Noisemaker

by Andy Tolson

Teenager Billy Stamp flees the Nova Scotia suburbs for the music scene of London, England in 1979, determined to make his mark. His wild passage through the world of punk rock is both comic and heart-rending. Noisemaker is a love letter to when thrashing guitars, pounding drums, and the three minute pop song ruled the world.

Genres: Fiction, Music

272 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2022

About the author

Andy Tolson spent much of the 1980s as a drummer in London, England, playing both pubs and concert halls, though mostly pubs. He has been a boy magician, prop-maker, and writer. At The National Post and Maclean’s Magazine, Tolson was a photojournalist and editor. He now lives in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia in a big old house with his family and two cats named Olive and Ottoline. He is the author of the novel Noisemaker (published in 2022) and the middle-grade fantasy, How to Kidnap a Mermaid, was published fall 2024 with Nimbus Publishing. The sequel, How to Rescue a Unicorn will be out fall 2025. How to Wrestle an Octopus is out fall 2026.

Reviews

[Martin Maenza · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover of this upcoming novel attracted me to the book. As a kid of the 70's, the cassette tape on the stark cover screamed out to me - very much like the punk rock sound out of the UK did to so many youth of the 70's. It is bare, raw and instantly recognizable. I knew I had to check this book out.

As a writer, I really connected to Tolson's style. He pulled me instantly into the story of Billy who escapes his life in Canada to explore the gritty UK world that is home to his musical inspirations. I quickly found myself going from chapter to chapter, wanting to continue to see how the story unfolded. Of course, that's part of what I expected after learning of the author's own experience as a Canadian born drummer who played in London clubs in the 80's. We always say in writing group "write what you know". And here it works; Billy's story comes across as very authentic and real.

This is one I am going to recommend highly to my friends who are music fans and readers. They are going to enjoy this story as much as I did. And Tolson is definitely an author I will continue to watch for in the future.

[Linda Hulme leahy · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Chuck Palahniuk and Roddy Doyle got wasted one night and wrote a book, this would be it.

Author Andy Tolson's romp about a young Halifax dude who goes to England to connect with the punk rock scene is funny as hell. Tolson captures all the gritty, filthy urban despair wrought by Thatcherism and combines it with rebel musician Billy Stamp's desire to create, to express, and to get laid. The chaos, the yearning, and the piss and vinegar of youth is brilliantly laid out in a story that swings from manic to absurdity.

I laughed out loud.

Wanting to see more from Tolson. For a first out the gate novel, it's a real winner.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC;

This book was a beautiful expression of Briton's punk-rock era. The chapters were short and sweet and left me wanting to continue to read. Billy or Skunk (as he's later nicknamed), a drummer from Nova Scotia goes seeking the UK music scene hoping to make it big in the industry. Along the way you experience the relationships he makes with friends, family, and even strangers (as well as a ghost). His uniquely loud voice that comes through the pages makes for an intriguing inner monologue. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Jessicarose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so happy to have come across this arc from NetGalley. You don't have to a punk rocker to enjoy this novel. You can hear and taste and see the seediness of Punk-Era England. Fans of rock and roll, coming-of-age stories, and really rockin' hallucinations will really love this book. If I thought I'd read this over and over, I'd have given it a 5 star rating.

[Wilfred Allan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a delightful read. It’s about a drummer, Billy Stamp, who leaves his home in Canada at the age of eighteen with dreams of establishing himself as a drummer in a punk band in England.

Andy Tolson is a fine writer. The dialogue is superb with wonderful turns of phrase: e.g. Billy finds "the black water from the Thames inviting" and contemplates plunging in, “arms stretched out for a swan dive into history.” There are Incredible characters, Billy, of course, and others, including my favourite—the dead drummer. The humour had me laughing out loud: e.g. “My right testicle has an agent who’s lining up some photo shoots." You’ll have to read the novel to understand how that makes sense and why it’s so funny.

Andy Tolson obviously put a lot of thought into the novel's organization which helped bring it together, such as the “S-sections” starting with Skin, and the excerpts from Boz’s Unsung Heroes. I like short chapters—Chapter 39 was brilliant. And what a great way to end.

I've never liked punk-rock but loved this novel. Ten years from now, Noisemaker will still be bringing me a smile. I cannot recommend it too highly.

[Donna Bush · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prior to reading this book my knowledge of the London punk rock scene consisted of images of outrageous hairstyles and even more outrageous piercings! But Andy Tolson brings such humanity into his characters that you fall in love with each one, even the ghost! Every character has passion for their music, for their mates and eventually even for themselves. The hubris of youth gives way to thoughtful but sometimes painful decisions and you cheer them as they find their way in the world.
This semi-autobiographical story is a wonderful read!

[Chanel · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you’re a fan of music, then Noisemaker is a must read. Steeped in the depths of London punk-rock, mods and everything in between, Billy’s journey through his own musical explorations is constantly met with the realistic, gritty nature of the industry.

Noisemaker had a handful of witty, interesting characters who felt so realistic that you might come across them in a smokey Soho pub. I really enjoyed the references and knowledge of the era that Tolson so expertly describes. At times, I felt a bit disconnected from the story but was then brought straight back in by the desperation to find out where Billy would end up.


This was my first read from the author and I’m looking forward to what comes next.

[Joe Power · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s hard to believe this is Andy Tolson’s debut novel.

Immediately gripping, funny, intense, heart-breaking … it’s got it all and moves along as quickly and intensely as the punk music that fuels it.

It invokes all the passion and blind ambition of youth in a delightfully compelling and fun read you won’t want to put down!

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

NOISEMAKER is a rollicking, delightfully raw ride with Billy Stamp—a young, angry punk-rock drummer from Canada who's trying to find his way in the 1979 London music scene. A novel loosely based on the author's musical youth, Billy's story rings with truth as it passionately portrays his journey from disharmony to the groove of a steady beat. Thoroughly enjoyable!

[Adele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up in the 70s, I fancied myself something of a punk…I was much too young to be a “real” punk but that didn’t stop me. Andy Tolson’s debut novel, Noisemaker, was a helluva fun journey back into that mindset! I laughed, raised and eyebrow here and there, and welcomed back that angst-ridden inner punk of my youth itching to rebel against…well…anything. If you ever harboured an inner punk - or wished you had - this fictional memoir / ghost story will bring that all right back for you. Enjoy!

[Mahtab Narsimhan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Billy Stamp, an aspiring drummer, has run away from Canada to England. Egging him on is the ghost of drummer Keith Moon who gives profound yet vague advice to the teenage Billy which, at times is inspiring and at times, plain confusing. Despite that, Billy seems very fond of the ghost and fulfils the ghost's fervent wish, at the end.
Billy crashes with a relative, Andy, and manages to get into the punk rock scene in the seamy pubs of London with the help of musicians, Jin and Boz. When the band breaks up due to the machinations of a self-centred group member, Billy is set adrift, confused and extremely angry. An unrequited romance exacerbates his frustrations. The dream of becoming a famous drummer seems to be slipping away. When Billy meets a blind jazz drummer, he finally learns how to find his groove and discover his own style.
I absolutely fell in love with the voice of Billy which was authentic, funny, and poignant. Not having played an instrument in my life, and being a listener rather than a player, the world and setting were fascinating to me. On reading the author’s note, it became clear that this was semi-autobiographical, and Tolson does a fantastic job of it! Interspersed with the narrative are tidbits about bands who glimpsed the stars for a brief second before fading into oblivion. A cast of quirky characters completes this punk-rock fuelled coming of age story, replete with wit, heart, and dialogue that sparkles.
A Must Read!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sharp and fast-moving, this story of Billy, a drummer who flees the mundanity of the life he's always known with high hopes to make it as a musician in the Britain of 70s punk rock was pure, page-turning, visceral fun from beginning to end.
Andy Tolson is a very fun writer and I can't wait to see what he comes out with in the future,

[Sarah Butland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story but lacked something for me. I didn't get the references throughout though also know my older brother would.

A book for the lover of punk rock and music in general, I found bogged down in descriptions and story line. There were valuable themes, concepts and imagery throughout, but the plot wasn't something that intrigued me.