Pipers are a surly lot

This was an observation I started to make here some time ago and figured I'd come back to it eventually. It does seem that many of the uilleann pipers I've met have been, or have a reputation of being, a bit on the surly side.

I wondered whether there was something about the pipes that appealed to folks with a cranky disposition, or whether it was the pipes themselves that made the pipers so pissy.

I figure I'm a pretty happy, cheerful and friendly lot for the most part, so I was leaning towards the latter. Last night, I had them out while playing over at a friends' place, then took them along and abused the good folks at the Richardson's session at the end of the night with a few attempts at tunes.

Pictures were taken, and try as I might, I could not get anything approaching a smile while trying to wrestle with those damn things. So here's photographic evidence that its definitely the pipes that make the pipers poor company. And by the looks of this shot, its an area-effect weapon, spreading the doom and gloom to everyone in earshot. Hehheh...




I'm off now on my last mini-trip. I won't be back until Thursday afternoon, at which point it'll be time to pack everything up and be ready to leave. Normal road rules apply, though: I'll try and check in when I can.