Five things - GHB folk bands

Everyone knows GHB. Normally just known as “bagpipes” or “pipes” they are a clear part of Scotland’s international brand, along with haggis, whisky, heather, golf at St Andrews and the Glorious Twelfth . The pipes are always played by a man in a kilt. This man, and it is always a man,  is either a “lone piper” or else he’s with a band, marching. Whatever he’s playing, be it a loch-side lament or a rousing march, it will be loud. Pipes are so loud that they aren’t a natural choice for playing in bands alongside other instruments. They also play in an odd key. I suppose that was a driving factor behind the smallpipe revival. Despite their volume there are, and continue to be, folk bands that use GHB as a regular part of their line-up.

The Battlefield Band. This band has been going since 1969 and like grandfather's axe contains none of its original parts. I am not even sure if the line up has always included a piper, but several pipers have passed through during the course of 30 albums.  The albums I have (Ok - so they belong to the fan) generally stick to trad pipe stuff. The current piper, Mike Katz, has a ZZ Top beard, which must once have been wacky but nowadays makes him look like a hipster. He also plays smallpipes, made by the Monkey's maker.

The Tannahill Weavers describe themselves rather immodestly on their website as "Scotland's Finest Traditional Band". A year older than the Battlefield they released their first album in 1976. They once had a certain Mr MacInnes in their line up. I've seen them live once and I (Ok, Ok - the fan) have one of their CDs. 

Deaf Shepherd. Fabulous name for a great band. Once described as one of the most popular bands in Scotland they appear to have vanished leaving only three albums to show they were ever here. Fiddle and songs as well as pipes and I particularly enjoy their rendition of The Corncrake.

Braebach. Not only pipes, but two sets of pipes! The current line up pairs Calum MacCrimmon (who can be heard on the Seudan CD) with James Duncan MacKenzie, who can also be heard on his eponymous CD. They have old pipe tunes, new pipe tunes, some great interpretations of pibroch, prove that the fiddle and the pipes are a match made in heaven, and also throw in some songs of various sorts. Sometimes the pipes are full on, sometimes they are set in the mix with other things, sometimes just passing through a track, but always wonderful.

Ossian. Now, I love Ossian. They are - or were - one of the best Scottish folk bands ever. I love their choice of tunes, their settings, their arrangements. If I could only hear five CDs ever again there would definitely be an Ossian CD (or maybe two or three) on the list. But I don't think of them as being a band with pipes. There are the later CDs where they have the good sense to enlist Mr MacInnes. Before that there was a flirtation with Irish pipes. I do love Irish pipes, but they were not created for playing GHB tunes. When Braebach come out on to stage it's with, as it were, all pipes blazing. They are out and proud as pipers. Ossian are somehow embarrassed, reticent, bashful: their pipes are right down in the mix. You're never going to be blown out of of your seat by full on pipes from Ossian. 

You can find GHB on Light on a Distant Shore (my least favourite Ossian CD), Dove Across the Water (my other least favourite...) and on Borders.