Writer. "BACKBEATS: A History of Rock and Roll in 15 Drummers" is one of Rolling Stone’s Best Music Books of 2025. Also: "Homeplace," about Patsy Cline's hometown. "A Song for Everyone," about Creedence. johnlingan.comhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnlingan.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnlingan.bsky.social/post/3mybcrbdhrs2cNightmare onscreen for $5 within walking distance in October. Heaven!19 Oct 2026 23:50 +0000at://did:plc:vqnmqsaa3izkhob7bopcxus2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mybcrbdhrs2chttps://bsky.app/profile/johnlingan.bsky.social/post/3myar5ou4622bI’ve seen both The Brood and The Devils in the past week and my takeaway is: Oliver Reed seems chill. [contains quote post or other embedded content]19 Oct 2026 18:35 +0000at://did:plc:vqnmqsaa3izkhob7bopcxus2/app.bsky.feed.post/3myar5ou4622bhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnlingan.bsky.social/post/3my4e24uko22nShocked to learn that Tampa Bay’s name officially stands for two different things, sunshine and fish. Dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.18 Oct 2026 00:30 +0000at://did:plc:vqnmqsaa3izkhob7bopcxus2/app.bsky.feed.post/3my4e24uko22nhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnlingan.bsky.social/post/3my3cimkl3k2jLove 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.17 Oct 2026 14:29 +0000at://did:plc:vqnmqsaa3izkhob7bopcxus2/app.bsky.feed.post/3my3cimkl3k2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnlingan.bsky.social/post/3mxz4cl6i7s2cJames Brown Sam Cooke Joe Cocker The Numbers Band Pentangle [contains quote post or other embedded content]16 Oct 2026 17:33 +0000at://did:plc:vqnmqsaa3izkhob7bopcxus2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mxz4cl6i7s2chttps://bsky.app/profile/johnlingan.bsky.social/post/3mxyyay5oj22gPlanning to ignore all four Beatle movies simultaneously.16 Oct 2026 16:21 +0000at://did:plc:vqnmqsaa3izkhob7bopcxus2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mxyyay5oj22ghttps://bsky.app/profile/johnlingan.bsky.social/post/3mxxjguffz22qOn 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.16 Oct 2026 02:23 +0000at://did:plc:vqnmqsaa3izkhob7bopcxus2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mxxjguffz22qhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnlingan.bsky.social/post/3mxxch2iuo223Gimme Shelter for Tax Purposes16 Oct 2026 00:18 +0000at://did:plc:vqnmqsaa3izkhob7bopcxus2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mxxch2iuo223https://bsky.app/profile/johnlingan.bsky.social/post/3mxx3u4r4dk2cBring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia For Tax Purposes15 Oct 2026 22:20 +0000at://did:plc:vqnmqsaa3izkhob7bopcxus2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mxx3u4r4dk2chttps://bsky.app/profile/johnlingan.bsky.social/post/3mxwmnoa5f22cI'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. [contains quote post or other embedded content]15 Oct 2026 17:48 +0000at://did:plc:vqnmqsaa3izkhob7bopcxus2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mxwmnoa5f22chttps://bsky.app/profile/johnlingan.bsky.social/post/3mxwdakgop22oThis guy really sneered at my Tipper Gore bumper sticker.15 Oct 2026 14:59 +0000at://did:plc:vqnmqsaa3izkhob7bopcxus2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mxwdakgop22ohttps://bsky.app/profile/johnlingan.bsky.social/post/3mxuykc2lpc2vSong for the 2026 Brewers. https://youtu.be/T9M_bqIB6EU?is=d-MnM_8iAjd1sTE815 Oct 2026 02:15 +0000at://did:plc:vqnmqsaa3izkhob7bopcxus2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mxuykc2lpc2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnlingan.bsky.social/post/3mxtyrw45dk2qWhen I need to know which 5 Motown classics to include on my water aerobics playlist, there’s only one source I trust.14 Oct 2026 16:47 +0000at://did:plc:vqnmqsaa3izkhob7bopcxus2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mxtyrw45dk2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnlingan.bsky.social/post/3mxrew2lfsc2iLess 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. https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Backbeats/John-Lingan/978166805625713 Oct 2026 15:46 +0000at://did:plc:vqnmqsaa3izkhob7bopcxus2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mxrew2lfsc2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/johnlingan.bsky.social/post/3mxonstlmnk2sJohn Stamos implies that Mike Love considers his drummer neither a band mate nor a friend.12 Oct 2026 13:47 +0000at://did:plc:vqnmqsaa3izkhob7bopcxus2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mxonstlmnk2shttps://bsky.app/profile/johnlingan.bsky.social/post/3mxhnwhw6ck2zListening 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.09 Oct 2026 19:01 +0000at://did:plc:vqnmqsaa3izkhob7bopcxus2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mxhnwhw6ck2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnlingan.bsky.social/post/3mxcyzxeuu222Nathaniel Lowe has been in the playoffs with a different team for what feels like hundreds of years, and he has always looked like the manager of a suburban Pizza Hut.07 Oct 2026 22:36 +0000at://did:plc:vqnmqsaa3izkhob7bopcxus2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mxcyzxeuu222https://bsky.app/profile/johnlingan.bsky.social/post/3mxc562tm5s24"Kill me. Fucking KILL ME!!!" [contains quote post or other embedded content]07 Oct 2026 14:17 +0000at://did:plc:vqnmqsaa3izkhob7bopcxus2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mxc562tm5s24https://bsky.app/profile/johnlingan.bsky.social/post/3mxa4qubmrk2cEverything is percussion [contains quote post or other embedded content]06 Oct 2026 19:05 +0000at://did:plc:vqnmqsaa3izkhob7bopcxus2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mxa4qubmrk2chttps://bsky.app/profile/johnlingan.bsky.social/post/3mx2tm4ookk2v(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?” [contains quote post or other embedded content]04 Oct 2026 16:38 +0000at://did:plc:vqnmqsaa3izkhob7bopcxus2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mx2tm4ookk2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnlingan.bsky.social/post/3mx2tgw2kms2vEnjoyed 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.04 Oct 2026 16:35 +0000at://did:plc:vqnmqsaa3izkhob7bopcxus2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mx2tgw2kms2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnlingan.bsky.social/post/3mwyso5bevc2mEven if they never left the diner this would be one of funniest things I’ve ever seen. [contains quote post or other embedded content]03 Oct 2026 21:16 +0000at://did:plc:vqnmqsaa3izkhob7bopcxus2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwyso5bevc2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnlingan.bsky.social/post/3mwvuw6n4ck2mThey were both released in October 1984, so “The Good War” probably isn’t dedicated in recognition of The Terminator. Maybe Studs Terkel just loved Piranha 2.02 Oct 2026 17:18 +0000at://did:plc:vqnmqsaa3izkhob7bopcxus2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwvuw6n4ck2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnlingan.bsky.social/post/3mwsx2osjns2gTop 10 JB tune right here, monster Jabo groove. [contains quote post or other embedded content]01 Oct 2026 13:18 +0000at://did:plc:vqnmqsaa3izkhob7bopcxus2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwsx2osjns2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/johnlingan.bsky.social/post/3mwqp34to2c2uNever understood the business case behind AI messages asking to promote your book, but I’m WAY more confused by fake readers offering to buy me dinner.30 Sep 2026 15:50 +0000at://did:plc:vqnmqsaa3izkhob7bopcxus2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwqp34to2c2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnlingan.bsky.social/post/3mwo6jfipxk22I don’t need to be a millionaire, I just want “Can win one of Rick Nielsen’s sweaters at auction” money. https://www.juliensauctions.com/en/auctions/the-rick-nielsen-collection29 Sep 2026 15:48 +0000at://did:plc:vqnmqsaa3izkhob7bopcxus2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwo6jfipxk22