The new documentary about Detroit musician Sixto Rodriguez has been received favorably by critics, and even has a shot at picking up a Best Documentary Oscar at the upcoming ceremony.
Now 70-years-old, the subject of the film – Rodriguez – has announced that he will record his first album in 42 years. Reuniting with his original producers, it is likely that his new music will fare better than his last attempt, the LP Coming from Reality, which was a massive flop and caused the artist to be dropped by his record label.
If it’s a success, Rodriguez will not only have the documentary to thank, but the people of South Africa who are among his biggest fans. Forgotten in his home country, Rodriguez became a great success in South Africa, a fact that remained largely unknown to the artist while he was in the midst of his very short career. In tribute of his South African fans – many of who were under the mistaken belief that the musician had committed suicide – Rodriguez is also planning a South African tour to kick off later this month.
No one knows exactly how the album came [to South Africa],’ Searching for Sugarman director Malik Bendjelloul told NPR. ‘But when it came, it just spread, and he became as famous — and as dead — as Jimi Hendrix. Everyone knew his albums, and everyone knew that Rodriguez was completely dead.
Rodriguez had completely given up music when he first heard about his South African success. He was busy renovating homes and buildings in Detroit when South African journalists rang him to find out if the rumour that he was indeed alive and well was true. He’d also unsuccessfully tried his hand at politics, running for office as a Michigan state representative and mayor of Detroit. It was quite a shock for the musician to find out what a huge political influence he’d had, albeit in a country far from his own.
The first white anti-Apartheid movement derived [inspiration] from a few rock bands,’ Bendjelloul said. ‘Rodriguez was the first artist that actually had political content that was anti-establishment that got heard. … By remote control, Rodriguez was actually changing a society.
The musician has had the opportunity to hear first-hand about just how much of an impact his music had on South Africans when he toured the country in 1998.
They were just so good to me. And the stories I heard! One soldier said: “We made love to your music, we made war to your music.” Another person had a tattoo of the Cold Fact cover. It was amazing,’ he said.
Rodriguez told Rolling Stone that he has written around 30 songs for his new album, and that several record labels have shown interest in his new record. He is considering working alongside his former producer Steve Rowland, who asked him to send him a couple of his new tapes.
I certainly want to look him up, because now he’s full of ideas,’ Rodriguez said.
Apart from his upcoming South African tour, Rodriquez has also planned tours for New Zealand, Australia, the US, France and the UK.
