some time to come will be the traditional Bagpiping. Rigidly defined and steeped in the traditional image of the Bagpiper and the Bagpipe band. And this is as it should be. This is the image the public holds dear and conjures up when hearing bagpipes, and the public is the consumer. As in everything else, the marketplace defines the product.

But there seem to be new trends as well, as evidenced by groups like the “Bagpipe Barabarians” and “The Heathen Highlanders”. And while most bands now perform a version of Queen’s “We Will Rock You” (sometimes even in public), Rock and Country artists alike are beginning to explore the bagpipe’s potential .

As a child growing up in the USA I remember when the Guitar was associated only with “Cowboys” and classic Country Western music. Then folk artists, balladeers, rockers and new agers all grabbed a piece of it. Who is to say the same thing is not happening with the bagpipes.

GallowBlogging...: Bagpipe dream - glorious history of Scotland's iconic instrument is made up, says expert

2008-07-15T17:07:00.000-07:00

GallowBlogging...: Bagpipe dream - glorious history of Scotland's iconic instrument is made up, says expert

Highland Bagpipers, a recent thing?

2008-07-14T12:08:00.000-07:00

I couldn't sleep last night and so I spent some time banging around the net. I found an interesting article on a blog called the Ochophobist. It was in the April '08 posting, about half way down and titled Stage Highlanders, Triumph of Cheap Cute. As I read the article, the author is proposing that today's "Bagpipers" are a homogonized, "Disneyfied" invention of the Victorian era. My first thought was that this was bunk, but then I began thinking, how is it that bagpipers EVERYWHERE look so very similar? Why is the music so rigidly interpreted? It seems that the major difference between performances is skill and execution, rather than artistic interpretation. For example, if you were color blind how different would any two bagpipe bands in the world be? Food for thought. Why is it bagpipers wear kilts, how does that impact the music? It seems a little strange that a tradition supposedly going back 800 years, originating in extremely rural and remote glens and valleys would produce such a uniform and standard product. Now the author's assertion that bagpipes themselves were not invented until the Victorian era is clearly in error as there are historical references from much earlier periods. I'm willing to bet however that those Bagpipes and the GHBs we see today were very dis-similar. I'll bet the music was also.

St. Patty's Day at the Celtic Curtain

2008-07-13T07:58:00.000-07:00

Kevin invited me to busk me bagpipe at his pub (The Celtic Curtain) for St. Patty's day. I was there from Three in the afternoon until Ten in the evening with my son Evan (directly behind the buxxum young wench). Ev is learning to play the bagpipe, but he sings an absolutely outstanding repertoire of Celtic songs. Most are drinking songs although he also does many ballads, and a lot of music made popular by the Wolftones. His infectious personality quickly captures any crowd and sucks them into the party. We spent some time outside on the side walk to chum in patrons, but most of the time was spent inside. By 8 pm almost everyone was well fed with Kevin's outstanding fare, and well, pretty well into their cups. By request I closed my last set of the evening with Amazing Grace (remember most of the Celts here were "Celts for a day"), and as I looked around the room at 200 drunken Celts and Celtic Wannabes singing along at the top of their lungs I knew it was time to "get out of Dodge".

an error in judgement

2008-07-13T07:10:00.000-07:00

It would appear that I made a critical error in judgement Thursday night. Rather than risking inclimate weather and driving up North to paint on the cottage, I elected to stay home and dry. Had I gone North I would have been working in a small house, painting interior walls, making minor repairs, hanging pictures, etc., and just maybe been able to squeeze in a little time for piping.

Instead, I stayed home in a large house, dinking with the lawn, making minor repairs, hanging pictures, etc. and was able to squeeze in a little time for playing my bagpipes. Hmmmm.... Well, there is always today.

A truly sweaty day

2008-07-11T16:01:00.000-07:00

I was planning to head to the high country today to work on my bungalow. However, the monsoon rolled into Arizona last night with a vengance. Today there is storm activity forcast for the entire state so I stayed home.

The humidity makes going outside unpleasant so I am pretty much staying inside. And while it gives me a chance to play my bagpipes, niether the wife nor dogs are particularly happy about the whole thing!