Joe Boyd - ‘And The Roots Of Rhythm Remain’Client Information
1 April, 2025Print
Joe Boyd Releases Paperback Edition Of New Book And The Roots Of Rhythm Remain: A Journey Through Global Music (ZE Books)
Deemed Book of the Year (2024) By: Financial Times, MOJO, Irish Times, PopMatters, UNCUT and SonglinesRemaining North American Tour Dates Include Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington DC, NYC, and Toronto
Audiobook, Narrated by Boyd, Now Available
April 1, 2025 - Today, ZE Books and legendary producer, author, and raconteur Joe Boyd celebrate the release of the first paperback edition of Boyd’s celebrated new book And The Roots Of Rhythm Remain: A Journey Through Global Music. A staggering literary achievement that has been praised by critics and fans alike, the paperback edition follows two sold-out hardcover printings since the book’s September release.
Boyd is currently on a North American tour, with notable events including in-person presentations in the Hudson Valley, Chicago, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington DC, Toronto, and NYC. Last week, Boyd appeared as a guest resident at the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, TN, where he presented a specially created audio-visual event celebrating the music and artists in his new book and also introduced an exciting selection of films including his own productions (Aretha Franklin: Amazing Grace and Jimi Hendrix) and films linked to the book. Boyd was also joined by journalist and author Ann Powers for an on-stage Q+A.
This past fall, Boyd held book events across the U.S., including sold-out conversations with David Byrne and Joshua Jelly-Shapiro in NYC, Jerry Harrison (Talking Heads/Modern Lovers) in San Francisco, author Joe Nick Patoski in San Marcos, and Buddy Miller at Americanafest in Nashville. Boyd also celebrated the book’s UK release on stage with Brian Eno at Foyle’s in London. Boyd will be returning to the US this autumn for an additional run of in-person events. Full itinerary to be announced soon.
A sweeping history celebrating the impact of the world’s musical traditions on Western popular culture, And The Roots Of Rhythm Remain has been internationally praised, and featured on numerous ‘Best of 2024’ lists. MOJO Magazine acclaimed it as “The War and Peace of World Music” in a 5/5 star review, while the Wall St Journal lauded Boyd’s “appreciation of…deep truths and telling ironies” in a positive review, and The Guardian found Boyd’s “epic account of global music’s cross-pollination … an inspiring tale of seduction, expression and freedom from oppression”. In addition, PBS NewsHour aired a primetime interview on the book and Boyd’s long career. Boyd also shared a special excerpt from the book with Vanity Fair in advance of publication and has recently discussed the book on WTF w/ Marc Maron, NPR’s Here & Now, The Bob Lefsetz Podcast, Conversations With Tyler, and PRX’s The World, with additional interviews in the Washington Post, Aquarium Drunkard, the Record Store Day podcast, and many more.
Known to many as the legendary producer behind notable recordings from Nick Drake, Pink Floyd, R.E.M., Maria Muldaur, Toots and the Maytals, Fairport Convention, and many more, as well as the founder of London’s iconic UFO Club, Joe Boyd’s acclaimed memoir White Bicycles: Making Music In The 1960s was praised by the New York Times as “an irresistible tale” and chosen by Elton John as his favorite book about music.
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More Praise For And The Roots Of Rhythm Remain: “What an amazing book! 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
“Mr. Boyd writes with a light touch and an appreciation of both deep truths and telling ironies” - Wall St Journal
“He helped to popularize ‘world music,’ and now he tells its vast story.” - Washington Post
“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 UK
“A marvelous adventure… A grand treat for musicophiles” - Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
“Love this book. Joe gives us the wider and deeper contexts that shaped music. And, in many cases, he was there. It's big, but it's a page turner!” - David Byrne “This book is guaranteed to outlast us all. It’s an instant classic in the literature of music. All music.” - Afropop Worldwide
“A dazzling and magisterial history … I rank it amongst the three best books about music I have ever read.” - Nigel Williamson, Hi-Fi Choice
“Joe Boyd has an acute ear for music and an astute eye for talent. Here he reveals the searching intellect, the generous spirit, and the deep heart beneath his extraordinary life’s work.” - T Bone Burnett
“A tour de force that will fascinate music lovers” - Library Journal, Starred Review
“One only hopes this can be taught in schools.” - Ry Cooder
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Photo Credit: Andrea Goertler |
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About Joe Boyd: Joe Boyd is a record producer and writer, known for his acclaimed memoir, White Bicycles. Artists he has produced include Nick Drake, R.E.M., Toots and the Maytals, Richard Thompson, Pink Floyd, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, and ¡Cubanismo! among many others over the course of a nearly sixty-year career. After graduating from Harvard in 1964, he tour-managed Muddy Waters, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Sonny Rollins, Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto, and others before serving as production manager for the historic 1965 Newport Folk and Jazz Festivals. He then moved to London to open Elektra Records’ office and started the famous UFO club, which became the center of London’s psychedelic revolution. In 1979 he launched his own label, Hannibal Records, which was at the forefront of bringing global artists to western audiences. As a film producer, his credits include Amazing Grace, Scandal, and Jimi Hendrix. A gifted raconteur, he appears frequently on radio, podcasts and documentaries.
About ZE Books: Founded in 2019 by Michael Zilkha, ZE Books publishes extraordinary literary and visual works by groundbreaking writers, artists, and musicians. Committed to nurturing and championing uncommon talent and voices, ZE Books brings out remarkable, beautifully produced books by exceptional writers, journalists, artists, musicians, and thinkers from around the world. Their titles span music, art, experimental writing, poetry, fiction, memoir, and more. |
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For more information on And The Roots Of Rhythm Remain, please reach out to Matt Hanks (mhanks@shorefire.com), Chris Taillie (ctaillie@shorefire.com), and Henry Thomas (hthomas@shorefire.com) at Shore Fire Media |