Taking it All In: The Blues Brothers from the Beginning

 The Blue Brothers: An Epic Friendship, the Rise of Improv, and the Making of an American Film Classic by Daniel de Visé

When I started reading this book, I realized I’d been waiting for something like it for a long while. I remember reading Judith Jacklin Belushi’s 1990 book, Samurai Widow, and wishing there were more. This book is more.

This book doesn’t just focus on the classic film, but traces the origins of The Blues Brothers, their appearances on SNL, their live shows, and even their albums. 

Not only does De Vise’s book delve into John Belushi’s and Dan Aykroyd’s lives, it dives deep into the history of Second City, Saturday Night Live, and, to some extent, to the other Not-Ready-For-Prime-Time-Players. 

In glorious detail, I learned how Second City became the model for an emerging, different kind of comedy, inspiring performers, writers, and entertainers to try just about anything in service of laughter. 

Written in a compelling way, and not made less so by virtue of knowing which of the cast members died too young and which are still with us, this is a page turner in every sense.  The author managed to put me there “in the room where it happened” as every decision, every song, every appearance, and every tragic outcome came to pass.

The best thing film did was bring so many Blues artists into the story. The first time I saw it I remember thinking the plot was really in service to the music. It was meant to string together all these incredible musical moments. Through these pages, I learned that B.B. King was upset with his manager for turning down an appearance in the film without telling him about it, and that, if told, he’d have leapt at the chance. I couldn’t help but wonder what sone he might have performed. 

That it’s taken so long for someone to write such a detailed dive into the history of not just the film but also of the comedic genius that bloomed around it is more mind-boggling than how in the world the film crew managed to put together the infamous car crash or to drive a car through a mall. 

The Blues Brothers themselves were a phenomenon, and the film was just the tip of the iceberg. Starting on Saturday Night Live, they performed on stage, toured, and released albums. Never forgetting their comedy, everything was performed for music and comedy making the outcome the most entertained a person could be at one time.

I enjoyed this book on a lot of levels. As a fan of the people in it, as a fan of the films, SNL, the albums, the music, and it also satisfied that itch to know more about these things. If you’re a fan of any of these things, you have to read it. If you’re a fan of history, you have to read it. It’s well worth your time.