From swilling beer and swiping VW-badges to universal respect and hanging out with the Dalai Lama - no one has taken a musical journey to rival that of The Beastie Boys. As fighting for their right to party eventually took second place to their campaign to free Tibet, so their's is a trip that's encompassed tabloid notoriety, terrible films, terrific videos and trailblazing hip-hop.

The founders of the Grand Royal empire, the architects of Nu Metal and proof positive that white guys really can rap, MCA, Mike D and Ad-Rock are assured a place in rock's pantheon and yet still they divide their time between saving the world and creating incredible records like Licensed To Ill, Ill Communication and Check Your Head.

The Pocket Essential Beastie Boys reviews each of the act's albums and features exclusive interviews with friends and collaborators. The book also details the band's birth, their transformation from hard-core punks to break beat kings and controversies ranging from the outrageous stage shows of their early days to their clashes with everyone from The Prodigy to The People's Republic of China.