Studio 54 has been referenced so many times in so many ways and The Last Party gives readers a detailed retelling of the machinery behind this iconic place as well as the other places which made up Nightworld -- the culture of glitz, glamour and excess that seems to hold sway when nighttime begins.
Apart from other clubs, The Last Party mainly details the rise and fall of New York’s glitziest and most notorious club, Studio 54. Opened in 1977 by Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager, two friends who have dipped into the bar business during the ‘70s. From the onset, this new venture was envisioned to be the “center of the universe,” the biggest club in the whole of New York City. A veritable fantasyland where hedonism is encouraged and the Nightlords (Steve and Ian) always pushed the club to its extreme. At a time when tens of thousands of New Yorkers would go out and party a few nights a week, Studio 54 became notorious for its disco vibe, themed parties and celebrity sightings. The doors would always be open to the gods and demigods of Hollywood, Rock & Roll and the art world -- the likes of Diana Ross, a young Michael Jackson, Andy Warhol, Elton John, Liza Minelli, Bianca Jagger and even Salvador Dali would enter thru its hallowed doors to dance the night away. The men guarding the velvet rope outside the club became wardens who would bestow entrance on hundreds of people lined outside for a chance to get in the club. Indeed, many people have been turned away, one man was advised to purchase an Armani jacket in order to get in which the man did, only to be denied entrance yet again. Other stories of a man being advised to go on a trip to Europe for a few months first before he could enter and another story of a married couple trying to get in where only the husband was allowed but the wife had to stay outside.
Inside was another story. True to form, the dance floor was the center of this universe where all the dancers seemed to be on stage together with so many celebrities. The VIP section was an absolute playground where all manners of excess were made available to those people lucky enough to gain entrance. All kinds of party drugs, excessive amounts of alcohol and sexual liberties could be found at the basement where the VVIPs would party the night away.
What's remarkable about this book is the energy that seems to radiate from its very pages. Disco has had its heyday which we will only ever see in karaoke bars but this book just pumps up the volume to a high screech which almost makes you want to cover your ears from the loudness of it all. The parties, the drugs, the sex, the lawlessness -- everything is maxed out to uber loud volume and makes you want to say, "hey i wish i could've partied like that."
Nightworld in New York City always pushed the extreme and none of the bars and nightclubs did it with more arrogance and style than the iconic Studio 54.
Everybody knows all about the pop princess, Britney Spears -- we all know her life and her loves, her songs and her dance moves, her hits and her misses. Reading this book was like reading thru a series of tabloid magazine articles but it was still highly engaging. This unauthorized biography of course starts in 
