You Can’t Buy Talent
You Can’t Buy Talent
by Johnny Redstone
Let me start this off by introducing myself. I am an old piper, trying a new trick. That is, I purchased my first set of uilleann pipes many years ago. I am Johnny Redstone, of North Jersey, the almost seven-foot-tall piper, whose head hits the ceiling at Gavin’s in the Catskills, or just gets cut out of pictures entirely.
I had this notion that I wanted to share. As absurd as it may sound, I truly doubt I am alone.
Seems my problem is this: I want to play uilleann pipes. I want to play them well. Like really make ‘em sing. Like I hear on those Planxty CD’s. Like Bothy Band uilleann piping.
Some little uilleann pipe bug crawled into my skin and has me all distracted. This theory that I have, that I have to let go of, is that if I keep buying more uilleann pipe stuff it is going to make me a great piper. It hasn’t worked yet. But here is the map that leads me to understand the obvious.
My first purchase was a disaster that I won’t go into, as I made that fatal mistake of rushing in blind. Then I wised up a bit. I found this fellow out of Illinois, Bob May. Great fellow. He made uilleann pipes as an amateur. So, I took a shot at it.
I tried, I really tried. I used that wonderful book by Heather Clarke. I pushed forward. This was in 1999. I made it to the first tune that required a second octave E, and them BAM! A big hurdle I just couldn’t jump over. The reed wouldn’t have it, and looking back now, it was probably an easy fix, if I knew what I was doing.
But frustration pushed the pipes under the bed. They became dust collectors. Once in a great while I’d pull them out, look them over; I mean they were beautiful, antler mounts, turned nicely. I just couldn’t make ‘em sing.
Around April Fool’s Day 2010, I pulled ‘em out again. The bug was still as intense. I am haunted by the sound. It’s inside of me somewhere; I just gotta get it out of me. But this set just wasn’t gonna cut it. If you really want to be a good piper you HAVE to spend money, the more you spend the better you will sound...RIGHT?
So I made the next plunge and bought a wonderful chanter by Pat Sky, an awesome chanter. And what do you know? I can really do a second octave E. It was easy. Hurdle jumped! I’m on my way, so I thought.
But then there it is, on Uilleann Obsession, a cool looking half set by Neil O’Grady. It looks so cool. Imagine how good I would sound on that? Got to get it, but don’t tell the wife...just yet.
So I buy it, and it did sound awesome. Now I have drones going, and I almost have Maggie in the Woods down pat. This only lasts for a short time, because there are so many pipe makers out there now, and with the right gear, man you’re on your way...RIGHT?
Holy Moses there it is, on eBay. A full set. Wow, they’re not cheap are they? But how awesome will you sound? Get it! Get it! But don’t tell the wife... just yet.
It’s a Marc van Daal full set. I did it. I clicked on BUY NOW. It shipped over night DHL. I had that puppy in my hands on Columbus Day. Like they carried it over the sea and came straight to my house. It was the coolest thing ever. An amazing set of pipes. But I still sound like hell...it makes no sense.
This goes on and on. I have since had a Seth Gallagher 1⁄2 set. I have a Bruce Childress 1⁄2 set now. I bought and sold, bought and sold. I donated my May chanter to the Hudson River Piper’s Club with a reed fashioned by Sean Doherty. I was like a Wall Street broker, buying and selling, but missing the mark.
And then it hit me. John, you will never be a great piper unless you get off the internet, stop looking up new pipes for sale on Uilleann Obsession, sit down, and practice, practice, practice.
The best pipes in the world will still sound poorly in my hands, until I practice enough to master this wonderful instrument.
With a little help from some friends and tionól and YouTube, I am on my way in the right direction. So for now, I am quite content with my set. Maybe one day I can get on Quinn’s order list... Maybe. But don't tell the wife... Not yet.
Johnny Redstone is a rather tall fellow from Northern New Jersey.
For a complete PDF of the original Summer 2013 Pipers Review this article is from, click here.
