Overview:
• The book 'The Isley Brothers’ 3+3' by Darrell M. McNeill delves into the band's legacy, their breakthrough album, and the challenges of being an all-Black act in rock music.
• It discusses the Isley Brothers’ influence on rock and rollers, their navigation of institutional racism, and the impact of their landmark album 3+3.
• The book also examines the group's 50-year career and their contributions to the music industry.
By Kibi Irving
Bloomsbury Publishing
A new installment in the 33 ⅓ books series: The Isley Brothers’ 3+3 by Darrell M. McNeill explores one of America’s longest running rock and roll bands, their breakout masterpiece album, 3+3, and the challenges of being an all-Black act in rock music navigating institutional racism in the music business.
The Isley Brothers originally came from Cincinnati, and were raised in the city’s Lincoln Heights suburb, settling in the satellite town of Blue Ash when they were teenagers.
A short, fun, and well-written read, The Isley Brothers’ 3+3 by Darrell M. McNeill is the first book to discuss the Isley Brothers within the context of their rock and roll roots and their contributions to the genre. There is very little published on the topic of institutional racism in the music business and the Isleys provide a unique opportunity to examine this, having experienced it firsthand and weathering through it despite its challenges. 3+3 is a landmark body of music, opening possibilities for Black creative expression, and the platform upon which The Isleys built their legacy. A timely discussion as Black artists like Beyonce expand into genres they have previously been excluded from.
The Isley Brothers’ 3+3, dissects The Isleys’ 50-year-old undisputed masterwork, an album that firmly established their music dynasty on a global scale, as well as heralding the boldest run of genre-defiant albums of their 67-year career. The 1973 watershed was their first multiplatinum release and is significant as a rare, crossover record by a Black act that struck a chord with urban, rock, and pop consumers, despite the schisms between audiences due to bias-driven media and industry marketing.
The book looks at the album from all angles: from The Isleys’ early career to their influence on rock and rollers both Black and White, from the twists and turns of having national hits without national recognition, on to their decision to form T-Neck Records and the group’s challenges navigating a music industry that racially codified music and hampered Black artists from universal acclaim and compensations. Finally, a summation of the decades follows The Isleys’ run and its ups and downs, with a fast-forward to where the group is now after 67 years.