By Luke Voogt
Barry Morgan will roll into Geelong next week, his favourite organ hanging from the roof of his 1985 Toyota Crown Royal Saloon.
“The Hammond Aurora Classic – she’s a beauty,” he said, “I just strap her on with those occy straps and off I go.“
“These days Adelaide looks perfect in the rear vision mirror.”
Barry spoke to the Indy this week as he attempted to pry 20 cents loose from a shopping trolley in the City of Churches.
The iconic salesman rose to fame on ABC’s Spicks and Specks and has played on TV and at gigs around the world.
But no gig can top the highlight of his career to date.
“It’s coming to the realisation that Kylie Minogue and I are the same size in hot pants.”
Barry was brimming with excitement as he prepared to show locals the magic of the electric organ.
“I can’t wait to get out there and touch you all,” he said.
“It will be very much like a Tupperware party – except less plastic and more organs.”
“It’s all my different songs. The funny thing is all the things sound the same on the home organ.”
Barry urged Geelong residents to whip out their safari suits and get along to his latest show.
He had just pressed his freshly bought number from Martin’s Menswear in Adelaide’s Sunny Side mall.
“I’ve brought my mine out of the closet,” he said, “I’m the Patron Saint of Safari suits.”
Barry wants to take audiences to where no organ has gone before with his latest offering – Spaced Out.
He will play all the great cosmic hits from Star Wars to Space Invaders and beyond for space travellers and organ lovers alike.
“There’ll be Rocket Man and, of course, I’ll have to do a tribute to Bowie’s Space Odyssey,” he said.
The Indy also spoke to the comedic genius behind Barry – Melbourne’s Stephen Teakle.
“He’s just trying to take some money off a busker,” Barry said, as he passed the phone to his creator.
Barry spawned from Teakle’s tribute to the dynamic and effeminate 1970s organ salesman.
“They were a lot of fun but quite tragic, really,” he said.
“It’s just a celebration of the common man – from the second hand car salesman to the real estate agent.”
A talented organ player, Teakle forsook his gigs as a keyboards player and music teacher to concentrate on the cheesy Barry.
“It really worked out being cheaper than going to therapy,” he said.
But he was a bit worried about the “40-something” Barry, who, like his mother, has taken a liking to Bex powder.
“She liked the white power,” Teakle said.
“I keep ensuring him that it causes internal bleeding but he finds it quite refreshing.”
Barry Morgan will perform at Geelong Performing Arts Centre next Friday. For more information visit gpac.com.au.
