The Rose and Thistle Pipes and Drums
Those of a certain age will remember Mull of Kintyre by Paul McCartney and Wings as the Christmas number one in 1977where it remained for nine weeks. Written by Paul McCartney and Denny Laine at Paul and Linda's High Park Farm on the Kintyre peninsula, it was the first ever single to sell over two million copies.
A large part of that success was the section written for, and played by, the Campbeltown Pipe Band whose band leader Tony Wilson,was contacted and who agreed to take part, with this characteristic "aye!" The rest, as they say, is history
Our rendition of this haunting classic features the amazing Rose and Thistle Pipes and Drums of Gosport whose website you can check out via their logo link below .
Having contacted them some months previously to ask whether they might be interested in working with us ( thank you Rachel!)we spent a day with the band on their home turf, first filming, then recording the pipes and drums for a video and soundtrack which is now used in our live show.
While it may have taken just one day to make the recordings, the pre-planning preceded the event by many weeks. There were scores to write
(thank you Tom!), rehearsals- lots of rehearsals, recording equipment to be sourced ( due to the remote, outside location, we were unable to use mains power so needed to find battery alternatives), and many, many still photos to sort, courtesy of our good friend Mel Pettit
Like the original recording, we too joined the pipe band for a well earned lunchtime drink before we headed home. We felt like we
were leaving friends behind. All-in-all, we spent a special day making new friends and having lots of fun and its one that we will remember for a very long time.
Reference;
D Allison BBC Scotland News
Pictures;
Mel Pettit Photography
Keystone
BBC Archive
