Hi guys,I was with Eric last week and did an interview with him about his pipes and the movies.
Enjoy.
Phil.
Thanks Phil for the Eric Rigler interview. It was very insightful and just great to hear and see Eric play his film tunes live. I would like to hear his thoughts on reeds as well sometime. Does he make his own, or who makes them for him? Just call me curious.
I have know Eric for some years and only see him at the odd Highland games or whatever and my connection to him though our mutual friend Allistair Sinclair of Leith, Scotland who makes Sinclair highland pipes. I also play Sinclair pipes and started out on highland pipes. I still play highland pipes as well.
I took some photos of his Froment set last time I saw him. They just have a great sound to them always.
Eric is such a great player and an all around nice gentleman. He has done so much to make the public aware of uilleann pipes. Good on him!
Cheers! Richard
Yes I managed to get the rest of the interview up and it’s a cracker.
It just puts the whole thing into perspective.
Nice one Eric.
Phil.
Here’s the link for those who don’t know it:
http://kerrywhistles.com/dl.php?group=26
djm
I seem to have a problem viewing any of the movies on this site. Is it something I’m missing? I have both quicktime and Win Media 10. 
With all due respec to Eric Rigler, he sure ain’t short of confidence. I’d say Willie Clancy would turn in his grave listening to him. Painful
I thought about this for a while. ER doesn’t play trad. He plays New Age “world” fussion, and he plays what is asked of him in Hollywood. He must be delivering what is wanted, because they keep asking him back. Actually, I thought many of his observations insightful, and it was interesting to get an insider’s view of working in an environment that is totally outside my experience.
I don’t necessarily want to sound or play like ER, but on thinking about it, I found it a very interesting interview, and I appreciate Phil making it available to us.
djm
Yes, I also enjoyed the interview. Rigler’s approach to music seems to be completely consistent with his musical upbringing as a child. I don’t own any Bag Haggis recordings, but I enjoyed his work with Skyedance. I don’t see any point in discussing trad vs. fusion or what Willie Clancy would have thought - apples and oranges, apples and oranges.
The point I was making is that he very fond of hearing himself talk about himself. And that he has over estimated the contribution films like braveheart and titanic had in bringing the pipes to world renown…never heard such shite.
I am sure he is a gentleman etc. but this is the way it comes across in the interview.
Okay, point taken. Obviously, I didn’t have the same reaction to the interview. I thought he was comfortable and confident in talking about his music and the pipes and was able to articulate his ideas in an easily understood manner. That’s probably a good thing when one is a professional musician.
I agree with Bill. It’s an interview. What is he supposed to talk about?
I was surprised to hear that UPs were so popular in advertising cars and computers. The only advert I recall having seen with UPs was the Aer Lingus ad where the song True Colours got a trad make-over. Who did that by the way?
As for Eric, if you can turn a buck doing something you love, more power to you.
I wouldn’t say he sounded too full of himself for somebody who works in Hollywood. That atmosphere demands you be very confident and free to talk about yourself and your work otherwise will get passed up for a gig. And as was mentioned, he is not a traditional musician.
As for Braveheart and Titanic bringing the pipes to world renown, I agree that the statement is shite in that they didn’t really do that. Those films really just brought the pipes to the industry’s attention (film, television, recording). And I’m sure there are a few people out there not at all involved in the industry who saw the movies and thought “what’s that instrument?” and decided to learn more about it. But I would guess that the majority of people either didn’t even register that it was a particular instrument or they just think of it as “that Irish sounding thing.”
But overall I enjoyed the interview and laud Phil for sharing all of that footage of the Nouveau Trad Virtuosi.
Cheers,
Aaron
Eric 
Don’t forget the Budweiser, Callaway and Texaco ad’s!
PD.
I have to disagree that films like Titanic and Braveheart (to name a few) and the ever present Riverdance didn’t bring in hundreds (if not more) of converts to the uilleann pipes. They surely did!
These media events brought to the attention the uilleann pipes to folks that maybe had only heard them in some odd music somewhere before but had never actually seen a set before.
I was one of them. I am certain that I had heard uilleann pipes somewhere, but it wasn’t until I saw Davey Spillane playing them in Riverdance that I was truly bitten and obsessed to not only get a set but play them well.
Unless you were already immersed in the Irish music scene you most likely would not have known about them.
I can’t tell you how many people who see me play have never seen uilleann pipes before. They are amazed by them and can’t for the life of them figure out were the air is coming from to operate them. They often ask, “is that a bagpipe?”
The vast majority of people that I perform for, have heard of them but have never seen them before.
So…hats off to players like Eric and Davey for making the world aware of uilleann pipes. It’s a better world for their efforts for sure!
Richard
It looks like we’re debating semantics (on the Uilleann Pipe forum of all places 
).
I agree with you, Richard, that those movies and shows like Riverdance did spawn a fair share of pipers.
But you’re statement that you get people asking you what it is and don’t know that it’s a bagpipe illustrates that the pipes weren’t brought to “World Renown”… or whatever Eric actually said.
All of this comes down to our own interpretations of his comments.
Touché, Aaron!
I guess we all have our work cut out for us if we want the world to recognize our instrument.
Hey, I like the mystery myself! 'nuf said!
Cheers! Richard
People are always saying to me “I thought there was only one type of bagpipe”.
Very annoying.
I was fortunate enough to be raised on Irish and Scottish music. There was great music available in the 60’s and 70’s. Bands like Boys of the Lough, Planxty, DeDannen, Chieftains … were playing in the L.A. area fairly frequently.
Enjoyed the interview. Thanks very much.
Neil
I was a bit shocked that a teenage fellow from Dublin came to the Seamas Ennis Centre for pipe lessons after hearing them in Braveheart. He had no idea what they were initially… having grown up in Dublin without ever having seen a set. This turns out not to be uncommon.. that sort of gives the context.
I’ve almost stopped being surprised at how many Irish people have no idea what the “uilleann” pipes are.
Bill
From a guy who grew up in the US, banging out80’s rock tunes on guitar then having come into “the fold” via pieces like Riverdance/Bravehart , I applaud & enjoyed the interview immensely!!
Ever since I read ‘Eric Rigler’ on the liner notes of the B/H soundtrack, I have always thought, “hmm, he must be like from Ireland , & probably craps Guinness, he’s probably so frikin Irish & stuff..”
I was pleased to see his background is a varied one!
“Eric Rigler is one of the founders of Bad Haggis. It is a band that plays a fusion of the most cutting-edge Celtic with influences of Alternative Rock, African, World Beat, vocal and groove-based stylings.”
It was extemely refreshing and encouraging to hear him talk about being influenced by the likes of people like Davey Spillaine, and wanting to mix it up with modern instruments.
As far as: "And that he has over estimated the contribution films like braveheart and titanic had in bringing the pipes to world renown…never heard such shite. "
Who knows, may be true, may be sh%^&.
I cannot count how many times I have gotten into a convesation about music & therefore Uilleann piping, and made the humorous point that the pipes onthe B/H CD are actually Irish…etc etc
Well, anyway, thanks Phil!
ps. we now own a ChieftainSoprao D whistle, & it totally rocks!!!
peace!