The Last Party

Studio 54, Disco, and the Culture of the Night

By: Anthony Haden-Guest

Narrated by: Julian Elfer

A riveting memoir of disco-era nightlife and the outrageous goings-on behind the doors of New York City's most famous and exclusive nightclub.

In the disco days and nights of New York City in the 1970s and 1980s, the place to be was Studio 54. Andy Warhol, Liza Minnelli, and Bianca Jagger were among the nightly assortment of A-list celebrity regulars consorting with New York's young, wild, and beautiful. Studio 54 was a place where almost nothing was taboo, from nonstop dancing and drinking beneath the coke-dusted neon moon to drugs and sex in the infamous unisex restrooms to the outrageous money-skimming activities taking place in the office of the studio's flamboyant co-owner, Steve Rubell.

Author Anthony Haden-Guest was there on opening night in 1977 and over the next decade spent many late nights and early mornings basking in the strobe-lit wonder. But The Last Party is much more than a fascinating account of the scandals, celebrities, crimes, and extreme excesses encouraged within the notorious Manhattan nightspot. Haden-Guest brings an entire era of big-city glitz and unapologetic hedonism to breathtaking life, recalling a vibrant New York night world at once exhilarating and dangerous before the terrible, sobering dawn of the age of AIDS.

©1997 Anthony Haden-Guest; This edition published in 2015 by Open Road Integrated Media, Inc (P)2015 Audible Studios

No narrative through line

The Last Party is best in its first 1/3 detailing the rise and heyday of Studio 54. But once the Feds come crashing in, everything in this book goes down hill. To many names, too many interchangeable clubs, an endless blur of openings and quick closing without much reflection on anything. The narrator's performance is pleasant enough, but the book seems more like a pile of who when where notes than a thoughtful look at a fascinating cultural moment for the city and the country. Too bad.

good book about ny night-life in the 70s

only about 1/8 is about studio 54 but more so covers drugs and the night-life of ny during the 70s - 90 and only some of the consequences of the free sex and drugs club life. it was a good listen.

Fascinating.

In-depth, very well told story about the insanely crazy world of the NYC nightclub life from the mid 70s to the early 90s. It names all the names and covers every person of significance involved in the NYC club world.

Excellent audible book!

If you’re of that age, and especially if from the city, you’ll take a stroll down memory lane; names you will vaguely remember will come alive again. Wonderful narrative- great story told! What WAS NYC, dirty, wild & don’t forget the drugs - lol.

When New York was New York!

An exhilarating, fast paced history lesson on the zenith & downfall of the New York Nightlife.

Fantastic story!

Great book on NYC nightlife! Highly recommended. Fascinating stories. I love NYC nightlife. Read it!

Party On and On!

Great book but read like a run on sentence.... some stories and phrases were repeated throughout.

Overall the history of 54 and nightlife through the 60's into the late 90's was fascinating and accurate. Loved listening.

Confusing

Well narrated but the names and times lines was overwhelmed. A lot I found myself thinking "who is that?" or "what club are we talking about now?"

NY Debauchery is always fascinating

If you enjoyed American Psycho by Ellis you're more than likely to enjoy this story and more than likely will recognize the names of a lot of the clubs talked about within it.

The choice of a British narrator somewhat confounds me as it gives the atmosphere of the book a too antiseptic vibe. Listening to what he's talking about just didn't fit the narrator's voice.

Definitely not the life of the party.

It is rare that I do not like one of my selections however, this book was a struggle to get through. I had hoped it would contain lots of stories about Studio 54, its famous clientele and its notorious downfall. That is about a 1/3 of the book...then Anthony Haden-Guest takes us through NYC nightlife. There are way too many names to remember and the pace is slow. I found my mind wandering during the performance. You may want to skip out early on this party...or, not attend at all.