PHOTOS ADDED: Dragoon Guards return home to pop-star-like reception
The paparazzi, the limos, the autograph-hounds: it’s not easy being a military pipe band these days. And balance that with the Grade 2 Pipes & Drums of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards serving in active duty in Iraq and you get one hectic lifestyle. The Dragoon Guards returned to Scotland on November 12th with a march up The Esplanade to Edinburgh Castle before embarking on a promotional tour for the band’s November 26th CD, Spirit of the Glen, which Universal Music has snapped up in a £1 million deal. The band has also been signed by concert promoter Helter Skelter Agency Ltd., which represents, among other big-named acts, Amy Winehouse and the Dixie Chicks. The Dragoons have been invited to perform at the massive Glastonbury Music Festival in England and Scotland’s T in the Park – two gigs normally reserved for the world’s biggest pop/rock acts. A 2008 tour of the United States is also being considered. After the band’s promotional tour, the Dragoon Guards ship out again in December. “We’re overwhelmed by the amount of interest in our music, and we’re just happy to be able to get it heard by a wider audience,” Pipe-Major Derek Potter said in a news release. “We hope to have the nation converted to bagpiping once we’ve released this record.”
Congratulations to P-M Potter and the members of the RSDG on their well-deserved success. During the CRPB’s 2006 trip to Scotland we encountered this band on several occasions, and were impressed by the great sound of the pipe section. Great to see the band doing so well, and must be nice for them to be able to contribute so handsomely to military charities. We’ll be looking for the tour to come to Regina!
Well done indeed, somebody has obviously been reading AB’s PR primer. I wonder if the sales will back up the hype in this and other attempts to reach the mass market. BTW, T in the Park is quite definitely not in London 😉
This sounds like a nice album. I’ve had an idea to arrange the theme from Last of the Mohicans” for a pipe band since I first saw the film. ….but they beat me to it. I’ll be ordering this one for sure.”
The Scots DG Pipes & Drums have always been such a classy organization and could actually be considered unsung heroes in terms of their musical contributions and edginess. If you haven’t already done so, purchase a copy of their previous album “Parallel Tracks” and give that a listen too. Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits fame contributed guitar work to “Going Home” and their rendition of “She Moves through the Fair” is nothing short of emotional. Can’t wait to hear what they’ve done on Spirit of the Glen! Kevin Los Angeles Scots PB