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Alistair Fraser, born in Lower Hutt, New Zealand, began his drumming career at the age of 6 being taught by his father, Don Fraser. His father is still a well known former Lead Drummer and current Judge in New Zealand. His pipe band experience started around 1978 with the City of Wellington Pipe Band -- which at the time was New Zealand's premier pipe band -- where he progressed from the grade 4 band to become lead drummer of the Grade 2 band and, ultimately, a member of the very sucessful Grade one band. While with the City of Wellington, Alistair followed his father's footsteps by travelling with the |
band to Edinburgh, Scotland to perform in the Edinburgh Military Tattoo of 1987. His Father had made the same trip in 1980. In 1991, Alistair embarked on a lifestyle change and departed Wellington for Auckland where he joined the American Airlines Pipe band, resulting in yet more success with NZ Championship wins for both the band and drum corps. The end of 1994 saw Alistair transferring back to his home city of Wellington where he joined the New Zealand Police Pipe Band under Lead Drummer Carl Lenny of Shotts & Dykehead fame. This saw the beginning of a very good friendship with Carl that exists to this day. Marriage to a drummer in 1996 saw a Canadian connection open up, as his wife Carol was a former Lead Drummer with the Vancouver Ladies Pipe Band. In 1998, Alistair & Carol left New Zealand for British Columbia where they currently live. This became yet another opportunity for Alistair to play with Carl Lenny, as Carl had taken over the Los Angeles Scots drum corp and Alistair was brought in during the year to play with Carl |
in both local competitions and at the World Pipe Band Championships. With the departure of Carl from LA to Scotland in 2003, Alistair made an approach to the Maple Ridge Pipe Band to take over the drum corps. This was accepted and the corps went from mediocre to strength as it started winning local competitions in both drumming and ensemble. His final year with Maple Ridge was 2006 and ended with the band touring to Scotland for the World Pipe Band Championships, where the drum corps achieved a very respectable 4th place out of 19 in the Grade two qualifier. Unfortunately, the band did not progress to the final and so the 4th place was where it ended. Alistair took on the role of building a drum corps for the newly formed RCMP "E" Division Pipes & Drums where he was joined by his former Maple Ridge colleagues, Gwyn MacGregor and Rob Smith. In March, 2008, Alistair stepped down as Drum Sergeant to further pursue the competitive band scene with the Grade 1 Windsor Police Pipe Band. |
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