Ross Ainslie and Ali Hutton are well known in the Scottish folk world for their unconventional tunes and uncompromising attitudes.
As Ali told us: “We’re both pipers and menaces to society!”
The pair are currently involved in one of Scotland’s leading folk outfits, the Treacherous Orchestra.
As Ali said: “We both play in a band called the Treacherous Orchestra. It’s a kind of modern, Scottish band which has a lot influences from the folk world, rock world, dance music. It’s a party band and we try to make music that’s accessible to the general public.”
The pair try, through their various musical projects, to get past the idea that pipe music and Scottish music in general is the sole purview of pipe bands and traditional tartan stereotypes.
Ross said of the bagpipe: “It’s an instrument like any other instrument. It shouldn’t have to just be in a pipe band and things like that.”
And what do the guys think about the scene at the minute?
Ali said: “The whole thing’s growing: there’s more organisations where people can learn and youngsters are being inspired by people above them that are trying to push it a wee bit, so now they’re being involved in playing music that’s just taking it a bit further.
“It’s massive now, massive.”
Piping Live! continues all week in venues around Glasgow. Check out all of our Piping Live! coverage here
For more information on the festival, check out the official website here
