like Gordon Walker in one small way

[OC Richard]

Gordon Walker is one of the finest living pipers, not only a fantastic piper but a gifted entertainer, something of a showman. His music is infused with a sense of fun and un-stuffiness, and he uses his melodic genius to rework his music so that even the most threadbare and overplayed tunes take on new life in his hands, becoming new and exciting. The tone he produces is nothing short of fantastic and has to be heard in person to be appreciated.

But on these boards it's his amazing fashion sense that is often commented upon. In a group of pipers he always stands out, perhaps with a stunning tweed jacket or waistcoat, or kilt rosettes, or red laces on his ghillies, or one-of-a-kind hose, or what have you.

A while back I picked up, on Ebay, an old Nichol Bros Bankfoot sporran, seen here on the right. It's mostly like the ubiquitous sporran worn by most of the world's pipe bands (seen on the left) but has subtle lovely differences.



Imagine my surprise to see Gordon Walker wearing the same one! Though perhaps his is dark brown with a brass cantle, still it looks like a Nicholl Bros product.