Tuesday, June 17, 2008

So What Else is New?
This week the bagpipe and piping sites have lit up with comment over the Toronto Police Pipe Band's new "medley." Michael Grey wrote the piping, and Doug Stronach the percussion, and it's a new departure, for sure. Michael Grey explains the composition on his site.

What isn't new in all this is the negative reaction that some people feel obliged to provide, mostly anonymously. I've no quibble with someone who says, "Nah, I hate it!" and signs his/her name. Fair enough. All the gutless anonymous posts, however, lead me to believe that some people are more about just being knobs than about really discussing music.

I think I've listened to the damn YouTube about a dozen times now, and I like it more all the time. Having said that, I thought the Scottish-Lion 78th Fraser Highlanders were pretty good, too, and deserving winners, and I loved the new and improved Peel Regional Police. Way too many people are scathing in anonymous comment, when they wouldn't say it face-to-face.

Quite a bit is new in pipe bands at the moment. It's a fantastic time for listening to the music, and in most cases it's all posted on YouTube, or places like SFUTube within hours of the contest. If the Toronto selection is any indication, it should be an interesting summer!