Joe Boyd’s name may not always appear in the liner notes of pop culture conversations, but his fingerprints are all over modern music history. For more than six decades, the legendary producer, label executive, and author has been quietly shaping the sound of generations, from Nick Drake’s haunting folk classics to early Pink Floyd, Fairport Convention, and even R.E.M.
In the latest episode of Broken Record, Boyd joins host Justin Richmond for an in-depth conversation that spans a lifetime of music, discovery, and cultural exploration. Far more than a retrospective, the episode captures a man still deeply curious about the roots and rhythms that connect global sound.
Boyd, who chronicled his experiences in the acclaimed 2007 memoir White Bicycles: Making Music in the 1960s, returns to the written word with his newest book, And the Roots of Rhythm Remain: A Journey Through Global Music (2024). The work is a sweeping exploration of the musical traditions that have shaped the modern world, from the Afro-Cuban pulse of Havana to the griot storytellers of Mali, the samba energy of Brazil, and the haunting harmonies of the Balkans.
In the conversation, Boyd reflects on his early years under Warner Bros. titan Mo Ostin in the 1960s, a period that helped define his ear for authenticity and innovation. He also delves into the exhaustive research behind his new book and explains why he believes three particular regions hold the key to understanding the DNA of popular music.
The episode also revisits one of Boyd’s most iconic achievements, producing the 1973 documentary Jimi Hendrix, a seminal film that helped cement the guitarist’s legend just a few years after his death.
Throughout the discussion, Boyd’s deep reverence for musical lineage shines through. Whether he’s talking about field recordings or chart-topping acts, his message remains the same: music is a living conversation, one that echoes across cultures, generations, and time.
