Identify pipe & drums music from a vague description…

A long shot I know…

I heard some music recently(ish) that I really liked and would love to find out what the tune was. If anyone was there, I heard it at the Crieff highland games this year, I think it was the last (or possibly next-to-last) pipe band before the American group visiting from the Edinburgh Tattoo played for the finale.

The tune started with a single piper and drummer, then at some point the whole band suddenly joined in together, amazing and spine-tingling. That’s all the description I have… unfortunately no recording or anything. If anyone can do it, STW can!

Think I’ve found which band it was but still no luck on the tune.

I think it was the band 2nd from the left with greenish kilts (Vale of Atholl) but it may have been the one at the far right in blue (Kinross & District).

Pause the video at around 4:20 or 8:05 for a clearer view:

Dunno if that helps in the slightest!

Any of those ring a bell?

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Any help? That was the music line up on the day. 

Beaten to it

Any of those ring a bell?

No, I think they’re mostly drums and bagpipes

Could it have been Highland Cathedral? Usually played by a solo piper for the first minute or so before the whole band comes in.

Any of those ring a bell?

No, I think they’re mostly drums and bagpipes

Ha.

But no, don’t recognise any of those, that’s probably the music tent? Which we didn’t visit. It was one of the pipe bands in the main field next to the games.

Could it have been Highland Cathedral?

Could be! TBH as it’s a month or 2 ago I’m not sure that I’d even know for certain now if it was the same tune…

Hmm. As I think I’ve narrowed it down to one of 2 bands, maybe I’ll ask them about it.

Hellbound Train? Also starts with a single piper but let’s rip with it. Belter of a tune.

Highland cathedral is probably the most iconic Scottish pipe tune… To be written by a German.

It’s a cracker and pretty much a standard so quite a likely candidate.

The hellbound train is pretty distinctive in its pace. It’s like the piping version of hair metal. Tedious and a bit shit.

I would email the band and ask. The community is bonkers enthusiastic and very keen to help. I had to search around phoning pipe shops for a book for my dad last Christmas and everyone chatting to me gave me the distinct impression they knew the author personally and assumed that I did too!

In the meantime check out the music of Gordon Duncan, Pitlochry binman and one of the most innovative pipers in the world – Just for Seamus is good, as is, obviously, Thunderstruck. He played for Vale of Atholl.

Also I like a tune called The Mental Kyleakin Fight by Face the West.

Highland cathedral, done well, is a decent tune.

When played by a pack of small children on chanters who can’t get past the first line without making the reed scream it’s utter torture.

Dooo-do-do-do-do-do-do-EEEEEK

Triggers me every time.

While we are at it, the only pipe band to get to number one in the UK singles chart 🙂

A controversial instrumental, as it combined pipes with a military band. The Pipe Major of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards was summoned to Edinburgh Castle and chastised for demeaning the bagpipes.

That “Thunderstruck” has just ruined my day. Sounds like one of the awful, Rolph Harris stylaphone jobs 🙁

While we are at it, the only pipe band to get to number one in the UK singles chart

Apart from the Campbeltown Pipe Band in 1977.

Yeah. They quite often play it on Peebles church bells.

But they clearly don’t have a mixolydian bell set so it goes along quite nicely then DONG you can almost hear the campagnologists cringing as they hang off the rope.

They really need to get a Shimano bell in there.

No, I think they’re mostly drums and bagpipes

Needs more cowbell?

Speaking as a former world pipe band champion, were they playing it as part of their set?

If so it might be two different tunes, as in a Slow Air then into a jig.

Apart from the Campbeltown Pipe Band in 1977.

Yeah, but some bloke ruined it by singing along.

Speaking as a former world pipe band champion, were they playing it as part of their set?

Ooh. I’ll go first.

Schotts?

Sorry, the mighty Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia in the novice juvenile and juvenile grades.