Here are some pieces to drive the sleep from your eyes and wake you up properly this Sunday morning. They’re bagpipe renditions (with frequent collaboration from other instruments) of well-known tunes, plus one that’s new to me. A “pop bagpiper” calling herself The Snake Charmer, an Indian lady who taught herself to play the pipes, has an extensive collection of them on her YouTube channel. She says of herself:
My name is Archy J, i play the Bagpipes, im from India.
Awarded by the President of India as “India’s First Professional Female Bagpiper”. I am a self taught musician and hence do not play by any rules 😉
Everything you did not know or see a Bagpipe could do, is here on my channel. I make unique versions of popular songs, movie themes, anime openings, metal songs on the Bagpipes. I play an electronic Bagpipe to be able to transcend over different genres of music & has much less limitations.
Being self taught was one of the toughest thing to do for me, as i didnt have a teacher here but my determination and passion for this instrument sailed me through the impossible.
This is the only “JOB” i do, and i rely on music for my income. So if you’d like to support me please try to buy my songs from iTunes, Google play or Stream it on Spotify.
If you want to get a little more personal with my career, please support me on Patreon -https://www.patreon.com/thesnakecharmer
First, here’s a medley of “Shipping Up To Boston” by the Dropkick Murphys, and “Enter Sandman” by Metallica.
Next, on bagpipe and cello, one of the theme songs from the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise.
Here’s the 1980’s dystopian hit, “The Final Countdown“.
And, to conclude, here’s a real foot-tapper: a blend of Irish and Punjabi music, with a little rap thrown in. Weird, but fun!
You’ll find plenty more on The Snake Charmer’s YouTube channel. Her music is also available on Amazon, or through the channels she mentions above.
Peter
Peter,
The 2nd video is entirely appropriate as today is …
International Talk Like a Pirate Day !!!
Brad got there first! Aargh.
I was taking a numerical inventory of those things that hold lampshades onto lamps and I kept hearing music in my head.
It was of course, The Finial Countdown.
I'm off to binge bagpipe music.
This reminds me of something that happened many years ago… I had escaped a miserable marriage and living conditions by going down to Mexico, and one sunny afternoon found myself on a large city plaza. I was sipping margaritas, too many I fear, and across the plaza was a traditional Mariachi Band playing their hearts out. After about an hour (or 2?) I realized that all of the music sounded the same. With my American ear and tequila-numbed mind, I could not differentiate one tune from another.
To this day when I encounter music that is odd to my ears (and I'm stone cold sober today), I call it __(fill in the blank with a nationality___ Mariachi."
So by the 4th vid, I was Mariachi'ed out. I feel I have a healthy sensitivity to Western music, love the Classics and even some of the modern stuff, but to me this is Indian-Celtic-Rap-Mariachi.
I love her playing and her attitude. As a former piper, I can say that I never heard anything like her at any Highland Games. She'd really shake things up…
Bhangra Celtic is my new favorite genre!
The rapper and, I believe, the drummer are members of the band Bloodywood, an Indian folk metal group who are very good (if you like metal).
You are correct good sir.
I've been enjoying Snake Charmer and Bloodywood for a few years now, very entertaining. The vocalist/rapper is Raul Kerr, some of his linguistic gymnastics display how wretched American "rap music" really is. I am not a fan of rap, but Raul has a spot on my playlist because he's not above calling out men to treat women well, among other things.
I just realized Snake Charmer is in the background at the end of Jee Veerey (a beautiful and moving song) and also shows up in their European tour and video "Raj Against the Machine". All of them seem to be very good people who walk the walk. I've also been enjoying the heck out of The Hu Band, from Mongolia. They are some deeply talented guys.