Three Deep Breaths (A Kiwi Tip)
November 20, 2014 on 9:21 pm by Michael Grey | In News, Stories, Tips | Comments Off on Three Deep Breaths (A Kiwi Tip)A piece of advice I remember time and again is that which came to me through the thoughtfulness of the great New Zealand piper, Gold Medallist, John Hanning. Early in my career, while I was recitalling through the north and south islands of NZ, he passed along his recipe for performance steadiness; that is, his final personal prep for ensuring he didn’t unduly contribute to the filling up of the laundry basket.
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Rare Photo and Video: G S McLennan
October 29, 2014 on 6:02 pm by Michael Grey | In Delightful Data of the Day, Music, News, Photographs, Solo Piping, Stories, Video | 1 CommentBack in June I wrote a little about the recently posted Pathé film footage of the great Highland dancer, Mary Aitken. Among many other good things, she was the namesake for a fine bagpipe tune, the jig “Mary Aitken”.
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Advice to Pipe Majors (from Madonna)
September 2, 2014 on 5:27 pm by Michael Grey | In Pipe Bands, Tips | Comments Off on Advice to Pipe Majors (from Madonna)It strikes me that when we look for fresh eyes on a problem and a new way of tackling a challenge, it’s not always such a bad thing to look for insight, if not answers, from places beyond the usual. For pipe bands this is New Years; the competitive season is over (for those of us in the Northern hemisphere) and so a new pipe band day dawns. And for Pipe Majors – the hardest working people in the pipe band world – it’s the time of year where reflection is deep and decision-making and planning can take a lot of energy.
So why not look to Madonna for answers? Why not!
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Spring
May 4, 2014 on 6:07 pm by Michael Grey | In Delightful Data of the Day, Photographs, Random Thoughts | Comments Off on SpringAfter the longest, coldest, most miserable winter I can ever remember I’m finding myself overcome with child-like awe at the slightest sight or sniff of green. Stop and smell the roses they say? The weakest hint of a sprouting dandelion has me weak at the knees and stopped in my tracks.
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Win a T-shirt [ooooooh]: Vintage Old School Pipe Band Photo
April 30, 2014 on 8:11 pm by Michael Grey | In Photographs, Pipe Bands, Random Thoughts, Solo Piping, Stories | 5 CommentsHere’s a photo I just stumbled on. This photo was taken in Glasgow – by me – in a flat that I can assure you faced the infamous Rottenrow. Lots of well-kent, yet mostly fresh, young faces.
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A Spring Test for Summer Pipe Band Success
March 23, 2014 on 4:19 pm by Michael Grey | In Pipe Bands, Tips | Comments Off on A Spring Test for Summer Pipe Band SuccessFrom my experience there are three things that mark a band in the off-season; three things that are markers of excellence and predictors of a good season ahead. Three simple words usually tell the tale:
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What’s in a name?
March 9, 2014 on 6:08 pm by Michael Grey | In Humour, Random Thoughts, Stories, Whinges | 4 CommentsMe and my Grey kin – at least they with the gray Grey name – have spent our life times correcting people and playing the tut-tutting primary school teacher with government workers, call centre agents and any number of pizza and Chinese food delivery order-takers – and anyone else who tried to spell our name: “that’s Grey, with an ‘e’ we’d say: G-r-e-y”.
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Sheepskin Bagpipe Bags
January 31, 2014 on 8:35 pm by Michael Grey | In Humour, Pipe Bands, Random Thoughts | Comments Off on Sheepskin Bagpipe BagsFirm under the arm.
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If a Car Stalls in the Forest …
December 29, 2013 on 7:35 pm by Michael Grey | In Photographs, Random Thoughts | Comments Off on If a Car Stalls in the Forest …I took this odd photo this past week. I was a little startled [a word easier to write than say; does anyone say “startled” anymore?] to stumble on this while trudging in the woods not far from where I live.
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A Jolly Ol’ Christmas Stamp
December 21, 2013 on 8:35 pm by Michael Grey | In Delightful Data of the Day, Random Thoughts | 4 CommentsHa! You might have read the heading of this post and thought of a super-festive polka step, Ã la Ebeneezer Scrooge at the height of redemption; maybe stompy snow-removal attempts at the entrance to an anticipated Christmas shin-dig, one where you enter the room with snow-covered shoes and hope-to-hell you’re not asked to unveil your stinking socks (and the feet they conceal). No. This post is philatelic, that word you use never and the the kind of stamp you, um, lick (or did, back in the day).
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