Easy Keys‘ new book “The Story of Beer” is a rollicking tale in which readers will find a giant banjo-playing bear clad in white briefs and sporting deer antlers. His name is BEER. Billed as a translation by Aimee Theirot, from an original story told by Beauford “T-Hawk” Arceneaux (neither may be real people), the narration of the book feels as if one were sat in Appalachia in some distant time past, listening to a story from a potty-mouthed man whose mind had melted from isolation and consumption—though in actuality it’s a narrator speaking directly to an audience. “Listen up, this story has transformative powers,” he beckons. “I told it to a beggar once and he became a banker.” There’s irreverence, adventure and quite a bit of chaos and creation.
“This is the story of how BEER’s parents met and conceived BEER,” the narrator continues—and it all begins with a party, the aftermath and a birth. While every character is drinking, this is not about the creation of beer. It’s about friendship and the nature of storytelling, love-making and good old-fashioned drinking. The real life authors behind it also produce work in another medium: they’re the fun folk rocking NYC-based band Easy Keys, and the subject matter of their music is quite akin to what you’ll find in “The Story of Beer.” As a work of fiction, the book is baffling and beautiful, but altogether, it’s a very entertaining read—complete with an intermission.
“The Story of Beer” is available online for $12. To celebrate the book release, as well as their new album, the band will be performing in NYC on 14 August 2014.
Images by Cool Hunting