It was on the 5th of November when four of the finest pipers ever to don kilts embarked on a three week adventure to play for a British trade fair in Sampoong Department Store. This talented quartet of musicians (in order of importance) were our glorious leader Kenny Short, Cammy Renwick, Stuart Robinson and last but definitely least Biff Laidlaw esq. Departing from Edinburgh on a crisp clear morning we shuttled down to London Heathrow to join up with two other promoters as well as catch our connecting flight. The two people just mentioned were Peter McDonald who hand wove tartan for scarves and pajamas and Rodger Lawrence who ate lots of chocolate and built models of Big Ben and Buckingham Palace out of rubber jonnies and things. And so, after a quick run round the duty free, we were off to Moons bar for a couple of pre flight drinks (just to calm any pre flight nerves you understand) and then after that, once again we were off in to the night sky leaving Moons bar and Biffs duty free behind.

British Airways once again had the honour of transporting us and we were very well looked after by the friendly crew and the "never closing bar" offering us free drink for the duration of our flight to Korea via Hong Kong On our arrival in Seoul, we were taken to our new abode which was the Seoul Palace Hotel which again was up to the standard that we require. After a days rest, we started working which was playing at the doors of the stores where large crowds would gather, we would then march into the store playing as we went, and just like in the film the pied piper of Hamlin the vast crowds would follow us in to the store which is what the plan was all along. Once inside, we would play all the way up to the fifth floor and lead them into the promotion. Once there we would then climb on to a scaled model of the Tower Bridge (which was not made from rubber jonnies and things) and we'd play a couple of tunes before finishing and fall out, and each day was much the same with five performances a day.  At night, our interpreters and guides Mr. Park and his assistant Mr. Chew Yong Kim took us to virtually every bar and entertainment hostel in Seoul, this working hard and playing hard lifestyle soon became boring and on the second week we changed our routine, firstly we discovered that there was a health club in the store with saunas, Jacuzzis, massage parlours and a King scrub room. The idea was to use the these facilities to scrub and change after our last performance so that we could hit the town a bit quicker. Secondly we decided to try and invite ourselves to the British Embassy knowing well that there was free or cheap drink inside. This second plan worked well and after getting in touch with the Embassy we were told please come and make your selves at home but please leave the noisy bagpipes in the hotel.  So the days wound on and at the end of the second week it was time to say goodbye to our glorious leader and chief Kenny Short who was only on the trip for two out of the three weeks and we gave him a good send off with a grand night on the town followed by a party in the hotel room till the small hours of the morning, but there's something I feel I must tell you about what happened to Kenny. On the first day of the promotion, we were wearing full kit and I told Kenny that his belt wasn't right at the back and that if he loosened it I would fix it for him, so a rather appreciative Kenny slackened his belt and I tucked as much of his kilt into it as I could without him knowing about it, and I told him that it was much better. He then thanked me and walked off showing his arse to the massed crowds who had gathered, officials who were on duty that day were rather perplexed in as much that they were pointing towards Kenny's rear end and then the pointing to the crowds, they really didn't know what to do. Click here In order to see a short cartoon of this event, it gives you a better idea of this event. The last week was more of the same with the usual five performances a day, but we made it a rule that the last tune to be played at the end of each performance had to be the old Hawick Pipe Band classic " John Noakes is shaggin Shep" which went down well with the large appreciative crowds, but not to Mr. Park after we had explained to our interpreter what in fact it all meant.  During this last week the weather took a turn for the worse with the temperatures plummeting to minus seven and minus twelve in the evening with a fair old fall of snow into the bargain. With myself thinking that Korea was a tropical country, I wasn't prepared for this sudden change of climate so I wandered off to Southgate market to purchase a coat and boy did I get a coat "my white flashers coat" at a bargain basement price of £15 and before you start laughing that self same coat has saved the life's of others just ask Rennie Melville ( Drambuie Kirkliston) The days wound on to the now familiar strains of "John Noakes is Shaggin Shep" echoed around the store for the last time, the promotion had finished and all we had to look forward to was the long journey home. I must thank Tara Enterprises for giving us the opportunity to go on this trip. Also I'd like to thank our friends Mr. Park and Mr. Kim for the great company that they provided.

On a more sad note which I feel should be mentioned, on June 29th 1995 at 6:00pm, 699 people lost their lives when the Sampoong Department Store collapsed, and my heart goes out to all the families and friends of the people who were killed in this disaster. 

Report by Cammy Renwick