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...

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...

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...

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-...

Tonight at 11:30

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

ICYM my latest at NO SUCH THING AS WAS, I wrote about the Stooges' "Search and Destroy" and the Flamin' Groovies' "Teenage Head" and the fractious era in which those two tunes were detonated. joebonomo.substack.com/p/the-childr...

For my latest at NO SUCH THING AS WAS, I write about the Stooges' "Search and Destroy" and the Flamin' Groovies' "Teenage Head" and the fractious era in which those two tunes were detonated. joebonomo.substack.com/p/the-childr...

Back at it #itsmylife

ICYM my latest at NO SUCH THING AS WAS, I gave Pete Townshend's White City: A Novel a fresh listen and watched White City: The Music Movie for the first time joebonomo.substack.com/p/but-i-have...

In today's NO SUCH THING AS WAS, I head back to 1985 and revisit Pete Townshend's White City: A Novel and White City: The Music Movie joebonomo.substack.com/p/but-i-have...

HBD Elvis Costello!!! Outstanding memoir, rev via @joebonomo.bsky.social: lareviewofbooks.org/article/pop-... More: @steven-loftin.bsky.social: www.thelineofbestfit.com/features/int... @hiattb.bsky.social: www.rollingstone.com/music/music-... @cwillman.bsky.social: variety.com/lists/elvis-...

Happy 50th to Bruce Springsteen's Born To Run. In honor, here's a NO SUCH THING AS WAS piece I wrote a few years back about the epic title track. joebonomo.substack.com/p/writing-ab...

ICYM my latest at NO SUCH THING AS WAS: some thoughts on a noisy through-line with Ellen Willis, Suicide, and Art Pepper joebonomo.substack.com/p/noise-thre... If you dig what I do at NO SUCH THING, please subscribe, and spread the word!

For my latest at NO SUCH THING AS WAS, some thoughts on a through-line with Ellen Willis, Suicide, and Art Pepper joebonomo.substack.com/p/noise-thre...

Cruising up Coastal Highway 1 from Bethany to Rehoboth Beach today I naturally flashed back to Delmarva’s finest troubadours The Slickee Boys. Here’s a post on the Slickees from the NO SUCH THING AS WAS archives. #drinkingbeerforbreakfast open.substack.com/pub/joebonom...

I'm stepping way from No Such Thing As was for a bit. So here's a roadtrip-appropriate post from the archives. See you in a week. joebonomo.substack.com/p/beep-beepm...

I think my cat is trying to tell me something

ICYM my latest at NO SUCH THING AS WAS: the second in a series in which I dig into my collection for some boss B-sides joebonomo.substack.com/p/here-are-a...

In today's NO SUCH THING AS WAS: the second in a series in which I dig into my collection for some boss flip sides joebonomo.substack.com/p/here-are-a...

Only a great critic can go into a movie as drecky as FREAKIER FRIDAY and emerge with a review as expansive, considered, and thoughtful — not just about the movie, but about the industry that produced it — as the incomparable @szacharek.bsky.social does here: time.com/7308212/frea...

Supreme Court Rules Supreme Court Rules theonion.com/supreme...

Such a great Saturday afternoon listen #EverExpandingUniverse #ReddKross

ICYM my latest at NO SUCH THING AS WAS: Paul Weller, when you're young and far beyond joebonomo.substack.com/p/life-is-ti...

At my latest NO SUCH THING AS WAS, I write about Paul Weller's ongoing journey from righteous twenty something to satiric elder statesman. joebonomo.substack.com/p/life-is-ti...

I know that many larger, more populated and prosperous states have other sources of support, but the symbolism of this is just galling

In honor of Jim Carrol's birthday, a #repost joebonomo.substack.com/p/the-angel-...

ICYM my latest at NO SUCH THING AS WAS, I overlaid Silverhead onto the dB's and wrote about what I heard there joebonomo.substack.com/p/to-tell-th...

In my latest at NO SUCH THING AS WAS, I write about the unlikely intersection of Silverhead's "In Your Eyes" and the dB's' "I Lie." joebonomo.substack.com/p/to-tell-th...

Moment Of Silence Followed By Hot Dog Race

Rest in Power Tom Lehrer, whose "Vatican Rag" was one of the earliest songs that I wasn't supposed to listen to in my suburban Catholic house—thus, it was legendary, maverick must-hear.

ICYM my latest at NO SUCH THING AS WAS, I took a look at a great new book about the Estrus record label, and flash back on the raucous fun of The Mono Men joebonomo.substack.com/p/rev-it-up

I write about Chris Alpert Coyle and Scott Sugiuchi’s new book about the Estrus record label, and flash back to the Mono Men in my latest at NO SUCH THING AS WAS joebonomo.substack.com/p/rev-it-up

Stop. Supporting. The. Media. That. Is. Supporting. The. Authoritarian. Regime.

"I have a genuine love affair with my audience. When I'm on stage they're not privileged to see me. It's a privilege for me to see them" RIP Ozzy Osbourne 📸: Ted Van Pelt

ICYM my latest at NO SUCH THING AS WAS: nearly 30 years after the Ramones called it quits, I've ranked each album from their debut to ¡Adios Amigos!. joebonomo.substack.com/p/here-today...

Nearly 30 years (!) after the Ramones called it quits, I've ranked each album form their debut to ¡Adios Amigos! in my latest at NO SUCH THING AS WAS. Have at it! If you’re inclined, feel free to drop your own rankings in the comments joebonomo.substack.com/p/here-today...

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ICYM my latest NO SUCH THING AS WAS: some impressions on traveling, music, and California joebonomo.substack.com/p/gonna-leav...

Some impressionistic thoughts on traveling, music, and California in my latest NO SUCH THING AS WAS joebonomo.substack.com/p/gonna-leav...

In honor of Johnny Thunders's birthday, a NO SUCH THING AS WAS repost from last year.

Nice interview with Geldof. "Musk said that the great weakness of Western civilization is empathy. You fool. Empathy is the glue of humanity. It is the basis of civilization."

I've never had the Catholic mass experience of my adolescence evoked more lucidly than in his passage from Paul Elie’s The Last Supper, quoted in the NYTimes Book Review. And in under 40 words, at that.