Synopsis

Growing up in a dead-end, Thames Valley town like Marden Combe, Kai knows there's no escape without a lot of talent, hard work-and luck.

Two weeks before the Clayton Paul Blues Band plans to set out on tour to Germany, their singer quits, and drummer Kai takes matters in hand. With bandmates Jake and Jamie, they recruit a talented new singer-the enigmatic Dominique-as the new face of the band and set out on the road to Berlin in a rickety white van.

Dogged by mishaps and under-rehearsed, the band stumbles through their first shows, zig-zagging between chaos and brilliance. But as the first gig in Berlin draws near, the band begins to gel. They're clicking with their audience, and even the stone-hearted Kai starts to crumble under the spell, first of Dom and then...of Lars.

As the end of the tour approaches, Kai must make hard choices. Dom? But she's keeping a dark secret. Lars? Not after the acrimony of their last parting. The band? Or will that dream crumble too?.

Tags: blues band,British,contemporary,European music clubs,Germany,literature/general fiction,living rough,musicians,NB/nonbinary,Pansexual,road trip,secrets,self-discovery

Formats:

From your local bookshop

Teardown is available in paperback from your local independent bookshop, as well as through the major chains.

In the UK, a bricks-and-mortar bookshop will need to order copies through the main UK wholesaler - Gardners. In other geographies, the book is available as print-on-demand wherever Ingrams operate.

Online

Teardown is available in Paperback and eBook formats online. NineStar Press supplies DRM-free ePub; other vendors may apply DRM - you are advised to check before purchasing.

If your preferred store is not shown above, please try this link: books2read

The Teardown Soundtrack

Where do I come from? I come from the Blues.
And where does the blues come from? In the case of Teardown, and the band, it comes from blues masters, old and new. I've put together a playlist of the tracks (other than the original compositions) that feature in the band's setlist. It's over on Spotify.

The Original Songs

They're over here

Lyrics, chords and a demo for each of these songs:

• I Come from the Blues
• I've Got the Blues, I Ain't Worried
• The Hall of Fallen Angels
• Drinking Song
• Whiskey in the Jar (Jenny's Tale) (sorry, no demo for this one)
• Cross, Don't Cross

William Campbell Powell

William lives in a small Buckinghamshire village in England. By night he writes speculative, historical, crime and other fiction. His debut novel, EXPIRATION DAY, was published by Tor Teen in 2014 and won the 2015 Hal Clement Award for better than half-decent science in a YA novel—the citation actually says "Excellence in Children's Science Fiction Literature".

His short fiction has appeared in DreamForge, Metastellar, Abyss & Apex and other outlets.

By day he writes software for a living and in the twilight he sings tenor, plays guitar and writes songs.