My first guest is Brian Kelly, the founder of Insurgent Press and the writer of the novel Murph.

Described by the author as ‘stoner sci-fi’, Murph presents us with a world in which technology is increasingly out of our control. Facial recognition software is now the norm and, due to a virus, people’s internet histories can be freely read. Fearing their darkest secrets will be revealed, customers swarm to Murph’s joke shop in search of disguises. With this, Murph’s isolated existence is burst open and his privacy is lost when his assistant, Alex, becomes a famous musician. Can Murph, Alex and the rest of the world come out of this experience unscathed?

In this interview, we discuss the limits and virtues of the sci-fi genre, the relationship between music and literature, and the power of technology to induce anxiety. Brian also explores his Irish heritage and the influence of writers like James Joyce and Samuel Beckett on his writing.