Katherine Collette chats to celebrity organ salesman, musical comedian and safari suit connoisseur Barry Morgan about his new album, one finger playing technique and the Sunnyside Mall.
So, Barry, can you tell us how you into organs?
It was in the suburbs of Adelaide that I was first introduced to the organ by a family friend. I was just a tiny little boy at the time and my dear mother, Nancy Morgan – who’s passed away, a wonderful woman she was – had a friend called Mr Merchisan. He was my first organ teacher. I started out playing in the Church and then as a teenager I discovered the bossa nova [Brazilian jazz/samba] and the Aurora Classic Organ and just never looked back.
What makes organs special?
It’s very easy, that’s the joy of the organ. Everybody can get involved. In a way, organs are electrified Pianolas. You know, it’s not like studying for umpteen decades to become a first violist, you can just sit down with a Campari and in the first five minutes on one of these, or on a pianola in the day, and you can make beautiful music. That’s where the joy comes from for me. I first heard them when I was a child and I just got hooked, and I’m still hooked. And the rest of the country is getting a little bit hooked too!
You’ve just released your first album. How did that come about?
Well, I was trying to sell the organ actually, at a music festival, many, many moons ago and one of the producers from Spicks and Specks caught my eye, or I caught her eye, rather. And her ear. And all sorts of other parts. She got me on television and from there I was approached by some groovy people from a record label, the types with architect-style glasses from up on Level 13. The next thing you know I was bundled into the studio, they put on some microphones and I played around. I did a bossa nova, I did a groovy tango, there’s hard rock in there, there’s a waltz and a swinging number…they took some photos of my one finger method and it’s out there among the ether now, having a life of its own. There’s a video clip too.
Oh, yes. I’m the patron saint of the safari suit, I love a safari-ised outfit, no need for ironing.
Where does one procure a safari suit?
The Sunnyside Mall. It’s not just the World of Organs at Sunnyside. I get my outfits at Martin’s Menswear. The man you want to be is waiting for you at Martins. They have a lot of safari suits, a selection in all sorts of colours, all 100% polyester. It does get a little sticky in summer, I must say when you’re playing the organ and you’ve got the sticky suit on and there’s a bit of static electricity… yu could blow a fuse which would cause some amount of trouble! Yes, we have some fun at the Sunnyside mall. But I’m not always at the shop now because there’s such a demand for me to get out there and get amongst everything, I mean I’ve been playing at rock festivals, can you believe it?
How’s that been going?
Oh, my goodness, the reception’s been fantastic, the kids love it. Nick Cave and the boys they were beside themselves with excitement at Homebake!
And what’s next on the agenda?
Well, I’m about to get on the plane and head over to Edinburgh. I’ve just sent the Toyota and one of the Aurora [Classic Organs] over in a container. I’ll be doing a road trip from London to Edinburgh, where I will be trying to sell the organ at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in the month of August. I’m going to be an Australian Export, waving the Aussie flag. I’ve told the papers over that that I’m bringing recipes for Australia’s favourite fruit: freshly tinned pineapple. Delicious! I’ve got some great recipes. In fact, I’m bringing out a cookbook at some stage with recommendations on the catering you might need for your own home organ party. Cheese slices, those little olives with the capsicum bit inside…
That does sound delicious. Finally, Barry, as an organ salesman, can you give us some advice or some tips about buying an organ? What should we look for?
At this stage I would be going for something that is going to allow you to do and experience the one finger method. The thing you need is the ‘auto chord’, that’s where you push down on one key and that gets the drum going, the base going, the rhythm going, the stings, the whole orchestra… Then you can dance around, drink your Campari and pay attention to dear friends that are in your lounge room with you. As I’ve been saying to people recently, is ‘A dog is for Christmas, but an organ is for life’. In my world that’s true.