Alan’s GHB work is notorious for its variability, though his good instruments are very good indeed. His output was not massive.
He was a Scots Guardsman under Angus MacDonald. As fas as I know his piping career came to an end when he was jailed for child porn possession a few years back.
Robin Williamson of the Incredible String Band was support to the Boys of the Lough in the early 80’s at a gig in southern Sweden and he told me that Alan, who was living in Stockholm at the time, could make a reed for my Williams chanter. Alan made a nice reed that worked until I got a reed from Dave. I have the Logan reed somewhere but I don’t know where exactly. Alan made the reed based on the measurements of the Williams reed I had, so I doubt the reed measurements would suit a Logan chanter. The chanter reed I play now was made by Dave in 1998. I remember the gig and talking to Robin as I also met Garrison Keillor there. Garrison was living in Copenhagen at that time. We had a long conversation about music during the evening. I didn’t know who he was at the time though.
So sorry for the poor children, to be abused, and exploited in this terrible manner. Tragic even for Alan, an old man, the shame, the prison sentence … I heard many years ago that he had gone back to Scotland.