Red Hackle Pipe & Drums, sometimes known as the Hackle, was a grade 1
pipe band
A pipe band is a musical ensemble consisting of Bagpipes, pipers and drummers. The term pipes and drums, used by military pipe bands is also common.
The most common form of pipe band consists of a section of pipers playing the Great Highland b ...
based in
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
, Scotland.
History
The Red Hackle Pipes & Drums was formed at the end of World War II by a group of
Black Watch
The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The regiment was created as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881, when the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment ...
ex-servicemen in the
Govan
Govan ( ; Cumbric?: ''Gwovan'?''; Scots: ''Gouan''; Scottish Gaelic: ''Baile a' Ghobhainn'') is a district, parish, and former burgh now part of south-west City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south ba ...
area of
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
, Scotland. In the early 1950s, the band began a long relationship with Hepburn & Ross Distillers who marketed a brand of whisky known as Red Hackle. Charles A. Hepburn, himself an ex-Black Watch officer, was a keen supporter of the band, as well as the College of Piping. With Mr. Hepburn's support, the band would soon move their practice facility to Otago Street, directly across from the College.
The Red Hackle, under
pipe major
The pipe major is the leading musician of a pipe band, whether military or civilian. Like the appointment of drum major, the position is derived from British Army traditions. During the early twentieth century, the term sergeant piper was used ...
Angus McLeod and leading drummer Alex Ross, finished 2nd in the
World Championships
A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...
in 1954, winning the World drum corps title in 1954 and 1955. John Weatherston took over as pipe major in 1963, having led the 277 Battalion
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Argyll (; archaically Argyle, in modern Gaelic, ), sometimes called Argyllshire, is a historic county and registration county of western Scotland.
Argyll is of ancient origin, and corresponds to most of the part of the ancient kingdom of ...
Pipe Band to victory at the Worlds the previous year.
Although "The Hackle" never won a World Pipe Band Championship, the band is regarded as one of the finest bands of its era. The band won every Major Championship except the Worlds, and would finish 2nd at the World Championships a total of 3 times. At the 1968 World Championships at Perth, Scotland, the band ended up in a 3 way tie for 1st place on points, finishing 3rd overall on ensemble preference. 1972 saw the band named
RSPBA
The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (RSPBA) is an association aiming to oversee pipe band competition, and to promote and encourage the development of pipe band culture worldwidepipe band competition, and to promote and encourage the develo ...
Champion of Champions. The following year, 1973, the Hackle won the prestigious 25 band Inter-Continental Pipe Band Championships at the
Canadian National Exhibition
The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), also known as The Exhibition or The Ex, is an annual event that takes place at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on the third Friday of August leading up to and including Canadian Labour Day, ...
(CNE) at Toronto, Canada.Piper & Drummer Magazine August 1995
In later years, due to change of sponsorship, the band would become known as the Clan Campbell Pipe Band (changing from its Royal Stewart tartan to Ancient Campbell of Cawdor), then
Britoil
Britoil plc was originally a privatised British oil company operating in the North Sea. It was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. The company was acquired by BP in 1988, becoming a brand of it.
Notable pipers Andrew Wright, Norman Gillies, Tom Anderson, Bob Hardie, Iain MacFadyen, Neil Dickie and
Roddy MacLeod
Roddy MacLeod, MBE (born August 26, 1962) is a Scottish bagpiper, director of the annual Piping Live! Festival and former principal of the National Piping Centre.
He is known to be vocal against Scottish reforms in the realm of piping. In 2006 ...
are all former members of the band.
There are extant pipe bands in Belgium, Cleveland, Wellington and Fairbanks that are also called Red Hackle.