Comments on: Idiom http://www.dunaber.com/2008/06/23/idioms-guide-to-the-galaxy/ by Michael Grey ... Wed, 03 Dec 2008 23:26:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.3 By: Sean Mc http://www.dunaber.com/2008/06/23/idioms-guide-to-the-galaxy/#comment-1293 Sean Mc Tue, 24 Jun 2008 06:20:37 +0000 http://www.dunaber.com/2008/06/23/idioms-guide-to-the-galaxy/#comment-1293 Ahh...the Reelpipe medley intro...cool, fun to play, but everyone else does it too. So, Mike, have you ever heard a band coming into the circle for a medley at the slow march? Or come into the circle with a 12/8? (that's probably not too out there..) What about coming into the circle playing a Jig? ANYTHING but the lately typical "Reelpipe"!?!? Ha, when's the last time a grade 1 band entered a medley comp playing an old 4/4??? Your thoughts Mike? Appreciated, as always! Sean Ahh…the Reelpipe medley intro…cool, fun to play, but everyone else does it too.

So, Mike, have you ever heard a band coming into the circle for a medley at the slow march? Or come into the circle with a 12/8? (that’s probably not too out there..) What about coming into the circle playing a Jig? ANYTHING but the lately typical “Reelpipe”!?!? Ha, when’s the last time a grade 1 band entered a medley comp playing an old 4/4???

Your thoughts Mike?

Appreciated, as always!
Sean

]]> By: mike http://www.dunaber.com/2008/06/23/idioms-guide-to-the-galaxy/#comment-1294 mike Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:50:49 +0000 http://www.dunaber.com/2008/06/23/idioms-guide-to-the-galaxy/#comment-1294 Yes to all. The 78th Fraser HPB, the vintage of the band when I played with them, started with a free form Irish air, "Laggan Love Song". The late 80s and early 90s saw 12/8 march intros very popular ("Glasgow Week in Hamburg", "Up to the Line", "Brig. Snow", etc). The same vintage of 78th opened up a medley at the 1992 world championships with a pipe version of a waulking song (note the next season rules were changed to set a minimum "60 paces per minute" intro). So for competing bands in the UK (and for those competing in the UK) the rules are pretty strict around how a selection of music must begin (and I cannot tell you the reasons behind this). M Yes to all. The 78th Fraser HPB, the vintage of the band when I played with them, started with a free form Irish air, “Laggan Love Song”. The late 80s and early 90s saw 12/8 march intros very popular (”Glasgow Week in Hamburg”, “Up to the Line”, “Brig. Snow”, etc). The same vintage of 78th opened up a medley at the 1992 world championships with a pipe version of a waulking song (note the next season rules were changed to set a minimum “60 paces per minute” intro). So for competing bands in the UK (and for those competing in the UK) the rules are pretty strict around how a selection of music must begin (and I cannot tell you the reasons behind this). M

]]> By: aberthoff http://www.dunaber.com/2008/06/23/idioms-guide-to-the-galaxy/#comment-1295 aberthoff Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:55:40 +0000 http://www.dunaber.com/2008/06/23/idioms-guide-to-the-galaxy/#comment-1295 I remember the World's Waulking Song medley well: an RSPBA steward came up to us before the march-past. "Ah've got guid news for you! You havnae been disqualified," he says. Then of course the band was seventh or eighth or 78th for all it mattered. The RSPBA was smart. They knew that DQing the band would have resulted in a stramash and the 60 BPM quickmarch starter rule never would have happened. But seventh prize told other bands that they shouldn't try to be so cute. And they haven't . . . for 15 years, anyway. I remember the World’s Waulking Song medley well: an RSPBA steward came up to us before the march-past.

“Ah’ve got guid news for you! You havnae been disqualified,” he says.

Then of course the band was seventh or eighth or 78th for all it mattered.

The RSPBA was smart. They knew that DQing the band would have resulted in a stramash and the 60 BPM quickmarch starter rule never would have happened. But seventh prize told other bands that they shouldn’t try to be so cute.

And they haven’t . . . for 15 years, anyway.

]]> By: mike http://www.dunaber.com/2008/06/23/idioms-guide-to-the-galaxy/#comment-1296 mike Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:42:15 +0000 http://www.dunaber.com/2008/06/23/idioms-guide-to-the-galaxy/#comment-1296 I had forgotten that, Andrew. Thanks for the colour. I think the bands have to have interest in changing the start rule (making a motion of rule change at their AGM) - it looks like there isn't any. M. I had forgotten that, Andrew. Thanks for the colour. I think the bands have to have interest in changing the start rule (making a motion of rule change at their AGM) - it looks like there isn’t any. M.

]]> By: pipeyrw http://www.dunaber.com/2008/06/23/idioms-guide-to-the-galaxy/#comment-1297 pipeyrw Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:14:18 +0000 http://www.dunaber.com/2008/06/23/idioms-guide-to-the-galaxy/#comment-1297 Mike, as a 30-year \"boggie\" I remember playing The Big Road Brusher at the time and feeling that we had pulled off something new and innovative. It was great to play and the listeners really lapped it up. Looking back however, I think 2 or 3 years later Rab + Jim came out with the Kitchen Piper at the end of their medley at Polkemmet (Andrew will confirm). I think this was the next big evolutionary step in these tune types - well on this side of the pond at least. I\'m honest enough to admit that I wasn\'t convinced that tunes such as that really belonged in a pipe band medley (as well as the odd giggle in the privacy of the band bus!). Mike, as a 30-year \”boggie\” I remember playing The Big Road Brusher at the time and feeling that we had pulled off something new and innovative. It was great to play and the listeners really lapped it up.

Looking back however, I think 2 or 3 years later Rab + Jim came out with the Kitchen Piper at the end of their medley at Polkemmet (Andrew will confirm). I think this was the next big evolutionary step in these tune types - well on this side of the pond at least. I\’m honest enough to admit that I wasn\’t convinced that tunes such as that really belonged in a pipe band medley (as well as the odd giggle in the privacy of the band bus!).

]]> By: pipeyrw http://www.dunaber.com/2008/06/23/idioms-guide-to-the-galaxy/#comment-1298 pipeyrw Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:14:48 +0000 http://www.dunaber.com/2008/06/23/idioms-guide-to-the-galaxy/#comment-1298 Who's laughing now......... Who’s laughing now………

]]> By: mike http://www.dunaber.com/2008/06/23/idioms-guide-to-the-galaxy/#comment-1299 mike Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:45:15 +0000 http://www.dunaber.com/2008/06/23/idioms-guide-to-the-galaxy/#comment-1299 Hey Ross - you did pull off something new and innovative! The start of a new genre of music. Not sure I'd include KP there - but it was a new thing, too! Yeah, who IS laughing!? Thanks for yer note, break a leg this season! Mike Hey Ross - you did pull off something new and innovative! The start of a new genre of music. Not sure I’d include KP there - but it was a new thing, too!

Yeah, who IS laughing!?

Thanks for yer note, break a leg this season! Mike

]]> By: iainmacd http://www.dunaber.com/2008/06/23/idioms-guide-to-the-galaxy/#comment-1300 iainmacd Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:00:48 +0000 http://www.dunaber.com/2008/06/23/idioms-guide-to-the-galaxy/#comment-1300 Funny how even the definitions of what we do are subjective. At the end of the day: does it move you, or not? And of course, what grooves one season might bite or seem "dated" in 5... and then someone "brings it back" and, WOW! "Hills of Alva," here we come? I don't think most bands could do what Toronto has done with this medley, and at this point, I'm thinking many wouldn't want to [remember the waulking songs], but I'm really looking forward to a) hearing it live, and b) seeing where it goes. Funny how even the definitions of what we do are subjective. At the end of the day: does it move you, or not?

And of course, what grooves one season might bite or seem “dated” in 5… and then someone “brings it back” and, WOW! “Hills of Alva,” here we come?

I don’t think most bands could do what Toronto has done with this medley, and at this point, I’m thinking many wouldn’t want to [remember the waulking songs], but I’m really looking forward to a) hearing it live, and b) seeing where it goes.

]]> By: mike http://www.dunaber.com/2008/06/23/idioms-guide-to-the-galaxy/#comment-1301 mike Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:15:00 +0000 http://www.dunaber.com/2008/06/23/idioms-guide-to-the-galaxy/#comment-1301 "Hills of Alva"? Was it ever there to be brought back? :-+ Yeah, I guess yer right Iain. I don't think this medley approach is one of those things you just sit down and say, "I'm gonna write me one of them things" ... See you at Maxville - its all MSRs til then! M “Hills of Alva”? Was it ever there to be brought back? :-+

Yeah, I guess yer right Iain. I don’t think this medley approach is one of those things you just sit down and say, “I’m gonna write me one of them things” …

See you at Maxville - its all MSRs til then! M

]]> By: aberthoff http://www.dunaber.com/2008/06/23/idioms-guide-to-the-galaxy/#comment-1302 aberthoff Sat, 28 Jun 2008 16:58:51 +0000 http://www.dunaber.com/2008/06/23/idioms-guide-to-the-galaxy/#comment-1302 RW - I think the Big Road-Brusher debuted in 1983. Polkemmet finsished its 1984 medleys with dot-cut versions of "The Kitchenpiper" and "The Clumsy Lover" (or "Pastiche," as it was re-named, for some reason. Heady days! RW - I think the Big Road-Brusher debuted in 1983. Polkemmet finsished its 1984 medleys with dot-cut versions of “The Kitchenpiper” and “The Clumsy Lover” (or “Pastiche,” as it was re-named, for some reason. Heady days!

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