Clanadonia & Tartans

**Father Bill** · 5th December 20, 12:50 PM

I go through phases. Generally, I know the type of music I like, but . . . .

Every once in a while I see / hear something different. Very different. Something that at least for the while, I rather enjoy. I don't know how long it will last but for now, I'm rather impressed with a very VERY VERY strange band called Clanadonia. (Sample here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CdO1AOXLFs ) They're kind of like pipes and drums meet gunge, goth, weird. Very weird. But I like them. At least for now.

Anybody know what tartan they're wearing?

**Bruce Scott** · 5th December 20, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by Father Bill

Anybody know what tartan they're wearing?

According to Post #10 here http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...nd-kilt-78681/ ". . . the kilts are the ones they wore as extras in the movie Braveheart."

So, possibly Braveheart https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails?ref=340

**figheadair** · 6th December 20, 05:01 AM

Originally Posted by Bruce Scott

According to Post #10 here http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...nd-kilt-78681/ ". . . the kilts are the ones they wore as extras in the movie Braveheart."

So, possibly Braveheart https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails?ref=340

No, there are different. To my mind, the second does not meet the criteria for a tartan and if it came to the Register now, it would be rejected.

**Jock Scot** · 6th December 20, 05:38 AM

Yes, they are a fun band to watch--------------------------------for a while!

**Father Bill** · 6th December 20, 06:17 AM

Originally Posted by Jock Scot

Yes, they are a fun band to watch--------------------------------for a while!

. . . Exactly!

**OC Richard** · 6th December 20, 07:08 AM

Here in Southern California for 25 years we've had, at all our local Games, our own version of that sort of thing, The Wicked Tinkers.

The Wicked Tinkers are a bit more sophisticated, if that word could be used in connection with this style of music!

The piper is a respected top-level piper/piping judge/teacher, the shorter guy on the wide drum is a very respected Balkan drummer.

Here they are live at a Highland Games

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBadWwX5clY

Here they are on TV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e00gjtCHcr0

Here's Wiki

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked_Tinkers

**imrichmond** · 6th December 20, 03:20 PM

Certainly much better piping in the Wicked Tinkers than is on display with Clanadonia. Still and all, in both cases--and I'm probably showing my age here--it's a pretty god-awful racket. Not something I can listen to for more than a few seconds before clicking on the next video or the "stop" button. On the other hand, I can listen to World Pipe Band Championship videos for hours, whereas my wife can't take more than a couple of minutes of them. There's just no accounting for individual musical taste--or the lack of it.

**bodhran4me** · 7th December 20, 07:20 AM

Tu-Bardh Stormcrow Wilson ( centerman with the beard) is the leader. I think all other members come and go.

IIRC Tu-Bardh was a member of Clann an Drumma (Sgt Mackenzie from the film Band of Brothers). Jacqui Holland also played with Clann an Drumma and now plays with Albannach.

Both of the above bands are worth checking out if you are (currently !!!) into tribal drums, I saw Albannach at the Fergus Highland Games a few years ago. I had seen and heard their recordings, but their live shows...man, absolutely fantastic.

Saor Patrol are along the same vein. Their leader has headed up an organization that is building a Medieval fortress that holds educational events. He and his team are also 'swords for hire' for tv and film productions, if memory serves.

**OC Richard** · 7th December 20, 08:52 AM

For me a little of that music goes a long way.

There's a style of drumming which has had 150 years to develop a sophisticated symbiosis with the Highland pipes, the sort of drumming heard in the top civilian pipe bands today.

Banging a repetitious 4-beat on toms ain't it. Maybe in 150 years they will have figured it all out.

It's a fascinating topic, how various musical traditions have evolved different instruments to beautifully fit in to one another.

Notice with that one Wicked Tinkers clip they were using a Djembe with the pipes which worked very well. I was piping at a wedding years ago and a guy showed up with a Djembe and we spent a few minutes comparing rhythmic patterns to see what we might play together. Turns out that, just like with Highland pipe music, Djembe music has a large number of traditional rhythmic idioms so it was a matter of finding the right match. As I recall there was a Djembe rhythm that meshed perfectly with 4/4 Marches so that's what we played.

So a drumming style can co-evolve with the melody instruments, or you can get lucky and find just the right mesh from another tradition.

In any case here's the drum style that's evolved for the Irish pipes, it's amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLX0_U9JZCA