The Isley Brothers story is a great American musical epic, whose dimensions have influenced the evolution of R&B and rock ’n’ roll over the course of six-plus decades. A brief list of greatest hits tells a story on its own: “Shout,” “Twist and Shout,” “It’s Your Thing,” “That Lady,” “Between the Sheets,” and on and on. Still, remarkably, the story also exemplifies a case of “hiding in very plain sight,” in terms of a full appreciation of the band’s output as well as a case study in the notorious and ever-valid disrespect for the huge impact of Black culture — especially in music.
For a fuller, deeper picture of the Isley tale, proceed to Darrell M. McNeill’s fascinating new book The Isley Brothers’ 3 + 3, part of the vast and expanding series of compact books focused on specific albums under the rubric of Bloomsbury’s 33-1/3 series. Taking off from their classic and career-fueling 1973 album 3 + 3 (named for the double sets of Isley siblings), McNeill provides a sweeping historical overview of one of America’s greatest and longest-running bands, touching on influences, changes in the music industry and racial/cultural observations along the way.
McNeill, out of Brooklyn but now based in Santa Barbara, has a hyphenated résumé, as musician/producer/music journalist who is also director of operations for the Black Rock Coalition (BRC) and, locally, serves as cofounder/director of the Santa Barbara Black Culture House and as chair on the Arts Advisory Committee.