Andy’s Blog
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Boudicca Great Highland Bagpipe
Yes! I build my own bagpipes! The design of my Boudicca Great Highland Bagpipe (GHB) pays homage to the great Celtic warrior queen Boudicca who in CE 60-61 led tribes in East England in revolt against Roman occupation. Queen Boudicca has become a symbol of freedom and justice. What we know of Boudicca’s story begins… Read more
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History (Mystery) of Bagpipes
No one knows when or where the earliest bagpipes were introduced to the world’s unsuspecting ears. Suffice to say that their distinctive sound has been inspiring and entertaining audiences for a very long time. The earliest known image of a bagpipe dates to about 1,000 BCE — 3,000 years ago during the Bronze Age— carved by… Read more
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Pipe Dreams and Musings
“A baggepipe wel koude he blowe and sowne, and therwithal he broghte us out of towne.” – The Canterbury Tales, by Geoffrey Chaucer, late 14th century Bagpipes are magical. The sound of a solitary piper playing a Great Highland bagpipe is unmistakable and harkens back to ancient and epic times. When I hear bagpipes, my… Read more
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Joining the Circle for the First Time
Hummm. I struggle to describe the experience. It is a dark night and the winds are blowing. I have been working up to this moment for nearly two years, developing and practicing Taorluaths, Leumlauths, Rodins, Throws, Grips, Two Pulse Birls, Three Pulse Birls, Taps, Shakes, Half Shakes, Doublings, and Echo Beats. And committing to memory… Read more