Today

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The band as it stands at the moment is comprised of servicemen and personnel from both RAF Kinloss and RAF Lossiemouth as well as its civilians from the local community. The bands core of civilian members provide the stability to the band which is constantly changing with the arrival and departure of service personnel. The band attends a whole raft of traditional highland events throughout the season as well as taking part in many Military and Civilian parades. The band competes locally, Nationally and abroad representing the Station and the Service at grade IVa level.

Pipe Major Barry Ashby (Bazza), was born in the saarf east of London, within a short train ride to the sound of Bo Bells (cockinee). After years of dodging the poor house, selling his mother and toying with the temptation of getting off at Walford tube station Barry joined the Royal Air Force in June of 1976. This move fulfilled the criteria of his ASBO and allowed him to give up his wide boy life style as a market stall trader. Gone were the days of “Look after yer car mista’, fir a quid” and keeping watch while the Cray twins visited their mum. Barry was looking forward to ditching the flares (velvet waistband), the box leather (PVC) jacket and sticky out collar for the RAF blue and a tub of brylcream.

Barry was posted to RAF Kinloss in 1977 and served tours on both 201 and 206 squadrons. Barry reached the rank of Master Aircrew and eventually saw his time out in the Air Force while working in the Nimrod MR2 Simulator as an Assistant Controller. This is a post he currently holds whilst working for Thales.

Barry started his pipe band career in 1980 when he joined the Kinloss Pipes and Drums. Barry’s first musical excursion was as a drummer; unfortunately he couldn’t spell paradiddle let alone play one and he had more chance of starting a fire with the sticks than a three pace roll. Undeterred his two left feet led him to the company of the piping table where he met up with the rest of our uncoordinated brethren.

Piping appeared to be where Barry’s talent lay and under the careful tutelage of piping legend/ storyteller (When I was in Singapore…) RSM Turpie, PM Dave “Ramshackle” Ramsey and PM Al “Smiler” Chisholm he excelled, eventually taking over as Pipe Major in his own right in 1991. From this point on the band has been ably led by Pipe Major Barry John Ashby and he has been at the helm ever since. Barry, known affectionately as the "Cockney Piper", has brought his own brand of jellied eels playing to the table. His unique brand of east end humour, cups of tea and the inability to mark time in tune to the music has made the band what it is today. The band reached its zenith in 1995 winning 38 trophies, 30 of which were firsts. They included the grade IV and grade III Champions of the North of Scotland and the North of Scotland Champion of Champions both in piping and drumming. Nationally the band was placed fourth in the British and second in the Scottish Championships. That year also saw the band win the RAF Pipe Band Championships for an unprecedented sixth time in succession. The band went on to win the RAF Championship for a total of 9 times in 10 years and in 2003 the band was elevated to Grade III making Barry the most successful RAF Pipe Major.

Flight Sergeant Joe Dempsey, the ropey looking one from 1980’s crime fighting duo “Dempsey and Makepeace”. He has been masquerading as our Leading Tip for the last 6 months having been with the band, this time around, for 6 years. Joe’s claim to fame is that at one time or another he has played with almost every RAF pipe band excepting RAF Germany.
Joe was born in Glasgow, where carrying two bits of wood around comes in very handy. Joe developed his drumming when he enrolled in Queen Victoria’s School, Dunblane (Queen Vic- Cockinee connection) in the early 1970’s. Joe joined the Royal Air Force in 1976 anything to avoid going back to “Glesca”. Joe’s trade as a mechanical transport fitter has come in useful helping prolong the life of his ongoing collection of antique cars. Joe has cultivated his moustache from about the age of three. It now has the capacity to store his loose change and a hip flask. It is even said Tom Seleck is jealous. Joe has previously been with the band for 5 years in the mid 1990’s before returning in 2001. Since then he has always been with the band, recently taking over as our principal drummer.

Joe and Barry can often be found wrapped around a beer tap in the band room or the Red Lion discussing the best way forward for the band. This constant, it's your round- no it's my round, banter coupled with "Where shall we go tonight?”, “Let’s go to the Beastie and think about it", has provided the dynamism that has propelled the band to its current ceiling. As a comedy duo they appear up there with the Crankies. Their unique partnership has made coming to band practice and competing a joy to the rest of us. However trying to get them out of the Forres time warp has proved impossible, using weak excuses with little substance to avoid a big night out in Elgin. "The lights are too bright" or "it's too noisy" and "how am I supposed to get to the bar for all those scantily clad women?" This avoidance policy has led to an increase in the financial stability of the Beastie and the dust with not enough time to settle on the pumps. This close harmony is coupled with their passion, devotion and commitment to the band which they constantly demonstrate throughout each season.

RAF Kinloss Pipes & Drums