Didn't know there was a book on it. I only remember seeing the TV series put out by BBC - which gets sporadic episode repeats.
This is the one I got, I think:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rock-Family-Trees-...6969&sr=1-1
Not sure I actually got that 2-in-1 or just a one volume edition, but I don't mind... it ends mostly around 1980 (meaning you only get the beginnings of bands like Talking Heads or Patti Smith Group covered), but that's not a big issue I think, as mostly I'll be interested in exploring more 60s and early 70s stuff anyway.
On the other hand, it seems very "white"... rock in general is white of course (white college boys I guess), but where it gets most fascinating to me is where it crosses over to blues and country and gospel and folk and soul and whatever, such as with The Band, for instance, where Curtis Mayfield becomes and influence etc. That's not part of the book, alas, as the book is sort of straight and person-based, not influence based (it would be a tough job to do such "trees" going by influences rather than by personal continuity... though it would be endlessly fascinating I guess).
Thanks for the info on this - it obviously ties in with that old TV series of the same name, which came out originally in the late 80s/early 90s I think. I remember Pete Frame being credited on the programmes.
Some of those programmes actually touched on the jazz scene of the 60s/70s when people like Chris Spedding and bands such as Hatfield and the North and Egg were mentioned. Quite fascinating to us students of this scene. Will add this to my 'reading list'.