Andy Lyon

1. How long have you been playing pipes and who taught you?
I started learning pipes when I was 5, at school in Tiree, being taught by Somharlie Maclean and Peter Macinnes. Later on, once I moved to the mainland, Pipe Major Iain MacDonald started teaching me small pipes and then that led me to joining Neilston & District when I was 16.

2. Favourite tune(s) that the band plays?
My favourite tunes that the band plays are the 6/8 marches MacNeills of Ugadale and Mrs Lily Christie.

3. Favourite tune(s) that the band does not play?
My favourite tune that the band doesn’t play is the Mason’s Apron. 

4. Favourite trip or gig you’ve played with the band?
My favourite trip that I’ve been on with the band was to the Dominican Republic. We were there for two weeks while promoting Dewar’s Whisky.

5. Most memorable pipe band moment?
My most memorable pipe band moment was when we played at the Ortiguera Festival in Galicia, Spain. We played the encore along with the headliner and Spanish piping legend Carlos Nuñez in front of 10,000 people. Let’s just say there were a few litre cups of Calimocho (red wine and coke) consumed before having the nerves to play.

6. What is the funniest moment while being in the band? The funniest moment in the band was in Strakonice. When we play the concert in the open air cinema we start marching from the back and down through the crowd. We always line up in twos apart from the bass drummer so when we marched up the steps onto the stage the band splits left and right. Well Cammy (the bass drummer) walked straight up the middle of the stage and fell straight over a speaker.

7. What is your favourite thing about being in the band? My favourite thing about being in the band is getting the chance to travel the world, to places I wouldn’t normally have the chance to go and with a great group of people too.