Postcards from the Hedge by Joshue O Connor

My life has also been a winding and rather spiral type affair, non-linear, lateral.. so now as an aging Punk Rock Hippy.. I am now settled for the first time in my life. More happy in my skin than I have ever been and this album is both a look back and a look inwards, over the years that have brought me here.

So back to the hedge, after spending many years either under the hedge, out of the hedge, fighting with the hedge, living at the hedge, and now in general trimming the hedge - here are some songs about my experiences.

The album ‘Postcards from the Hedge’ is about many things. The search for identity and the divine. Madness, alienation, finding love, as well as travel and cows.

It has taken nearly 15 years for some of these songs to finally see the light of day. I do hope some of them resonate with you in someway. They catalogue my journey and an honest and genuine desire to figure out life, or at least my small place in it, and deal with some of the big questions. I don’t care how daft and uncool it is to say that out loud, but I am not a very complex man, so why not be clear and voice what I think in a simple manner?

The quest for identity and meaning is a valuable one and in many ways the most important journey we shall ever undertake. Without it we are nothing more than rocks lost at the foot of the mountain, seeds on the breeze or empty ciphers transfixed and hypnotised by pretty pictures beamed into our home. Oh dear.

I am not interested in shallow and superficial appraisals of what this record is or is not, and in a sense I am not really concerned about how this record is received, as I kinda made it for myself. I feel now like I have been freed somewhat and can move on and explore other things. Making this record has been like giving birth to a small talented elephant or like watching a mountain rise a couple of millimeters a year.

As a result of all that, I am vainly presenting the songs to you for a listen if you care to take a glimpse inside a strangers head.

Many thanks to Robert Waterhouse for his great double bass playing on many of these tracks. I play all of the guitar, drums and some bass and it's me doign the dodgy warbling throughout (and some of it is truly dodgy). Also big thanks to Alun Smyth who engineered and helped me produce the record.

This album is dedicated to my friend Aodhan O Gormain who has sadly left us for a higher world and we are wanting in his absence. Slan go foil a chara.

Hari Om Tat Sat

Postcards is available for download from eMusic, Napster, Rhapsody and iTunes.

News: January 2006

Technica Curiosa Records collaboration project Fuzzy Systems have a new release on Ancient Records the brainchild of Leitrim based experimental sound artist Stephen Rennicks. Stephens record label Ancient Records, 'Moment Series' asks artists to interpret the phrase 'To Stretch a Moment is to Live Outside Time'. The audio piece is to be at least 20 minutes in duration.

International collective Fuzzy Systems contributed the track ‘We are Floating in the Navel of Maha-Vishnu'. The Secret Society did a remix of the track for release in the 'Moments Series'. This time Fuzzy Systems was Joshue O’Connor, Roger Lenoir and Fiona Guiheen. According to Ancient records: "The track sounds like a slowly evolving mystical revelation, a slow flash like moment of contemplative illumination". For more see the Ancient Records site.

News: October 2005

Technica Curiosa Records own Screaming Bones play Oiche Teamair Rugby Club Navan (this Friday, 2ist Oct) with 'Minty and the Freshmen', 'Tandem Felix','I-Soul', 'Devolution', 'Moon' and 'Kelfin Oberon'. doors 9pm.

It looks like being a great night. With all proceeds going to the Hill of Tara vs. Motorway campaign.

For more info on the gig and the campaign see:

• Indymedia
• Tara SOS
• Save Tara

Screaming Bones are born

The latest Technica Curiosa sonic incarnation is as 'Screaming Bones'. This is an audio meldown consisting of Josh and co-sonic conspirator Robert Waterhouse (of Colossus and the Headhunters). 'The Bones' dream up a bluesy mix of rhythms and rhymes based on many of Josh's songs that can be also found in a different form on the "Exile ends in Glory" album

'The Bones' music is very much in the spirit of Tech Records ethos of "Beats and Blues for the New Age". Quality music and lyrics are the focus but the Bones may stray into any musical landscape. So if you like conscious lyrics and funky rhythms and if the New Age is wearing you out - Rattle them Bones!!