About James
My interest in mechanical music started from a young age.
Bernard True's Fairground Organ (pictured alongside) got my attention from pushchair age, and I spent many long hours sat listening to the music, captivated by what I saw and heard.
I have helped out many organ owners over the years putting books through their instruments when they wanted a tea break, and after passing my driving test at the age of 17 (hurrah), I could wait no longer and just had to get my hands on a Fair Organ of my own, something I could restore and look after.
Getting the Fair Organ
I got word of a organ in bits for sale in Rye, Sussex. The organ itself hadn't played for many years. The bits were mostly there, it was just a question of tinkering with the many valves and pipes to get it to play an audible noise!
After a long car journey there and back, it was agreed it was the one. It was loaded up with the stuffing of an old mattress and together we embarked on an 11 hour journey back down to my home in Cornwall.
The box of noise arrived, and over the next 12 months the neighbors were kept well entertained. (The couple living next door to us immigrated to Spain - the reason why is still unknown...)
Here it is pictured in Rye on the day we turned up to view it! As you can see I have done a lot of work to it since then! Thankfully you can't hear the noise it was making!
Making sweet music
After 12 months of hard work in the shed getting the thing to play and making a decorative front from scratch, it was ready to be mounted into a brand new, made to measure, trailer from Tyrone Snell Trailers of Longdowns. Ty is a neighbor of ours who was kind enough to put up with the noise!
The organ was made 'roadworthy' and the phone started ringing for bookings straight away!
James's life isn't all about Organs though!
If I could, I would spend all day in the shed tinkering, but sadly, bills have to be paid and a vocation in life had to be found.
Radio Presenter
After gaining a degree in Broadcasting at University College Falmouth, I managed to claw my way up the ranks at Pirate FM, a radio station that has 156,000 listeners, that tune in every week. (Data taken from RAJAR Survey Q1 2009).
I am now a radio presenter 'on air' 6 days a week, and behind the scenes undertaking audio production.
The job is great, and can see you do some pretty odd things for charity. (see picture to the left!)
Drummer
Until recently a drummer in a covers band in Cornwall, but sadly I couldn't keep up with the gigs and rehersals shedule. Organs and radio can be busy enough!
The drum sticks are in storage and will be out again soon I hope.
Webmaster
As well as this website, I am also the webmaster for the Mechanical Organ Owners Society. I joined the committee in 2007.
The object of the MOOS is to protect and help the interests of mechanical organ owners and operators.
I'd like to try to encorage other young people to take up this unusual hobby!
Stage Entertainer
As a combination of all of my hobbies, I can be seen at the Great Dorset Steam Fair every year on a stage show in front of a large Fairground Organ introducing the dancing girls, telling some awful jokes and attempting to do magic!
I consider this as a holiday!
