10.26.10 - 5:00PM
- by
Eliot Glazer

Dude Turns Taxidermied Goat Into Bagpipes and It's Super-Normal

topic:
Videos
Music
Weird
Animals

I love goats. I hate bagpipes. So imagine my confused terror at the sight of a man (whose name, I've gathered by the video's description, is Risto Todoroski from Sydney, Australia) emitting the sounds of death -- because, let's face it, bagpipes are the exclusive soundtrack to funerals -- from the cleaned carcass of a super-dead, glossy-eyed taxidermied goat.

Todoroski doesn't just blow into dead goats to make music, either. The guy makes tapans, or Balkan drums, from the skin of goats. (And he also sells flutes because why not do what you love?)

And animal rights activists have no reason to worry. Todoroski explains:

The goats are humanely slaughtered for meat by their owners in familiar surroundings, lured with a bucket of treats. No live transportation. No abattoirs!

I have no idea what that means, but PETA's probably totally cool with it, right? I mean, the bagpipe goat was lured with a bucket of treats, and how sweet is that? No abattoirs!

Watching five minutes of this guy clutching a goat that looks like it's clutching him even harder even though it's dead just proves that music really is the universal language.

via:// Say OMG

Email This

hot on the web

Comments

Add a comment

10.26.10

By Michael D.

Highest Rank

I have made my own bagpipes from leather bags, inner tubes, and fake fur, so I can appreciate the work that went into this endeavor.

I showed my wife the video and she said it was gross to have the chanter coming out of the goat's mouth. I told her it could have been worse. He could have had the chanter coming out of a different orifice.

10.29.10

By Arthur Snyggs

Neutral

It is traditional in Bulgaria, Macedonia and Greece to make bagpipes out of goat. We own three different kinds of Balkan bagpipes, all made from goat skins. What is unusual is leaving the head on and keeping the fur on the outside, instead of turning the skin inside out. If you see the other instruments this man makes and plays, you will see he is very accomplished. Don't know why he should be made fun of. He likes to think up novelties.

10.26.10

By J.E.B.

Neutral

This is too weird!

10.27.10

By Mkultra776

Highest Rank

bagpipes made from a goat? That just might be the most metal thing I've seen in my entire 34 years on this planet! Double horns up!

10.26.10

By sal the fish

Neutral

This guy has way to much time on his hands.

10.27.10

By MM

Highest Rank

First off, I agree with Micheal D. I wouldn't want to own these, but considering this is skilfully handmade and a rather creative set up, I can appreciate them.
Now, while this is by no means "normal" in the bagpiping ciruit (at least not in North America and Europe), the bags have always been traditionally made from tanned sheepskin, goatskin, elk hide (such as my own), and occasionally cowhide. As to the drums, the same applies, and both natural bags and drumheads are still widely available for a variety of instruments (my bodhran's head is goatskin). A typical set of bongo drums is goatskin.
As to the comment on funerals -- bagpipes put the "fun" back in "funeral." Jokes aside, do your research first. There are hundreds of varieties of bagpipes from across the Middle East (their origin), northern Africa, and Europe, each with countless uses ranging the gamete of formal and informal gatherings. They are by no means exclusive to funerals, nor are funerals exclusive of any other musical instrument. I've personally played numerous memorials and other events during which I was not the only professional musician performing.
Furthermore, bagpipe music is every bit as complex as "traditional" Western music, so don't malign it when you seem to have spent no time investigating the topic (a random YouTube video and 193 words -- 24 of which are quoted -- by the 5:00pm deadline does not an article make. By that logic, AOL should pay me by getting this in before tomorrow's deadline and providing them with an informed 321 words. I hope you don’t consider yourself a columnist, let alone a journalist).
PS – the burger you enjoyed at lunch more than likely came from a cow treated and slaughtered much less humanely than those goats, to say the least. By the way, I happen to love goats: my family used to own a few; no, we did not slaughter them.

10.29.10

By Jasmin Light

Highest Rank

He is an accomplished musician. Its not easy to do what he does, especially out of the body of a goat. Recycling is also a good thing. :)

10.27.10

By Squiddypie8

Lowest Ranked

Humans are truly evil. No shame whatsoever. I would like to see the horror of some animal doing this to a person. Or better yet Aliens doing it. They/We deserve it.

10.27.10

By Rich

Lowest Ranked

Risto Todoroski you are a very disrespectful human being and what you are doing is sick. How would you like it if someone was making bagpipes out of your dead family members?????