Noah spends his nights drifting between North London pubs and music venues, and his days sleeping off hangovers in the stock room of the floundering record shop where he works. He tries not to think about what will happen when his NHS-allocated therapy hours run out and he's left alone with his mind again. After years away, his favourite band Smiling Politely announce a last-minute set in a nearby venue and everything starts to shift. When the crowd turns violent, Noah runs into the street and meets Dylan, the charming local barman he's never had the courage to approach. Pulled into a toxic and co-dependent relationship with Dylan and his brooding, enigmatic friend Fraser, Noah bounces distractedly between sweaty gigs and clubs, swapping beds and friends along the way. The upcoming Smiling Politely album is a beacon of hope for Noah who craves the connection he finds in their music yet lacks elsewhere, but he has to ask himself what he's willing to lose - friendships, dignity, even his sense of self - to just feel like he belongs.

About the Author
Liam Konemann is a queer Australian writer based in London. In 2019/20 he participated in Spread the Word's London Writers Awards scheme, and placed second for fiction in Streetcake Magazine's Experimental Writing Prize. He writes music journalism, fiction and poetry with a focus on queerness and masculinity.

Reviews

"A sweaty, sticky mosh pit of a novel." - i-D

"An exhilarating refl ection on abuse, the NHS, and queerness in the music industry, this is a debut that will surely make waves." - Dazed

Book Information
ISBN 9781912489480
Author Liam Konemann
Format Paperback
Page Count 320
Imprint 404 Ink
Publisher 404 Ink