by Michael Diamond and Adam Horovitz Publishers Weekly In this immensely enjoyable illustrated biography, Beastie Boys members Diamond and Horovitz share the band's history, from the release of its first album, Licensed to Ill, in 1986 to band member Adam Yauch's death from cancer in 2012. The book is a tribute to him and "the spirit that marked a lot of the adventures" he led the three of them on. Hilarious anecdotes include an episode, before the release of their first album, when record producer Russell Simmons encouraged them to rap onstage at the Danceteria night club in New York City (their performance was completely ignored) and an awkward conversation with Bob Dylan at a party for Dolly Parton in L.A. (he asked the band to join him in a "pro-smoking concert," then simply stared at them), as well as various details from the heady mayhem of their final world tours, when they were "together having fun, and it was all-consuming." Densely packed with photographs, set lists, and album track descriptions, the book also features such guest essayists as Amy Poehler (with a "Beastie Boys Video Review") and L.A. chef Roy Choi, who recalls first hearing the Beastie Boy's song "Paul Revere" as the moment when "part of my life changed." This entertaining look at Beastie Boys history is as innovative and raucous as the band's music. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved. (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved Library Journal Beastie Boys Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz and Michael "Mike D" Diamond give readers front-row seats to their careers. While the unique perspective of their third coconspirator, the late Adam "MCA" Yauch, is missed, he is still an integral part of the story. Starting with a joyous view of New York City in the 1980s, when the artists were teens, the narrative moves on to their debut record, Licensed To Ill (1986), the first rap album to hit No. 1. (Horovitz and Diamond acknowledge that their being white had a lot to do with their success.) After several "it seemed funny at the time" moments, the group did some reckoning, while maintaining a love of a wide variety of music and staying true to their sound. Consisting of chronologically arranged anecdotes, this account is packed with pictures and peppered with playlists, recipes from chef Roy Choi, an annotated breakdown of equipment used, and guest essays from author Colson Whitehead, filmmaker Spike Jonze, and others. VERDICT Highly recommended for fans of the trio as well as public libraries and academic collections serving students of music, cultural, and American studies and U.S. history. [See Prepub Alert, 4/9/18.]-Lani Smith, Ohone Coll. Lib., Fremont, CA © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. (c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. Book list *Starred Review* Michael Diamond, Adam Horovitz, and Adam Yauch turned one fun experience into another and eventually brought forth the exceptionally popular and influential hip-hop group, Beastie Boys. As Horovitz points out in the introductory chapter of this career-encompassing chronicle of the group, the type of friendship that keeps you motivated, creating new things, experiencing life, and just plain having fun was the wild card in the mix, and that was what his friendship with band-mate Yauch was. This is, therefore, as much a requiem for the late Yauch, who died of cancer in 2012, as an account of in-jokes, the early hardcore punk days, and life on tour with Madonna. These tales are accompanied by every visual record the band could muster, resulting in a photo album of Beastie Boys history. Diamond and Horovitz alternate as narrators, and their prose is as infectious as their music. Other contributors chime in with their own idiosyncratic takes. Roy Choi offers a mini cookbook of Beastie-themed dishes. Amy Poehler delves into the videography of the group. Luc Sante takes the reader on a musical tour of New York City streets in the early 1980s. The result is a book Beastie Boys fans will clamor for and a must-read for music enthusiasts.--Michael Ruzicka Copyright 2018 Booklist From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission. |
        |
|
