WATCH: Former soldier living in Inverness teaches Eddie 'The Beast' Hall the bagpipes during strongman's North Coast 500 motorbike tour
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A FORMER holder of the World’s Strongest Man title could have a future as a bagpiper.
That’s the view of an expert now living in Inverness who gave Eddie ‘The Beast’ Hall a piping primer while the latter was on a motorcycle tour of the NC500.
Jason Faulkner, a former South Lodge Primary and Invergordon Academy pupil joined the British Army when hewas 17 and spent over 20 years with The Highlanders (4th battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland).
In those two decades he travelled the world with the Pipes and Drums, performed at events like the Edinburgh Tattoo and played for royalty in Buckingham Palace. As a soldier he was also deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq.
Explaining the unusual hook-up, Jason, who now lives in Inverness, said: “I left the military at the end of last year and have decided to start my own business as a bagpiper, providing my services for weddings, funerals, events.
“I got a request to a few weeks ago to meet up with Eddie and his father in Ullapool. I gladly accepted as I have been a fan of his for quite some time.”
He said: “I was well prepared and had an idea what I wanted to do with Eddie and his father.
“On the initial meet up I was very excited – Eddie is a very nice guy and we were soon into filming without any rehearsals or retakes.
“It was the best way to do things and I’m happy with how it all went. Eddie somewhat surprised me and I think if he was to keep on practising the bagpipes he would have no bother playing in a band in the future.”
Jason has now set up in business as a piper to book for all occasions.
Hall namechecks Invergordon duo Tom and Luke Stoltman – the world’s strongest brothers – during his tour of the NC500 and was well aware of the town.
He won WSM in 2017 and is now involved in TV presenting.
