Some of you may be confused as to why we’re profiling a memoir given we typically review art monographs and zines but McInnes’ book is surprisingly applicable. While the book is chock full of hilarious tales that concern sex, drugs and deviance it has surprised us that other reviewers have both lazily and superficially ‘over focused’ on the ‘shock factor’ of the aforementioned since it ignores the book’s most interesting story arc- which is that of a young punk who parlayed his creativity into a cultural, cross-platform presence and became highly influential and globally recognized by doing so.
McInnes essentially started out as a cartoonist that originally published self-made zines, and through much determination went on to co-found Vice, Street Carnage and most recently Rooster, his advertising agency. As such, it’s an interesting read because it demonstrates how McInnes plied his creativity like a motherfucker and became one of the most evocative and controversial forces in content creation today.
The book is truly a ‘must read’ for any young, creative person ‘starting out’ since it discusses the monetization of creativity, publishing, overcoming failure, dealing with investors, business development, the benefits and pitfalls of collaboration, the print and digital landscapes, branded content, the importance of a multifaceted multimedia presence and the power of staying one’s course and constantly innovating along the way. Heavy, hey? Luckily it’s peppered with a boat load of humor that will have you in stitches. However, the many lessons, and ultimately the wisdom within the memoir is what is driving us to recommend the book. It’s also full of anecdotes on top-notch artists like David Choe, Terry Richardson, Irak, Ryan McGinley, Dash Snow and Earsnot which our readers will appreciate.
Don’t sleep on How to Piss in Public!
ENTIRE REVIEW ON THETOURISTZINE.COM
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