Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Joe Bonomo

@joebonomo.bsky.social

850 followers 1.1K following 400 posts

essays and rock & roll | sound and sense I write books and NO SUCH THING AS WAS, a music newsletter: https://joebonomo.substack.com/ Open 24/7: https://linktr.ee/joebonomo it's buh-NOH-moh

joebonomo.substack.com

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Joe Bonomo @joebonomo.bsky.social · Nov 16

Coming next May from University of Georgia Press

2 4 30

Joe Bonomo @joebonomo.bsky.social · 17h

In my latest at NO SUCH THING AS WAS, Michael Pollan, Walter Benjamin, and Pete Townshend go places,

joebonomo.substack.com/p/right-thro...

Right through the haze

Michael Pollan, Walter Benjamin, and Pete Townshend went places

joebonomo.substack.com

1 4

Reposted by Joe Bonomo

Anna Merlan @annamerlan.bsky.social · 4d

Let it never again be said that a woman with no real reporting experience who fell for a Twitter account called "Official Antifa" cannot be the head of a huge news organization

230 2.9K 16K

Joe Bonomo @joebonomo.bsky.social · 4d

Excellent

1 1

Joe Bonomo @joebonomo.bsky.social · 5d

Barely, sadly

Joe Bonomo @joebonomo.bsky.social · 5d

ICYM my latest at NO SUCH THING AS WAS, I wrote about the Rolling Stones' reissues, and the five strongest tracks they've rescued from the 1970s discard pile

joebonomo.substack.com/p/no-spare-p...

Joe Bonomo @joebonomo.bsky.social · 6d

In my latest at NO SUCH THING AS WAS I write about the five strongest tracks the Stones have rescued from the discard pile.

joebonomo.substack.com/p/no-spare-p...

No spare parts

The five strongest tracks the Rolling Stones have rescued from the discard pile

joebonomo.substack.com

1 5

Joe Bonomo @joebonomo.bsky.social · 6d

Since 2010, the Rolling Stones have been combing their archives for leftover tracks, re-recording on top of them, and releasing them as part of an ambitious reissue campaign. The results have been mixed, but always interesting to hear.

1 4

Joe Bonomo @joebonomo.bsky.social · 10d

Some thoughts on my Mom, and further thoughts on grief

joebonomo.substack.com/p/catherine-...

Catherine Elizabeth Bonomo, 1932-2025

Some thoughts on my Mom, and further thoughts on grief

joebonomo.substack.com

Joe Bonomo @joebonomo.bsky.social · 17d

"Adult life is dealing with an enormous amount of questions that don't have answers. So I let the mystery settle into my music. I don't deny anything, I don't advocate anything, I just live with it."

Happy Bday, Bruce

Joe Bonomo @joebonomo.bsky.social · 17d

Thank you, Illinois

Illinois committee recommends state part ways with feds on COVID-19 vaccines

The Illinois Department of Public Health Immunization Advisory Committee voted unanimously to recommend updated COVID-19 vaccines for all Illinois residents ages 18 and older.

www.chicagotribune.com

Joe Bonomo @joebonomo.bsky.social · 17d

Two years ago, I launched NO SUCH THING AS WAS—the Substack—migrating things over from my old blog. To note the occasion, I'm rerunning the first piece I ran at the new joint, a review of Tracy Santa's music memoir Tompo of the Ringing. Enjoy!

joebonomo.substack.com/p/a-rockstah...

A "rockstah" with a cul-de-sac future

Tracy Santa's Tompo of the Ringing sets the bar for the Everymusician's Memoir

joebonomo.substack.com

Joe Bonomo @joebonomo.bsky.social · 19d

ICYM my latest at NO SUCH THING AS WAS: how Green Day's “Know Your Enemy” has become a people’s anthem

joebonomo.substack.com/p/gimme-gimm...

Joe Bonomo @joebonomo.bsky.social · 20d

Since debuting "Know Your Enemy" in 2009, Green Day has played the song live over 500 times and counting. At my latest NO SUCH THING AS WAS, I write about how the song has become a people’s anthem.

joebonomo.substack.com/p/gimme-gimm...

Gimme gimme revolution

How Green Day's “Know Your Enemy” has become a people’s anthem

joebonomo.substack.com

Reposted by Joe Bonomo

PERSIST. @thepersistnetwork.bsky.social · 23d

This moment demands action.

Speak out. And turn your anger into impact by supporting the American Civil Liberties Union and organizations on the frontlines of the fight to protect free speech. Together, we PERSIST.

Support @aclu.org: www.aclu.org/issues/free-...

2 53 110

Reposted by Joe Bonomo

Dave Itzkoff @ditzkoff.bsky.social · 23d

Tonight at 11:30

Kent Brockman hanging a sign that says “hail ants” on his newscast

18 260 1.4K

Joe Bonomo @joebonomo.bsky.social · 25d

Rest in peace, Catherine Elizabeth Bonomo. I'll have more to say in the future about my extraordinary mom.

1 5

Reposted by Joe Bonomo

Jim Parrett 🍁 @jymn.bsky.social · 26d

It's rare to read writing about rock and roll that sounds like the writer actually LOVES his subject and knows how to communicate that knowledge with wit and respect.

1 1 1

Joe Bonomo @joebonomo.bsky.social · 26d

Thanks, man

Joe Bonomo @joebonomo.bsky.social · 26d

Thanks to all of my recent subscribers! If you dig what I do at the NO SUCH THING machine and haven't yet subscribed, please do—it's free!—and spread the word.

1 1

Joe Bonomo @joebonomo.bsky.social · 26d

ICYM my latest at NO SUCH THING AS WAS, I revisited the Everly Brothers' "Money" and "Man With Money," two tracks from their ace '65 album Beat & Soul.

joebonomo.substack.com/p/poor-boys

2 4

Reposted by Joe Bonomo

Tuttle Tuttle Toil & Trouble 🎃 @katekilla.bsky.social · 27d

I shouldn't be shocked, but I'm still always brought up short to realize how many people think "civility" means "white people speaking in relatively calm voices" no matter what vile shit they say.

270 4.6K 19K

Joe Bonomo @joebonomo.bsky.social · 27d

For my latest at NO SUCH THING AS WAS I revisit the Everly Brothers' 1965 Beat & Soul album. Money, that's what they wanted.

joebonomo.substack.com/p/poor-boys

Poor boys

The Everly Brothers harmonize the lures and the pitfalls of cold, hard cash

joebonomo.substack.com

Joe Bonomo @joebonomo.bsky.social · Sep 11

I was happy to pitch in on NPR and talk a bit about Beverly Cleary's Henry Huggins, one of my favorite books as a kid.

Happy 75th birthday to Henry Huggins, Ramona Quimby's big-kid neighbor

Beverly Cleary's fictional third grader with an adopted dog named Ribsy made his debut in 1950. Cleary was praised for writing simple, humorous stories that kids wanted to read.

www.npr.org

1 5

Joe Bonomo @joebonomo.bsky.social · Sep 7

ICYM my latest at NO SUCH THING AS WAS: some thoughts on the music writer Ian MacDonald, who wrote, and took some liberties in, Revolution in the Head, one of the all time great Beatles books.

joebonomo.substack.com/p/ask-me-why

Joe Bonomo @joebonomo.bsky.social · Sep 6

In my latest at NO SUCH THING AS WAS, I wrote about the late, great music writer Ian MacDonald (and the liberties that he took).

joebonomo.substack.com/p/ask-me-why

Ask me why

The world lost a wise and idiosyncratic music writer when Ian MacDonald died in 2003

joebonomo.substack.com