I’ve heard a suggestion that the RSPBA are about to survey bands to ask their attitude to caps on numbers. I hope this chatter is a matter of fact. It would demonstrate a responsible response by the authorities to the disaster of losing two grade one bands in Closkelt and Johnstone, the root cause of which is a lack of personnel.
I hope the bands respond positively but am not holding my breath. The winning bands, especially in G1, will be reluctant to change a system which currently works to their benefit.
Smaller bands, instinctively conservative, may recoil from doing anything which changes the status quo.
But please reflect on this. Fifty years ago a good, strong band was one with 12 pipers, four sides, two tenors and a bass. Nowadays we can double these numbers; the status quo itself has changed.
I have been sent a few comments from individuals vehemently opposed to any cap. ‘It won’t work’, ‘that’s not the issue’.
I say this: how can you be so sure? I am intrigued by your certainty, your conviction. It is based on absolutely no evidence whatsoever.
Of course I have no evidence either that a cap will work. But is strikes me as logical that if there is a limited pool of top players and they all opt to join four or five bands then that is exactly the number we will see at the competitions. Conversely if they can’t all join these bands then they will join another and we might have six or seven on the grass.
Why can’t we give it a go and evaluate after five years or so? We now have only five G1 bands in Scotland. If Police & Federation had a drum corps we might have six. If Johnstone had a leading tip they’d still be in business and we’d have seven.
Do SLOT, Inveraray, the Power, FMM etc all need sides in double figures? You know the answer to that.
Donald’s Powder Horn
Matt Pantaleoni writes from St Louis: ‘I always thought that John D had acquired Donald Cameron’s powder horn.
‘The old video cassette documentary about JDB is on YouTube here and around the 46 minute mark, he discusses powder horns and shows a later example from 1904, but that’s clearly not the one I was thinking of.’
Winter School
To the Northern Winter School in Germany today. It’s a bit earlier than usual and could have done with a name change to the Northern Autumn School. We have 51 piping students. The teaching cadre is myself, Barry Donaldson, Brian Lamond, Bill Geddes and Robert Barnes, plus Principal Ronnie Bromhead.
SPA Pic
So far those identified in the picture from the SPA Juveniles of many moons ago are, (l to r): Strath Urquhart, Alasdair Brown, John Mulhearn, Darach Urquhart, Donald MacPherson, ? Urquhart, Finlay Johnston, ? and ?
Ross Miller Gigs
Ross has sent this: I was hoping you could help me share my upcoming tour dates? Tickets: www.rossmillermusic.com/gigs
