John Lingan

BACKBEATS is out one month from today and it’s a real book! One that Kirkus says is great! johnlingan.com to preorder.

Loved to read @adamfpetty.bsky.social's long review-essay about Brian Evenson at Defector! What a great website!

A founding member of Planxty and The Bothy Band, plus a performer on one of my favorite albums of all time, Andy Irvine & Paul Brady. Peerlessly beautiful and expertly played music. RIP

Rush gig report: Far more women than reputation implies, and a simply unbelievable level of fan merch peacocking. Dude in front of me is wearing a Test for Echo tour ballcap (1996) and I’ve seen a Signals tour shirt (1982).

HBD Dale Crover seen here repping a Minor Threat tee.

This guy and Stewart Copeland are locked in endless battle to determine who’s more tedious.

In two days I’m seeing my first arena show in decades, a band I never thought I’d see! Can barely contain myself.

Someone stole Sponge’s guitars in Prince George’s County.

The legendary jazz pianist Oscar Peterson playing a Synclavier synthesizer, sometime in the '80s.

I’ve seen both The Brood and The Devils in the past week and my takeaway is: Oliver Reed seems chill.

Shocked to learn that Tampa Bay’s name officially stands for two different things, sunshine and fish. Dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.

Love Fielder and really enjoyed the movie, gasped and laughed throughout… but at the end of the day these people seem like central-casting Silicon Valley trash and degenerate liars and I simply don’t find that type interesting anymore. Not really sure what else we’re supposed to get from the story.

James Brown Sam Cooke Joe Cocker The Numbers Band Pentangle

Planning to ignore all four Beatle movies simultaneously.

On the worst day of my life I don’t think I looked as unhappy as Max Muncy does while playing playoff baseball for an audience of millions.

Gimme Shelter for Tax Purposes

Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia For Tax Purposes

I've gotten these emails like everyone and wondered who on earth would be fooled by them. This piece reveals that many of the victims are retirement age. They're part of the wider ecosystem of scams to the elderly.

This guy really sneered at my Tipper Gore bumper sticker.

Song for the 2026 Brewers.

Amazing

When I need to know which 5 Motown classics to include on my water aerobics playlist, there’s only one source I trust.

Less than a month until the most meaningful day of my writing career: BACKBEATS: A HISTORY OF ROCK AND ROLL IN 25 DRUMMERS comes out in paperback. My first appearance in the best reading format. Get in touch if you want to talk for your newsletter, podcast, publication, or seance.

Listening to the remastered Rubber Soul, deepening my conviction that it’s bottom-5 Beatles. “Girl” and “Michelle” are both dreary, “Drive My Car” silly, “Nowhere Man” a slog, “Run for Your Life” dumb and doesn’t fit. Take the rest, add the 1965 singles, and we’re talking.“Help!” is the better LP.

"Kill me. Fucking KILL ME!!!"

Everything is percussion

(Hears a 10-year cavalcade of racist and anti-gay, -trans, -immigrant, and -women garbage from hateful conspiratorial lunatics in “fuck your feelings” and “Let’s Go Brandon” merch) “So, tacos?”

Enjoyed yesterday’s trip to Frederick, MD, where I bowed to the mural of native son Lester Bowie and purchased a mint condition first US pressing of Exile on Main Street for $40. Also good bakeries.

Even if they never left the diner this would be one of funniest things I’ve ever seen.

The Natural Bridge came out 30 years ago today. 10 years ago, while David Berman was still us, I put together the unusual, intense story of how it came together for @stereogum.com. stereogum.com/1902185/the-...

Top 10 JB tune right here, monster Jabo groove.

Max Roach performing a drum solo on a set of Hollywood Tronic drums, live on the Italian television program Senza Reta (1968)

Thread. Mighty Sparrow was a political artist, calypso is a social music in every sense. Great breakdown here of how that is.

If you don't know this legend, Van Dyke Parks produced a tremendous 70s LP that serves as a beautiful starting point. True folk music, and so much fun.

Thread. This crap is so dumb. But more importantly, a waste.

This version of "I Want to Talk About You" is the song that helped me understand him. A delightful love song turned into a heavy-metal-intense group ballad, then lifted into the stratosphere when the band drops out and JC goes on solo. Breathtaking performance.