Rod Pasibe

CHARLESTON Pipe band

Rod Pasibe is a retired Army Infantry Combat Veteran. He always wanted to play the drum set, but never had time to pursue this passion because of his demanding career in the Army. After retirement, his wife let him get an acoustic drum kit because she was tired of finding broken things around the house that he drummed on. His wife Tara has been supportive of his endeavor as a pipe band snare drummer. Perhaps, because, as Rod says, “Drum practice keeps me right where she can watch me.”

Thanks to his birthday falling on St Patrick’s Day, he has had a long tradition of dressing up and following the Charleston Pipe Band into his favorite pub during their annual gigs. Wearing a kilt and following the pipe band, he found he could just walk in to crowded parties and avoid waiting in the long lines for entry. A band member finally caught on to him sneaking in and told him that if he was to keep doing this, he had to join the band. So, Rod joined the band, officially, in 2021.

Rod discovered that Scottish-style snare drumming is so different from the drum kit, that it took him a while to get used to it. He says that sometimes it’s like the right and left hand are fighting one another. “I love my drum. It’s like a magic carpet. This thing has landed me in some really cool situations. I’ve been seen on TV with it many times in news stories. I’ve played it along with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra and performed among hundreds of other musicians in a 10,000 seat arena. And many other really cool situations, too many to list.”

Rod’s other contributions to the band include marketing, graphic design, and portrait and candid photography.