The Rogues Celebrate 25 Years at Chicago Highland Games

The Rogues were first formed 25 years ago in 1994 and since then have been performing not only all over America but also all around the world. The band have some done some very cool things over the years: they produced their own theatre show, created music for a film, designed their own tartan (the tartan at the top of the page), released 10 albums and 2 DVDs and have won countless awards. They were even nominated for a Grammy! It is fair to say that the band have had an exciting 25 years and will be releasing an album to commemorate the occasion. The Rogues have a unique set up in that it is not the same members that perform at each event, Randy - the founder of The Rogues - discusses this in the interview. Read on to find out more about this quirky Celtic Band!

Originally, we were friends from the piping community in Houston, Texas. We performed together in traditional pipe bands and took it a different direction, focusing on the fun stuff like jigs, hornpipes and reels, as well as original music of different styles.

As our personal lives changed throughout the years and members' availability for travel changed, we needed to take on a few more players in different parts of the country, and its usually just word of mouth. Every piper knows other pipers kind of thing, and the same with drummers. In Mark's case, the other percussionist you'll be seeing, he originally hired The Rogues to perform 2 weekends at a festival where he was the entertainment director. Unfortunately, I got so sick I missed both weekends but he filled in for me. Then years later, he joined the band. A little karma there I guess.

For me I think it was our concert with the Air Force Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC as a guest artist. I had been a player in orchestras in the past but never played in front of an Orchestra. Also getting to perform in so many great places nationally and internationally has given us a lot of great memories.

It's definitely connecting with an audience. There's something about live performance that can't be duplicated in a studio. The band and the audience feed off of each other making for a better experience for both.

This will be the first Highland Games that our new album, "25... and Live!" will be available, and that's always exciting. It's been a while since we've played Chicago so it's great to come back and be a part of such a great event.

For most of us it grew out of our experiences in a pipe band, and that led to discovering the world of Celtic Music. I think for me (being a drummer) it's a rhythm in Celtic Music that attracts me to it so much. Not that there aren't a lot of sad Celtic songs, but it's hard to listen to most of it and not be happy.

I think we all are of Scottish descent to varying degrees. I think if someone responds to Celtic music as strongly as I did, it must be calling to an element in their ancestry, whether they are aware of it or not.

Definitely music for me, and the history and architecture are so interesting. Visiting ruins is probably my favourite thing to do in Scotland, other than a visit to a good pub.