History of Sleep is a new release of slumberous drones for midnight vistas, by the duo of Donald W.G. Lindsay and Richard Youngs, a small pipes and electric guitar duo. These four pieces contain sighing, soaring improvisations for half-waking states, with keening bagpipe and whorls of resonant guitar. The 20-minute long finale, 'Dorrington' has at its heart a cue from the oldest collection of bagpipe music in existence by William Dixon. This tune was once played by the Allan pipers Will and Jamie, who roamed Northumberland in the 1700s. Will was said to have played it on his deathbed.
Following rehearsals at the Glasgow Piping Centre and a live show at the Tchai Ovna tearoom, Donald and Richard recorded this collection at Green Door Studios, Glasgow, shortly before Donald left for Ascension Island in the middle of the Atlantic.
Donald WG Lindsay is a Glasgow musician and inventor, best known for his musically groundbreaking bagpipe designs, two of which are now on display in the museum of The National Piping Centre in Glasgow. Donald is currently resident on Ascension Island, in the South Atlantic, until July 2021 where he is continuing his research, composing new music, and writing a book concerning his instruments.
Richard Youngs has been involved with music for most of his life. He discovered the power of the art form by thumping the family piano as an angry five year old. In the intervening years he has attempted to harness the same experimental, naive, playful power in his live performances and in all of his 140+ releases.