NOTES FROM PIPEY'S CORNER

Volume VII Number 3; March 2001

. . .INTO THE WILD BLUE YONDER. . . .

Update on NASH BRIDGES - episode #616, 'The Partner' will air March 9, not March 2; my 30 seconds of fame. . .HA! Seems I have to shell out 150 clams for a BMI 'publisher' membership in order to clear the performance rights. . . oh, well. It could be worse - they say you make the big bux in Hollyweird-by-the-Bay.

We'll be taking off for a week in Scotland later this month - Piobaireachd Society AGM and visiting friends - so if you want anything direct from The Auld Sod contact me before the 22nd.

Why can't WUSPBA get its act together and think beyond a 'Grade IV' mentality? I think that says it all. I do not understand an organisation that on one hand purports to exemplify the highest standards of piping and drumming, and on the other hand fails miserably in practice. By ignoring its own rules to suit the needs of given situations, and useing political favouritism is its dealings with its own members, the WUSPBA has shown that it has not been able to get beyond a 'good old boy' system and can't hack it with the Big Boys. Without all the solo membership money there wouldn't BE a band association at this point, as the mismanagement of its legal affairs a few years ago has shown. Acceding to the demands of a member band that was in the wrong solely for 'political expedient' is ridiculous, especially when it costs the organisation $18,000 in legal fees that it didn't need to pay. The bulk of this money has been raised from the solo member dues.

Since the association insists that solo members may only vote on solo member issues, we think that the dues generated from solo members should only be used for the benefit OF THOSE SOLO MEMBERS. Excess money could be used to fund piping school sessions, piping and drumming scholarships, solo judging seminars, and solo competitions. Fair is fair; too many people have poured too much money into the association for too long with NO return.

I received an interesting response to my 'Funeral Tips' bit last month - and the writer brought up a valid point: Always check with the family, funeral home, AND the officiating clergy about TIME - when they say '1.30' make sure that's when they want YOU to play, not when the service starts, or when the hearse processes through the town, or whatever - you may end up standing there for two hours needlessly. Make sure you get ALL your details straight - preferably in writing - and you'll avoid those leg cramps....

BLACK PART SPEAKS-

Well, I finally received a newsletter from the Southern Branch of the WUSPBA! As Kevin Blandford says, "I guess I've inherited you." The report on the AGM states that there was a "fair" representation of band and soloists in attendance. 23 of 46 bands as I recall, and 19, yes NINETEEN, out of 469 soloists were there. Just over 4% of the solo members of the entire association were in attendance at the AGM. And so what happened? The proposal to allow absentee ballots was NOT approved! And how many of the band and solo members knew that the offices of Secretary and Vice-President were open? Was this EVER published in the newsletters?

NO! Do you want to take a guess why not? So the idiots running the association CAN'T be replaced by someone that really does care about piping and drumming and NOT their own personal agenda, that's why! WUSPBA aspires to be up to great things, but will NEVER attain a single lofty goal until it involves ALL of its members; band, solo, games sponsor, or whatever. Perhaps the suggestion that WUSPBA change its' name to the SATPBA, (Sick and Twisted Pipe Band Association), is correct afterall.

I'll have more in next month's issue of Pipey's Corner when my blood pressure goes down....

until next month . . . .