The latest issue of Uk’s New magazine, contains an interview
with Lorne Cousin, the bagpipe player from Madonna’s re-Invention tour.
Cousin played for stars at Stella McCartney‘s wedding to Alisdhair Willis on the Island of Bute and that was where Madonna first saw him. Last March he received a phone call from Madonna’s assistant who told him Madonna was impressed with his bagpipe playing at Stella’s wedding and wanted to get in touch with him for a project. Later Madonna herself left a message on his answear machine. “She said she had an idea about using Scottish bagpipes and drums for her forthcoming tour” said Lorne, who added that Madonna wanted a link between John Lennon‘s Imagine and her own Into the groove. He later went into the studio with Stuart Price and worked till 1 in the morning to “came up with the goods”.

Later “Madonna said she wanted me to dance on stage with her as well as play the pipes. I was rather taken aback since dancing is not my forte!” he says. Lorne says it would have been nice to play in his native scotland but “but it was difficult to find venues because the stage is so big.” But his friends and family came to see him in Manchester.

Lorne also reveals that Madonna prays with the band before any show and gives an emotional speech about enjoying it.

Source: New magazine