Rough Music

Folk Customs, Transgression and Alternative Britain

Liz Williams

$61.95 $52.65

Hardback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Reaktion Books
01 July 2025

British & Irish history; Folklore, myths & legends; Shamanism, paganism & druidry

Rough Music explores transgression and shame in British folklore and customs. It takes in a wide array of examples including Bonfire Night, Wassail, Morris dancing, Mari Lwyd and Twelfth Night, along with events like the Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake, and street football.

Liz Williams explores the roots and roles of violence, mockery, protest and public shaming. She also addresses alternative culture and modern protests, such as the Battle of the Beanfield and the Stonehenge Free Festival. The interaction between racism and traditions involving blackface, alongside the emergence of all-female Morris sides, is also examined. Finally, it looks at folklore's evolution in the digital age, highlighting new developments such as ghost bikes. This engaging book offers an entertaining yet rigorous look at British folklore and culture.

'A lively and well-informed account of traditional British popular customs, with a novel and valuable pair of twists: showing the close relationship of those customs with subversion and disorder, and following their observance up into the current time. It is thus a revealing commentary on both past and present.'

Ronald Hutton, professor of history, University of Bristol, and author of Pagan Britain

'Williams casts a refreshing twenty-first-century eye over a range of vibrant customs and traditions, questioning ideas of timelessness and exploring the relevance of folklore in society today. Her book is an engaging and thoughtful contribution to the current New Wave of folklore studies in Britain.'

Owen Davies, professor of social history, University of Hertfordshire, and author of Art of the Grimoire: An Illustrated History of Magic Books and Spells

By: Liz Williams
Imprint: Reaktion Books
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 138mm,
ISBN: 9781836390602
ISBN 10: 1836390602
Pages: 384
Publication Date: 01 July 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Liz Williams is a writer and journalist. She lives in Glastonbury. Her books include Miracles of Our Own Making: A History of Paganism (2020), also published by Reaktion Books.

Reviews for Rough Music: Folk Customs, Transgression and Alternative Britain

'A lively and well-informed account of traditional British popular customs, with a novel and valuable pair of twists: showing the close relationship of those customs with subversion and disorder, and following their observance up into the current time. It is thus a revealing commentary on both past and present.' – Ronald Hutton, Professor of History, University of Bristol, and author of Pagan Britain