Yo yo my peeps! I know, I know, it's been a while. Everyone I know has been asking, nae, begging me to keep writing and ranting my heart out! To continue my cynical analysis of all things piping/drumming to you know, bring down all of the good-natured mushy gushy feelings running amok...just kidding. Truthfully, I've been a liiitttlllee lazy the past year or so and just wasn't feeling it as they say.
But now I am back and boy do I have a lot to say! So, let's gae on wit' it!
The world pipe band champions (World's) for 2016 have come and gone. The World's this year I must say was one of the most exciting championships in recent memory. Given how tight the top 4 to 5 bands are in Grade 1, the anticipation for listening has never been higher - at least for me. Looking back on the Scottish pipe band scene for 2016, three different bands won 4 major competitions leading up to the World's. Gone are the days of complete and utter dominance by Field Marshall Montgomery. Quite frankly I was personally getting a little bored by win - after win - after win - by FMM basically from the early to mid 2000's up until 2014/2015 or so. Sure you'd have the odd SFU/SLOT World's title, but the last decade or so has unquestionably been dominated by FMM. But, this year, and starting last year really, the other bands have really "caught up" to FMM. Since around 2008 or 2009 in my opinion the other bands initiated their "catching up" phase, but now I believe they are there. Now I'm sure there is a part of Richard Parkes MBE that enjoys the fact that other bands have been getting better, making each victory nowadays that much sweeter. On the other hand, for these other bands to be so close to FMM, and even beating them at majors, has to kind of grind his gears a bit, and understandably so - the man likes to win. This brings me to my main point of this particular rant - Richard kinda/sorta has only himself to blame for the other bands catching up to his band.
I mean, think about it. No really, THINK!! Ok, don't think, just read. To me, in the early 2000's, particularly 2002 World's, FMM and Richard found their signature sound. Since 2002, they basically have replicated that signature sound and unison in the pipe corps ad-naseum. Just kidding really. Actually it's incredibly impressive how consistent FMM has been with their high level of sound and playing since 2002. So, back to Richard making the other bands better...
I can remember in the mid-2000's hearing about "what Field Marshall was playing," and "so and so is playing sheepskin and cane just like FMM." I think that's where it started. FMM had this incredible sound/unison going that no one else could really match. Some bands, e.g. SFU 2008/2009 were quite close but not quite there. But by the time 2010 came around, the "big" bands, including the champs SLOT, were using sheepskin bags and cane drone reeds (or at least a lot of people were trying the cane drone reeds). That's when more and more bands seemed to harness that deep resonant sound with beautifully thick and balanced top hands. Again, bands just did what Richard was doing and thus the catching up was in full swing. Then, over the last 5 to 6 years, more and more bands improved on their unison, something that FMM had for years and years thanks to their "one on one's" that Richard had them supposedly do. He was way ahead of the curve, from what I know, with all the one on one's and refining of the pipe corps playing. Now, one hear's of all the top bands having several one on one practice with the Pipe Major in the off-season and leading up to the competition season.
So, thanks to Richard Parkes and his dedicated, smart, and refined band leading efforts, others were able to emulate and you have what have today; four to five bands that can win on any given day. Now, before you get upset, I'm not saying these other Pipe Majors have great bands only because they observed Richard's leading skills over the years. Each of the top band Pipe Majors have their own ideas and experiences they bring to the table. However, there's no doubting that the much more level "playing field" (no pun intended I swear!) wouldn't exist without the contributions of Richard, and Pipe Majors applying his tried and true methods for leading and tuning a band! Also, congratulations to FMM on winning the World's 2016!
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