David Watson's The Wax : "Wax & wane"

(Dr Jim's records, 1997)

Bagpipes ? Not known for their prominence in modern music, some may see Wax and Wane by David Watson's The Wax as an attempt to place bagpipes back into a context where they are entirely unwelcome.
The disc could be seen as the imposition of an artefact of imperial Britain onto a worldly improvised scene where its symbolism could clash with the listener's preconceptions of the preoccupations of the other instrument players. On the other hand a lover of bagpipes may see this CD as mockery.
The use of bagpipes in this context has nothing to do with symbols. David Watson may be trying to chart some weird progression from the highlands (via AC/DC?) but his primary concern is sound.
Bagpipes make a lovely sound. The way we listen to them needs freshening up. The essence of their beauty still lies with the drones. Droning's modern tradition began with La Monte Young and has extended through to Sonic Boom and beyond to the point where drone aficianados, exhausted, have now looked back to the ancient world's sources of the original drones: bagpipes, Tuvan throat singing, etc. The other players on this recording contribute beats, bass and noises : Otomo Yoshihide and Kato Hideki are known to Australians through their recording and tours in Peril (with Tony Buck). Ikue Mori, Andrea Parkins and Evan Gallagher are familiar faces in every downtown venue in New York.

HERE