‘I doubt I’ll ever read a better account of the history and sociology of popular music than this one.' Brian Eno

    ‘Profound…and beyond.’ Robert Plant

    ‘One only hopes that this will be taught in schools.’ Ry Cooder

    Legendary producer and record label boss Joe Boyd has spent a lifetime travelling the globe and immersing himself in music. He has witnessed first- hand the growing popularity of music from Africa, India, Latin America, the Caribbean and Eastern Europe since the 1960s and was one of the protago- nists of the ‘world music’ movement of the 1980s.

    In this sweeping history, Boyd sets out to explore the fascinating backstories to these sounds and documents a decade of encounters with the most extraor- dinary musicians and producers who have altered the course of music for us all.

    And the Roots of Rhythm Remain shows how personalities, events and politics in places such as Havana, Lagos, Budapest, Kingston and Rio are as colourful and momentous as anything that took place in New Orleans, Harlem, Laurel Canyon or Liverpool. And, moreover, how jazz, rhythm and blues and rock ‘n’ roll would never have happened if it weren’t for the notes and rhythms emanating from over the horizon.

    Critical acclaim for And the Roots of Rhythm Remain

    "What an amazing book! Joe Boyd has distilled decades of experience and observation of
    how musical ideas interbreed, and how culture is formed, into a tumultuous, gripping and
    dramatic story. I doubt I’ll ever read a better account of the history and sociology of popular
    music than this one. It has me saying ‘Wow’ on every page."
    Brian Eno

    "The producer’s epic account of global music’s cross-pollination is an inspiring tale of
    seduction, expression and freedom from oppression . . . every paragraph packed with
    information and inspiration – but written with a refreshingly light touch [. . .] Boyd's book is,
    accordingly, the Proust of music history – à la recherche of much music lost, here
    regained and affirmed in our present."
    The Observer,

    "Masterly [. . .] deeply scholarly but grippingly readable – and with the best soundtrack in the
    world."
    Spectator

    "Sometimes it feels as if the whole world is squeezed into these 900-odd pages [. . .] Epic [. .
    .] His enthusiasm proves infectious; he is teacher, storyteller and, sometimes, provocateur."
    The Times,

    "A dazzling and magesterial history [. . .] I rank it amongst the three best books about music I
    have ever read."
    Hi-Fi Choice,

    "A brilliant tapestry of sounds from outside the anglophone world."
    Mojo 5*****

    "The War and Peace of world music."
    Mojo Magazine, Jim Irvin

    Other Releases on

    No Logo: An insightful examination of advertising's impact on society and youth cultureBy Naomi Klein
    By the time you’re twenty-one, you’ll have seen or heard a million advertisements. But you won’t be happier for it. This is a book about that much-maligned,...
      Arthur Baker NEW HARDBACK BOOKLooking For the Perfect Beat
      500-page Memoir of legendary American record producer and remixer, Arthur Baker. Wicked new book from legendary producer Arthur Baker. Loads of great...
        • Book (850g)£25.00 £22.00
          Expected 23 MayPreorder
        Dread, Poetry and Freedom: Linton Kwesi Johnson and the Unfinished Revolution
        What is the relationship between poetry and social change? Standing at the forefront of political poetry since the 1970s, Linton Kwesi Johnson has been...
          By Ian PenmanErik Satie Three Piece Suite
          Composer, pianist and writer Erik Satie was one of the great figures of Belle Époque Paris. Known for his unvarying image of bowler hat, three-piece suit...
            Jess Sah BiJesus-Christ Ne Deçoit Pas
            Jesus-Christ Ne Deçoit Pas is Jess Sah Bi’s first and only gospel album. Fortunately, fans responded with enthusiasm: widespread radio airplay and concerts...
              The Tribul'zationsMelody Babylon
              The Tribulizations are a Brighton UK-based reggae vocal harmony duo living the rocker's life style! We pay homage to uk style lovers rock and spiritual...
              • – Melody Babylon
              • – Freedom Fighter
              • – Politicians
              • – Fade Away
              • – Without You
              • – One Step Forward
              • – Just Let It Be
              • – Fever
              • – Social Riot
              • – Rest In Love
              Lizzy Mercier DesclouxDesiderata
              NYC no wave/ze records scenester Descloux book of poetry, collages and moreIntroduction by Patti Smith
                Louisiana CajunsTurner Browne
                Excellent book - stunning black and white photography. Highly recommended
                  • Original Book (350g)£30.00
                    Out of print Pre-Owned Original USA paperback bit of ageing
                    In stockAdd to Bag
                  Jackie DeshannonLove Forever - Demo Recordings 1966-1967
                  Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Jackie DeShannon got her start singing gospel at home and in church as a child in her native Kentucky, and then singing...
                    • New 2×LP (Coloured Vinyl) RLGM18131PMI£35.99
                      In stockAdd to Bag
                    Flip the Script: How Women Came to Rule Hip Hop
                    FLIP THE SCRIPT showcases some of the best rappers currently making music in the UK. It has taken a significant amount of time for women to get recognition...
                      Nasty Women
                      With intolerance and inequality increasingly normalised by the day, it's more important than ever to share real experiences and hold the truth to account...
                        By Truman CapoteIn Cold Blood
                        The chilling true crime 'non-fiction novel' that made Truman Capote's name, In Cold Blood is a seminal work of modern prose, a remarkable synthesis of...
                          Dismantling the Patriarchy, Bit by Bit: Art, Feminism, and Digital Technology
                          In Dismantling the Patriarchy, Bit by Bit, Judith K. Brodsky makes a ground-breaking intellectual leap by connecting feminist art theory with the rise...
                            Look & See: Collected Ephemera and Printed Material
                            Look & See offers a very personal insight into the idiosyncratic influences and inspirations behind the creativity of Anthony Burrill, designer and letterpress...
                              The Velvet Underground, New York 1965–66 PHOTOZINEPhotographs by Adam Ritchie
                              Awesome small and beautiful new photo-zine of rare pix of the Velvet Underground in New York 1965-66. In the zone! Look there's Andy (hi Andy!), Lou,...
                                • Book (200g) ISSN 2752-5619£10.00
                                  In stockAdd to Bag
                                George OrwellDown And Out in Paris and London
                                George Orwell's vivid memoir of his time living among the desperately poor and destitute, Down and Out in Paris and London is a moving tour of the underworld...
                                  We Called It MusicEddie Condon
                                    • Original Book (200g)£20.00
                                      Original Pre-Owned Out-of-Print Paperback book, inside yellowing to pages
                                      In stockAdd to Bag
                                    William S. BurroughsJunky
                                    A shocking exposé of the desperate subculture surrounding heroin addiction, William S. Burroughs' Junky is edited with an introduction by Oliver Harris...
                                      Letters to GilMalik Al Nasir
                                      £12 OFF UK HARDBACK!Description'A searing, triumphant story. A testament to the tenacity of the human spirit as well as a beautiful ode to an iconic figure'...
                                        • Book (600g) 9780008464431£20.00 £8.00
                                          In stockAdd to Bag
                                        Synthesizer Evolution: From Analogue to Digital and Back
                                        From acid-house to prog-rock, there is no form of modern popular music that hasn't been propelled forwards by the synthesizer. As a result they have long...
                                          There And Black Again
                                          By Don Letts and Mal Peachey Don Letts – filmmaker, musician, DJ, broadcaster, social commentator, husband and father – has always defied conformity....
                                            JazzBy Freddy J. Angstmann
                                            (in french). Nice photos
                                              • Original Book (500g)£10.00
                                                Original Pre-Owned Out-Of-Print Hardback Book in Good Condition
                                                In stockAdd to Bag
                                              Dinosaurs in the MorningBy Whitney Balliett
                                                • Original Book (400g)£25.00
                                                  Original Pre-Owned Out-of-Print UK 1st Edn. Hardback Book w/Dustjacket
                                                  In stockAdd to Bag
                                                A Little Feminist History of Art
                                                Emerging in the late 1960s as women artists struggled to de-gender their work to compete in a male-dominated arena, the feminist art movement has played...
                                                  Subcontinental SynthesisElectronic Music at the National Institute of Design, India 1969-1972
                                                  The history of India's first electronic music studio founded in 1969 at the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad by David Tudor.Subcontinental Synthesis...
                                                    Invisible Man
                                                    Ralph Ellison's blistering and impassioned first novel tells the extraordinary story of a man invisible 'simply because people refuse to see me'. Published...
                                                      The Women Who Changed Architecture
                                                      A visual and global chronicle of the triumphs, challenges, and impact of over 100 women in architecture, from early practitioners to contemporary leaders. Marion...
                                                        Things Fall Apart
                                                        Okonkwo is the greatest wrestler and warrior alive, and his fame spreads throughout West Africa like a bush-fire in the harmattan. But when he accidentally...
                                                          A Thousand Golden Horns: The Exciting Age of America's Greatest Dance BandsBy Gene Fernett
                                                            • Original Book (700g)£20.00
                                                              Original Pre-Owned Out-Of-Print 1st and only edition private press Hardback Book in Good Condition
                                                              In stockAdd to Bag
                                                            Art on My MindBy bell hooks
                                                            A rich, thought-provoking collection of essays, critiques and interviews from the influential author of Ain't I a Woman and All About Love‘There must...
                                                              The Book of JazzLeonard Feather
                                                                • Original Book (500g)£20.00
                                                                  Original Pre-Owned Out-of-Print UK 1st Edn. Hardback Book no Dustjacket
                                                                  In stockAdd to Bag
                                                                The Observer's Book of Big BandsBy Mark White
                                                                  • Original Book (250g)£15.00
                                                                    Original Pre-Owned Out-of-Print UK 1st Edn. Small Hardback Book w/Dustjacket
                                                                    In stockAdd to Bag
                                                                  The Haunted TrailClassic Tales Of The Rambling Wild
                                                                  A remarkable blood-soaked stranger upends the lives of two Lake District ramblers; a lonely tavern offers its guests something much more disturbing than...

                                                                    People also bought

                                                                    Pressure DropReggae in the Seventies
                                                                    A comprehensive account of reggae during its golden era, from the late sixties through the global breakthrough of Bob Marley in the seventies, and the...
                                                                      Junior MurvinPolice & ThievesJustice League
                                                                      Stone cold reggae classic, the sound of the streets in Jamaica & England 40 odd years ago..
                                                                      • Junior Murvin – Police & Thieves
                                                                      • The Upsetters – Police & Thieves Version
                                                                      My Name Is Prince25 Inspired YearsAmistad
                                                                      We have just 2 copies!£50 OFF!!!! THIS INSANELY BEAUTIFUL LARGE FORMAT PRINCE USA HARDBACK BOOK OH MY GOD In this dazzling collector’s edition, readers...
                                                                        Walking to New OrleansBy John BrovenPelican
                                                                        There are two or three essential books on New Orleans and this is one! ( The others would be Up From The Cradle of Jazz - currently out of print, and...
                                                                          Ezra CollectiveDance, No One's WatchingPartisan Records
                                                                          Dance, No One's Watching is an ode to the sacred, yet joyous act of dancing, an album that musically guides you through a night out in the city, from the...
                                                                          • – God Gave Me Feet For Dancing (feat. Yazmin Lacey)
                                                                          Studio One Downbeat Special extended editionStudio One Downbeat Special (Expanded Edition)Soul Jazz Records
                                                                          Soul Jazz Records’ Down Beat Special is a roller-coaster ‘greatest hits’ ride through many of the all-time classic tunes hand-picked from across...
                                                                          • The Eternals – Queen Of The Minstrels
                                                                          • Michigan & Smiley – Nice Up The Dance
                                                                          • The Mad Lads – Ten To One
                                                                          • Jackie Mittoo – Totally Together
                                                                          • Horace Andy – Just Say Who
                                                                          • The Skatalites – Addis Ababa
                                                                          • Sugar Minott – Live Loving
                                                                          • Lone Ranger – Can't Stand It
                                                                          • Wailing Souls – I've Got A Burning Fire
                                                                          • Bob Marley and The Wailers – Simmer Down
                                                                          • Dub Specialist – Hooligan
                                                                          • Alton Ellis – Your Heart Is Gonna Pay
                                                                          • Roland Alphonso – Do It Good
                                                                          • Wailing Souls – You Should Have Known
                                                                          • Dawn Penn – No, No, No
                                                                          • Freddie McKay – You'll Be Sorry
                                                                          • Alton Ellis – We Need Love
                                                                          • Cornel Campbell – Best To Be Free
                                                                          Nubya GarciaOdysseyConcord
                                                                          Nubya Garcia isn’t an artist you can easily classify. Is it jazz? Sure, the London-born saxophonist, composer and bandleader grew up studying the genre...
                                                                          • – Dawn ft. esperanza spalding
                                                                          • – Odyssey
                                                                          • – Solstice
                                                                          • – Set It Free ft. Richie
                                                                          • – The Seer
                                                                          • – Odyssey (Outerlude)
                                                                          • – We Walk In Gold ft. Georgia Anne Muldrow
                                                                          • – Water’s Path
                                                                          • – Clarity
                                                                          • – In Other Words, Living
                                                                          • – Clarity (Outerlude)
                                                                          • – Triumphance
                                                                          BlondiePlastic Letters (1978)Chrysalis
                                                                          Every track a killer! Powerpop, bubblegum and pre-punk collide in this seminal album which everyone should own.
                                                                            • Original LP 5355033£10.00
                                                                              Vinyl condition: VG+Sleeve condition: VG+Original Pre-Owned UK Vinyl
                                                                            Mica Levislob airHyperdub
                                                                            Gorgeous, abstract, orchestral epic from Mica Levi on Hyperdub!
                                                                            • – slob air
                                                                            Trees SpeakTimeFold / SynchrotronSoul Jazz Records
                                                                            SORRY! This has now sold out.WORLD EXCLUSIVE Trees Speak killer new super-limited one-off exclusive 45 100% ESSENTIAL hand-stamped and printed white...
                                                                            • – TimeFold
                                                                            • – Synchrotron
                                                                            No One's Listening AnywayUK DIY Post Punk & Dubs 1980​-​1984 (Volume 1)Caroline True Records
                                                                            An album of early 1980s Post-Punk era musical bedroom & small studio innovations & DIY Inspirations - Featuring rarely / never heard cuts from that period....
                                                                            • – Bally O’Brien - Tell Me Why The Tape Wobbles
                                                                            • – Anorexia - Inanimate Objects
                                                                            • – Methodishca Tune – LFD
                                                                            • – Swamp Children – Call Me Honey
                                                                            • – Cathy La Creme - I Married A Cult Figure
                                                                            • – Surface Mutants - Train Dub
                                                                            • – The Dealers - Share the World (Part 2)
                                                                            • – Skeet - Avril In The Alps
                                                                            • – Group Therapy - Arty Fact
                                                                            • – APB - Help Yourself
                                                                            • – Sirons - Cruise Missile Blues
                                                                            The ExplosionsGarden Of Four TreesSoul Jazz Records
                                                                            You could buy the one original copy currently on Discogs for £1,200 - OR buy this! Seminal New Orleans Eddie Bo production from the near legendary group...
                                                                            • – Garden Of Four Trees
                                                                            • – Teach Me
                                                                            Chuck Carbo & The Soul FindersCan I Be Your Squeeze / Take Care Your Homework FriendSoul Jazz Records
                                                                            Chuck Carbo’s 'Can I Be Your Squeeze', backed with 'Take Care of Your Homework' are two of the most infectious break-heavy funk party tunes you will...
                                                                            • – Can I Be Your Squeeze
                                                                            • – Take Care Your Homework Friend
                                                                            Marilyn Barbarin and The Soul FindersRebornSoul Jazz Records
                                                                            Surely one of the TUFFEST New Orleans Funk tunes ever made! The intensity of Marilyn Barbarin’s vocals are only matched by the super-tightness of Eddie...
                                                                            • – Reborn
                                                                            • – Believe Me
                                                                            Joe BataanAftershower Funk / FinSoul Jazz Records
                                                                            NEW EXCLUSIVE SUPER LTD. edition of 300 copies. 100% KILLER, KILLER 100% Nu Yorican LATIN FUNK masterpiece originally released in New York in 1974! Alongside...
                                                                            • Joe Bataan – Aftershower Funk
                                                                            • Joe Bataan – Fin
                                                                            Johnny Osbourne / Otis GayleWe Need Love / I'll Be AroundSoul Jazz Records
                                                                            Killer Studio One 12" bomb with two MASSIVE tunes back to back - can it ever get any better than this?
                                                                            • Johnny Osbourne – We Need Love
                                                                            • Otis Gayle – I'll Be Around
                                                                            The SkatanautsAt The MoviesTip-A-Top Records
                                                                            New take on two iconic French cinema scores, "Fantomas" from 1964, and the title "No Problem" from the motion picture "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" from 1959...
                                                                            • – Fantomas
                                                                            • – No Problem