BEASTIE BOYS BOOK – Michael Diamond/Adam Horovitz

The Beastie Boys - MCA, Ad-Rock and Mike D - were a once-in-a-lifetime band; from their hardcore beginnings to hip-hop stardom, there was and never will be a band like them again.   

The highly-anticipated Beastie Boys Book, out now from Penguin Random House is a 590-page memoir by Michael Diamond and Adam Horvitz, as told in their own words and in their own distinctly eclectic and humorous style, along with contributions from former Beastie member Kate Shellenbach, Wes Anderson, Amy Poehler, Luc Sante and many more.

The book opens with an introduction by Adam Horovitz (Ad-Rock) featuring a heartfelt tribute to the enigmatic late Adam Yauch (MCA) as well as Michael Diamond’s (Mike D) documentation of his first encounter with Yauch.  From there, we learn about the Beastie Boys’ beginnings and rise to stardom and everything beyond and in between.     

One of the standout essays in the book is an incredibly evocative one by Luc Sante which transports you back to New York City in 1981 and the melting pot of a music scene - including the clubs, records stores and radio stations - that influenced the Beastie’s highly-eclectic sound.  Another written by Mike D, recounts how hardcore paved the way but hip-hop offered unlimited possibilities for the Beastie Boys.  Likewise, Horovitz tells how the impulsive purchase of his first drum machine led to their first experiments with hip-hop.

This book is a packed full of inside information about the Beastie Boys from the sources themselves.  Their pop culture-filled lyrics and inside jokes become clearer with context and each album is explored in depth, track by track, and Horovitz argues that the Beastie Boys’ 1998 album, Hello Nasty is their best record.  This book is a must have for Beastie Boys fans.        

To order: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/232195/beastie-boys-book-by-michael-diamond---adam-horovitz/

Check out the first 117 pages of the book, including Adrock’s introduction, tons of exclusive photos and Luc Sante’s contribution here: http://insight.randomhouse.com/widget/v4/?width=600&height=860&isbn=9780812995541&shortCode=&author=Michael%20Diamond%20and%20Adam%20Horovitz&title=Beastie%20Boys%20Book&refererURL=www.penguinrandomhouse.com

In celebration, here are 3 of my favorite Beastie Boys songs.

“Hold It Now, Hit It”

“Hey Ladies”

“Pass The Mic”