Beastie Boys Book

July 15, 2018
A lively and accessible account of the Beasties' decadeslong career, told by the Boys themselves and a coterie of friends and admirers.The long-awaited first book from co-authors and fellow Beastie Boys Diamond and Horovitz is a fan's dream. The narrative details the group's meteoric rise to fame, from their humble beginnings in the New York hardcore scene of the early 1980s, to their first tours (opening for the likes of Madonna and Run-DMC), and on through the many permutations of their music and persona as they held on to their position as standard-bearers in the worlds of music, fashion, and pop culture throughout the '80s, '90s, and 2000s. Diamond and Horovitz each wrote roughly half of the chapters, and their respective personalities shine through in their writing styles; they play off each other the way comedy teams do, much as they did when they were on the mic. These chapters alternate with insightful essays from heavy hitters like Luc Sante, Jonathan Lethem, and others as well as goofy rap album-style interludes--e.g., a comprehensive review of all of their music videos by comedienne Amy Poehler. The book is often laugh-out-loud funny, especially when Horovitz narrates, and Diamond's comparatively dry sense of humor makes him the perfect foil. The fact that third Beastie Adam Yauch (1964-2012) wasn't around to contribute lends the book an elegiac tone that bubbles just under the surface of the narrative. Superfans may long for more details from the later years of the group's career; the amount of space devoted to the band's formative years is huge. There are, however, song-by-song details for all of their records, which will delight the faithful, and the aforementioned "interludes" fill out the overall picture quite well.Beastie Boys fans will devour this book, as will anyone interested in the early days of hip-hop, the art/music/street life of New York City in the 1980s, and the alternative-nation zeitgeist of the '90s.

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Starred review from July 30, 2018
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.

Starred review from October 15, 2018
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.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

Starred review from October 15, 2018

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 Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2018

Remaining Beastie Boys Michael "Mike D" Diamond and Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz profile the hard-core band, of which LJ editor at large John Berry's son John was a founding member.

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.