Fore!

Dear Style Guy:

I wouldn’t mention this if the World’s were not online [last] year, but I wonder about drummer’s sporrans worn all the way around the back. Perhaps one made from the tail of an un-endangered animal would look well.

Doug Arthur

Kelowna, British Columbia

Rolled up jacket sleeves, bass-drummer foregoing a tie, sporrans flung to the side or, as you say, the rear – these are the things that drummers do to get comfortable while performing, and these are the things that appear weird to those not in the clubby world of pipe bands. Unfortunately, the practicality of playing a pipe band drum is not well suited to the pipe band uniform, so certain spontaneous accommodations must be made. Remember #1 dress? The side-drummers used to wear a half-plaid, which I thought was a bit girlie, as opposed to the macho full plaid that pipers wore. The reason, again, was one of practicality – the full plaid interfered with the drum sling . . . or something like that.

I love your idea about drummers’ tails. Maybe a long rat-like thing. But what I like more is uniformity. All of the players should wear the same thing, and then wear it the same way when the band is together as a group. If sporrans have to go off to the side, then they should all be at the side in the same manner.

I’m afraid that putting a sporran on one’s arse, is simply disrespecting the uniform, the band and the audience.