NAME: Charles Gray

DATE OF BIRTH: 20/11/1968

WHERE DO YOU LIVE: Peebles

OCCUPATION: Library Assistant

PERSONAL WEB SITE/EMAIL: charles-gray@lineone.net

WHAT INSTRUMENT DO YOU PLAY: Bagpipes

WHEN DID YOU JOIN THE BAND: 1980

PREVIOUS BAND(S) (IF ANY): Played the 1997 competition season with Hawick, but otherwise have been here all my days

WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE PIPE BAND: Shotts, Field Marshall Montgomery and SFU.

WHAT IS/ARE YOUR FAVOURITE TUNE(S): The Fiddlers Rally, The Masons Apron, Mrs McPherson of Inveran, 79th Farewell to Gibraltar (when played with a brass/military band), On St Ronan's (at the end of the Games Retreat), too many others to mention.....

WHO/WHAT DO YOU MOST ADMIRE IN THE PIPE BAND WORLD: Judges who write fair and legible sheets; Bands who support their local pipe band contests; Appreciative audiences; Everyone and anyone who puts in the work to keep their pipe band on the road.

WHO/WHAT DO YOU LEAST ADMIRE IN THE PIPE BAND WORLD: The new MAP system of qualifying in the lower grade contests at major championships; Judges who can't write legibly; Poorly organised contests; Food traders at contests who charge the earth for crap food and drink; Those who talk a better game than they play.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE CONTEST: The Worlds; North Berwick and Peebles (it's the last of the year)

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACHIEVE WITH THE BAND: Consolidate as a Grade 3 band; Improve the band's repertoire so that we play a wider variety of tunes; Increase the size of the band.

WHAT OTHER MUSIC/BANDS DO YOU LISTEN TO: Like a wide range - folk, country, classical, rock. If it's good I'll probably listen. Don't like hip-hop and rap.

FAVOURITE MEMORY(S) WITH THE BAND: Playing the 2002 Grade 4B final at the Worlds - it was a great performance on a beautifully sunny afternoon.

MOST MEMORABLE TRIP(S) WITH THE BAND: Belgium 2003 for the European and Belgian Championships.