Backbeats

A Rolling Stone Best Music Book of the Year, this is an electrifying, “superb” (The Atlantic), and “entirely fresh” (Rolling Stone) journey through the history of rock and roll, told through the lives of fifteen iconic drummers and their percussion rivals—from John Bonham and Charlie Watts to Ringo Starr and Questlove.Rock and roll thrives on rhythm, but the drummers who drive that pulse often stay in the shadows. In Backbeats, acclaimed music historian John Lingan brings these unsung heroes into the spotlight, delivering a fascinating journey through six decades of rock history. From Bernard Purdie’s legendary work with Aretha Franklin to Dave Grohl’s funk- and punk-indebted swing for Nirvana, these drummers redefined what was possible in pop music. Iconic figures like Ringo Starr, whose inventive style transformed the Beatles, and Charlie Watts, the steady backbone of the Rolling Stones, take center stage. But Lingan doesn’t stop there—he also shines a light on groundbreaking, underappreciated talents like Maureen Tucker of The Velvet Underground, whose minimalist beats rewrote the rule book, and Sam Lay, a pivotal figure in rock’s evolution from the blues. Packed with insider stories and exclusive interviews—from Robert Plant’s reflections on Led Zeppelin’s legendary sessions to superstar recording engineer Steve Albini’s behind-the-scenes accounts—Backbeats offers a fresh perspective on some of rock’s most unforgettable moments. More than just a tribute to an unrecognized group of virtuosos, this book is a love letter to the art of drumming itself.

John Lingan is the author of Backbeats: A History of Rock and Roll in Fifteen Drummers; Homeplace: A Southern Town, a Country Legend, and the Last Days of a Mountaintop Honky-Tonk; and A Song for Everyone: The Story of Creedence Clearwater Revival, named one of the Best Music Books of 2022 by Variety. He has written for The New York Times Magazine, The Washington Post, The Nation, and Oxford American, among many other publications. He lives in Maryland.