A new archive recording is posted today. It is from US-based Scot Donald McBride. The excerpts Donald has sent are from a recital he made for the BBC in 1997. Donald is pictured above in 1980. Donald is currently resident in Kansas City and recently underwent a serious hand operation. We wish him well and hope he will be back to playing soon. Donald was taught by his father in…

Spent an enjoyable day at Johnstone Pipe Band yesterday assessing young pipers for their PDQB exams. A nice bunch of kids and before we began I got them together for a short pep talk. I explained that this was not a competition but an assessment and that all they had to do was play their five chosen tunes cleanly and correctly and they had to pass. I asked them to…

Well done to Mike Grey for highlighting the band circle issue on his recent blog. Readers will know this is a particular hobby horse of mine. Mike writes: ‘I came across a pic today, courtesy of Barry Ewen. Here is a photo (thank you, Barry) of the 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band – near the beginning of the vintage of my membership – competing in a crescent-shaped stance. This was 1984….

Angus Lawrie’s funeral with be at Ayr Crematorium on Wednesday, December 19 at 1.15pm. Angus, five times winner of the Worlds crown with Strathclyde Police Pipe Band, passed away last weekend aged 88. Originally from Oban, Angus was taught piping by his father. After leaving the police he was briefly P/M of the Britoil and Johnstone Pipe Bands but then concentrated on his composing and on establishing his pipe bag…

It is with regret we report the passing of Angus Lawrie formerly of Strathclyde Police Pipe Band, noted composer and pipe bag maker. Angus (88) died at home in Doonfoot, Ayrshire, yesterday morning. He had been in poor health for some time. Angus was originally taught by his father, also Angus, who had had extensive tuition from P/M Willie Ross. On leaving school Angus jnr. joined Glasgow Police in 1955…