Fringe goers are in for a treat this year, as legendary organ salesman Barry Morgan returns to the Festival with his beloved Hammond Aurora Classic and a hilarious and musical show. 

If you’re not already familiar with this very interesting Australian character, then I’ll venture to suggest that it’s about time you fixed that.

It’s true that I’m a bit biased, being a big fan of any kind of organ music, but I’m pretty sure you’ll have a great time at Barry’s ‘Home Organ Party Experience’.

I was interested to find out a bit more about Barry and his lifelong love of organs, so I arranged a chat ahead of his upcoming Fringe run.  

CM: Can you start by telling us what happens in your show? What kind of performance can we expect?
BM: The ‘Home Organ Party Experience’ – the HOPE show – is all about rediscovering the joy of the organ. I will introduce you all to my beloved Aurora, yes the Hammond Aurora Classic circa 1979, the ultimate home organ, and I will demonstrate how easy it is for all the family to play.

An organ party is like a Tupperware party but with less plastic and more organ. You will be amazed at the almost realistic sounds on Aurora as well as being wooed by her shiny Teak veneer chipboard appearance.

Make no mistakes, shoppers. This organ is For Sale and must be sold each night. Yes, I do hope it goes home with someone.

Expect a highly energetic performance with big hair, furiously fast fingering and the possibility of being touched by me, Mr Barry Morgan, as I walk amongst you, my flock of organ lovers. My fantasy is to inspire my audience to get up close to an organ whenever the opportunity arises. 

CM: What kind of music do you play? 
BM: My goodness, music lovers, I play all kinds of music. You’ll hear a selection of jaunty clap along sing along organ favourites as well as the hits of today. 

The home organ is truly the original DJ Machine: once I’m warmed up, twisting, tweaking all her switches and knobs, the sound is as modern as tomorrow.

The Auto Vari 64, the drum machine inside Aurora, has more variations than a live drummer. The Bossanova backbeat has the rappers and hip hoppers popping into my shop to sample my organ.

Aurora is so expressive with such a big bottom end – I love a big bottom end – and once the Leslie rotating speaker is spinning fast and Critical Mass is achieved, joyous smiles fill the room and hopefully people are reaching for their cheque books.

CM: What drew you to a career as an organ salesman? Is it what you always wanted to do? 
BM: As an only child I had to find a way to support my beloved mother Nancy Morgan. You see, daddy drowned in a submarine accident when I was just a little boy, he went down with all hands they say. 

We had bills to pay, and of course Nancy liked to dig deep into her handbag when the collection plate came around at church on Sunday morning.

I wasn’t very good at sports, although I do enjoy a bit of competitive shuttlecock, so music was my thing and I knew as a young man I wanted to sell organs into living rooms everywhere.

CM: Can you tell us what the highlights of your organ-selling life have been thus far?
BM: The highlights of a travelling organ salesman in a safari suit with rings on every finger could fill a steamy romance novel, so let’s save that for a late night podcast.

However, I enjoy meeting new people and – sometimes I wear a rubber glove, you can never be too careful – I enjoy teaching my audience my One Finger Method.

It is safe, simple and any finger will do: you just Touch Release Smile and away we go with beautiful instant music on Aurora’s Easy Play Feature.

CM: What inspired you to start performing? 
BM: I was first touched by the organ in the church.

Mr Murchison, the church organist, was a good friend of my mum Nancy. He got a lot of applause during the service and lots of attention from mum after the service. 

I think I got hooked on the sound of all those hands clapping.

CM: I’m a big fan of a Hammond organ, myself, so I’m already up for this. But how do you go about selling organs (or the idea of them) to the uninitiated or uninterested? 
BM: It’s always nice to meet a fellow organ lover and I’m glad to hear you are up for it.

Most people enjoy music and a piece of cheese and a cracker, some enjoy dressing up and singing around an organ. I think everyone has a song in them, it may just take me and my organ to get it out of them.

CM: Do you view yourself as, perhaps, an ambassador for the electric organ? 
BM: As Australia’s most celebrated organ salesman I’ve been sent here by the Ministry Of HOPE – The Home Organ Party Experience – to check how happy you all are in the UK. 

I think people of today’s world could do with a lot more organ in their lives and thus my mission is to share the joy of the organ and hopefully make a sale or two.

CM: Another ambassador for organs that I can think of (albeit for pipe organs, not electric ones) is the TikTok Organist. Are you aware of her work? 
BM: I’m always in awe at the size of those pipes behind the theatre organs. I must search for the organist you mention.

I’ll Google organ…. then scroll down a bit and be sure to find her. Who knows, this could be the start of a beautiful friendship. I can’t begin to tell you how many friends I’ve made through my organ over the years.

CM: We know you’ve been to Edinburgh in times long past because we enjoyed your show once upon a time. But that was quite a while ago – what made you decide to come back in recent times?
BM: Oh my, after years of group therapy I’ve managed to block out my trip to edfringe way back then. You see… I didn’t bring Aurora and she has never let me forget it.

She speaks to me through the Horn Section on her lower manual and she wanted a trip abroad, so I wrapped her in industrial strength glad wrap and gently positioned her onto the deck of a container ship.

Three months later she arrived safely, that was in 2024. I drove her to edfringe in our motorhome and opened the back doors and let her soak up the atmosphere. 

She loved it and we are both very excited to be finally here together to launch our HOPE show.

CM: What do you like about Edinburgh? What do you enjoy about being at the Fringe?
BM: Aurora and I love Scotland, we love the accent and the allure of the kilt as well as the peatiness of the Scotch. I’m more of a Campari kind of gentleman myself mixed with a sprinkle of Andrews Liver Salts. So refreshing.

I enjoy the history of such a majestic place, though for the life of me, I can’t keep up with all the dramatic changes of Kings and Queens over the centuries. 

My goodness, I feel lucky my ancestors got caught stealing bread and knickers and were sent to the penal colony.

CM: What will you do in Edinburgh when you are not doing your show?
BM: When I’m not doing a show, my roadie Stephen, who likes to be called Stretch, will take up most of my valuable time riding around town on his bicycle keeping fit and healthy. 

He likes to remind me that being my organ handler is a big job and it really takes it out of him. Boo hoo Stretch! He is a lovely fellow but I do disapprove when he plays the piano accordion in the organ bus.

There’s not enough room to swing a cat in here and besides, Nancy said she never trusted anyone who chose to play the Devil’s backpack.

CM: What would you say have been the highlights of your working/performing life thus far?
BM: Working on Australian Television with the wonderful Adam Hills who has a long running show here in the UK called ‘The Last Leg’.

My first stadium tour with the amazing Goyte when his big hit ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ took over radios around the globe.

Interviewing a range of Australian rock music legends on my little YouTube channel The Barry Morgan Show. I felt like I was channelling Jools Holland chatting to musicians and jamming with them. I get a lot of calls from important people –  where else can the stars get organ advice?

But nothing compares to the Christmas Concert when I was the choir organist for the Sisters Of No Mercy Nursing Home. It was exciting beyond words, centre stage at the Sunnyside Mall in Adelaide where my World Of Organs shop is.

Us shopkeepers are like one big family.

Kathy’s Nook & Cranny Cafe – Kathy’s cinnamon dusted finger buns are out of this world. Martin’s Menswear, where I get my Terrylene stay up socks. Drop in and see them sometime and remember to tell them Barry sent you.

CM: What aims and ambitions do you have for the future?
BM: Franchise! Franchise! Franchise! I can see it now – Barry Morgan’s World Of Organs in every High Street from Plymouth to Inverness.

Of course, the Online Organ Shop has potential but it’s the hands on approach I like best. I’m a people person. Nancy used to say I was no shrinking violet. She’d say I was more like a camellia – I need lights, attention and a moist soil.

CM: What’s coming up next for you after this? 
BM: I will be taking names and addresses during the crowd pleasing moments of my show. Then I’ll make a few follow up calls to see who’s keen to host their own organ party. It’s my side hustle…. being an Organ Party Planner. If you’re keen DM me. 

I will stay in the UK for a while after the Festival before returning to Australia. I’m a gentle-man in a van with a big organ and who knows I may just visit you before Santa comes.

‘Barry Morgan’s Home Organ Party Experience!’ was performed at Bier Keller at Frankenstein’s Pub at Edinburgh Festival 2025.

LINKS: barrymorgan.love | instagram.com/mrbarrymorgan