Bagpipers at the Gates of Dawn (Episode 90)

Bagpipes are a sonorous and ceaseless instrument. Almost comically
so. The traditional Scottish Bagpipe is the loudest unamplified
instrument known to man. Decibel levels range upwards of 110, which
puts them far closer to thunderclaps and power tools than pianos
and oboes. And if the deafening sound doesn’t get you, then the
constancy of its noise certainly will. The chanter of a bagpipe is
open, which means that once a piper has used the blow stick to fill
the bag, the instrument cannot (and will not) be silenced until all
the air is released. The spectacular implacable multi-dimensional
soundscapes made by a stand of pipes are typically more unleashed
than controlled. In fact, it requires technical playing to create
an allusion of articulation and tone accents. In essence, the
player bends to the will of the instrument, not the other way
around...its the anti-Theremin. As James Reid, Bill Millin, and
John Cale can all attest, the bagpipe is a fierce musical weapon.
The power seems to be a tempting inclusion to engorge the depths of
songcraft, yet, there have been so few popular musical artists who
have attempted to integrate bagpipes into their songs. Even fewer
used bagpipes on a regular basis. In today’s episode, we are going
to explore the tenuous relationship between the sack and the song.
To find the brave souls who marched into the mainstream with
nothing but pipes, pride, provocations, and piercing pandemonium.
We are going to lift the kilt on one of the world’s most maligned
and misunderstood music-makers. So, take a deep breath and
blow as hard as you can, squeeze your bag tightly, finger your
chanter nimbly, and don’t stop until you or your audience passes
out….because we are startin’ to tartan. Today, bagpipes in popular
music.  Highway Hi-Fi is a proud member of the Pantheon Music
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