Albannach

**highlander_Daz** · 7th March 07, 05:08 AM

I have to intervene at this point and say that all these pipe bands that combine modern instruments all owe a debt to Gordon Duncan, in Fact I think Stuart Cassels from the RHCPipers was one of Gordons students, Gordon experimented with modern instruments on the 3 CDs he made and "just for Seamus" combines a piobaireachd tune with a dance beat, at the time Gordon was slated for the way he mixed traditional and modern and when he was pipe major of the Vale pipe band he played ground breaking tunes that are commonplace these days, whilst most of the pipers in the RHCPipers and Albannach and the tinkers johnny bagpipes etc are very very good, Id reccomend you listen to Gordon Duncan and he will put a whole new perspective on the instrument, he is regarded as one of the finest if not the finest piper that ever struck in a set of pipes, he playing is quite simply astonishing, yet he always found time to teach young people to play, and despite playing all over the world and inspiring so many pipers his job was emptying the bins in his home town of Pitlochry.
Tragically Gordon Duncan took his own life on the 14th December 2005

www.gordonduncan.co.uk

**highlander_Daz** · 8th March 07, 10:11 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE2mcvUI844

Gordons on the left of the screen he starts the tune

**Pour1Malt** · 8th March 07, 10:58 AM

Daz???!

walcome back!

guid tae see ya postin again...

since ya said-

... Ive decided to move on, I want to reduce the amount of time I spend on the net anyway, can I wish you all the best and be safe.

ai wuz feart ya was n'er gain' tae post again...

we welcome yur input....

slainte

**highlander_Daz** · 8th March 07, 03:42 PM

I wanted people to know about Gordon Duncan, and his incredible legacy, he was truly touched by the hand of god and Like Hendrix he went far to soon. Gordon and many other talented musicians never get the recognition they deserve because they refuse to "sell out" its a shame that pure talent and genius counts for very little these days, one only has to look at the music charts to see that, (excepting the Fron welsh choir of course).

Robertson yes-I guess X marks is an addiction. hope everyones well and Ill post from time to time!

aye its good tae be back.

**highlander_Daz** · 8th March 07, 03:46 PM

On this link you can listen to Gordon play with amazing banjo player Gerry O connor if you click on the contradiction

http://www.scottishradiance.com/gtduncan.htm

**Hamish** · 8th March 07, 04:05 PM

Daz, I too welcome you back - it seems like a long time! Unfortunately, all I can hear/see is the first 16 seconds of the 4+ minute clip as something is causing everything to 'freeze' at that point! He certainly gets off to a good start however.

**BLAZN** · 8th March 07, 07:02 PM

I'm glad I found this thread. I now have some more celtic oriented bands to look into.

I have heard Albannach's music quite often and rather enjoy it. Of course, I also find some Death Metal to be good music. My musical tastes are quite eclectic (it's not uncommon for my MP3 player to go from Beethoven to Darude to Ozzy Osbourne to Tartanic).
Though P1M may not enjoy them due to their use of guitars, etc., the band Tartan Terrors puts on quite a show and has a piper (Sean MacEwan) who can play AC/DC's Thunderstruck on the pipes (end of this video).
My point here is to spread the word... all music (excepting most country and most anything to appear on the "Top 40" list since 2002) is good in some way.

**highlander_Daz** · 9th March 07, 03:05 AM

sorry to mention Gordon again, he was the piper that started to play thunderstruck on the pipes in fact his last album was called thunderstruck, he also used to play the mexican hat dance at breakneck speed and how much is that doggy in the window letting his drones do the honking noises !! as I said before most of this trend for adapiting modern tunes etc. is down to Gordon who took a lot of stick it at the time, however its seen as commonplace now, playing thunderstruck on the pipes involves using a false F with the third finger of the left hand over the D hole (pipers will understand) to flatten the F -this would (and did) scandalise traditional pipers and judges

most people just play the intro to thunderstruck Gordon plays quite a lot of it the it segues into an ACDC style tune called "Angus thing" Id urge any serious fan of celtic music to listen to Gordons 3 albums

**Pour1Malt** · 9th March 07, 03:12 AM

ta fur a' that info Daz!

ai will gae get a cd o' his ....

**highlander_Daz** · 9th March 07, 03:19 AM

hers a link to some samples highlights are of course "thunderstruck" with amazing accuracy, Listen to his Birl on "Ian Greens" and the soulful playing on " Dance Pourlet"

http://www.scotloads.co.uk/album.php/281/

Gordon caused a sensation by putting some traditional tunes to a "rave dance beat" listen to "Just for Seamus" (final track) again that incredible birl, bear in mind this is 1994! Gordon retired from competiion when he was 17 having won just about evrything

http://www.scotloads.co.uk/album.php/279/