The 2014 Raspberry Awards

The Toronto Police Musical Bravery Award

The entire piping world, and even Harry’s long-time squeeze Henrietta, were amazed and amused for several years when Toronto Police competed with their medleys “Variations on a Theme of Good Intentions,” “Idiomatica,” “Gallus No. 3,” and “Cutting Bracken.” Competitive suicide or musical bravery? Harry’s going with the bravery, although sometimes that is also competitive suicide. That turned out to be the case this year for ScottishPower, whose innovative “Flame of Wrath” medley incorporated piobaireachd to a greater extent than had been done in recent times. The level of difficulty and finesse needed to bring that to fruition mostly seemed to go unrecognized by judges, and especially at the World’s. So, Harry tips the bonnet to the ScottishPower Pipe Band with this year’s Musical Bravery Award, and gives a massive spluttery lips-and-tung blow off to any judges afraid of anything different.

The There’s Nae Money In It, So Dinnae Bother Award

Every Highland games should be paying proper legal licensing for the music being performed. Not only is it morally right, it’s the law. But Harry’s pretty sure that very few of them bother to license their events, and, so, they cheat pipers and drummers out of fair compensation for their music. For the likes of the World’s or Maxville, we’re talking many thousands of pounds or dollars based on gate receipts that I sincerely hope are being paid so that the people who made the music receive what they have earned. There’s more copyright music being performed for the paying public as just about any events in the world. Time to pay the pipers . . . and drummers.