This is my song for Máire and for you. It doesn't really need much explanation. So, give it a listen and see what you think.

Written and performed by Stephen Mc Bride 
Produced by Johnny Mc Farlane

The Path

As of 1.9.2023 this is now the official project page of Encounter 743.

"You don't sound like anyone else," said Danny Thompson - renowned bass player for Nick Drake and Joe Strummer - about English musician Conil.

The GRAMMY-winning engineer for Tom Waits and Elvis Costello, Tchad Blake said: "Strange Part of the Country is an awesome album! I still listen to it."

Fleetwood Mac legend Peter Green liked Conil's music so much he stopped by Conil’s house to record with him. They recorded a version of Conil's homage to the jazz greats "Round Midnight". 

Strange Part of the Country never conformed to any current trends and has remained timeless. Now, people are discovering this album and it is becoming an all-time favourite. 

When the album was released in the UK, it received some amazing press. Britain's biggest selling music monthly Q magazine gave it: "Four stars - Q Recommends". Blues Matters magazine wrote: "One of the most original artists out there". In the next issue, Blues Matters put him on the front cover.

Conil left London after Strange Part of the Country was released and has spent the last ten years living in the United States and Europe - including New Orleans, New York City, and Berlin.

Guitarist, multi-genre composer, keyboard & bass player (mostly self-taught). Music librarian and philosopher (I am retired now).
Music is new dimension of life.
“That is an artist as I love artists, modest in his needs: he really wants only two things, his bread and his art - panem et Circen.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols

Hello. I go under the name of Mouse. I've dabbled in and out music for many years, but I have only now got to the stage where I'm taking it a bit more seriously. I try my best to play music in a tuneful sort of way and sing songs in a hummable sort of way. I hope you like my songs and spoken word 'listenings', and you are always free to comment. I might not like all your comments though, but at this stage of my life, I'm just too old to care. I also have an Instagram account @mousehasspoken, which you may find quite interesting with poems and videos a-plenty for your perusal. Love and Peace to you all. Mouse

Hey friends, check out the "Smoking Trout on BandCamp" link below to get your own copy of the now complete Smoking Trout saga, The Quest for the Holy Dumpling!

New album Audio/Visual is now available on Spotify and for sale on BandCamp, features my favorite tracks from 2024-25. Releases to Spotify and other platforms on September 30th!

My genre influences include electronic, downtempo, lofi, experimental, rock, blues, indie, prog, post rock, ambient, synthwave, trip hop, and hip hop. 

My recent tunes are produced using Ableton Live, FabFilter suite plugins, and often feature synths like Pigments, Microfreak, and Minilogue XD. I'm also beginning to incorporate guitar a lot more!
 
Some of my major artist influences include Aphex Twin, Boards of Canada, DJ Shadow, Radiohead, LCD Soundsystem, the Flaming Lips, Tame Impala, M83, Godspeed you Black Emperor!, Mogwai, Animal Collective, Nicolas Jaar, Dirty Projectors, Massive Attack, Björk, Dan the Automator, Del, the Gorillaz, Reggie Watts, Ween, Neon Indian, Tycho, Ott, Shpongle, Danger Mouse, Built to Spill, Yo La Tengo, Velvet Underground, My Bloody Valentine, Pink Floyd, Modest Mouse, the Books, and too many others to list here.

Sometimes introspective; always driven by a wider social conscience and a sense of human fragility. Touching on topics that tear at the heart of the human condition (loneliness, love and loss, homelessness/poverty, social exclusion).  And, there again, what’s a songsmith if not a conjurer of dreams? Dreams to lift us, if but for a moment, above the dull vicissitudes of life. Dreams of a world reimagined, that brave souls will always aspire to whatever the cost (Martin Luther King Jr...). A glimmer of unfeigned empathy. A glimpse of sunshine after rain. Music offered as a little healing for troubled times; a solace for the soul; a little heartfelt scattering of dreams - tread softly! 'Our life is no dream; but it ought to become one, and perhaps will' (Novalis)

Dear listener, Feel free to leave comments and I'll try to reply.

I've been making music for around 16 years now but because of the wonderfully generous community that is SC, I have learned so much in a short time. I look forward to learning even more by collaborating. 
I suppose my strengths are in lyric-writing and singing. I feel fortunate to have been able to work with some stunning compositions by some very talented SCers.

My very best to you, Mark

Some links to recent Continental Collision streaming sites, etc are available below:

The Path

MOUSE