The less you know about the Mexican Detroit musician
Rodriguez before you watch Malik Bendjelloul’s Searching For Sugar Man the better. The people of South Africa
didn’t know anything about him either yet his 1970 album Cold Fact was massive there.
In America his record company suggest it sold six copies but to the hip South
African white kids he was an inspiration: bigger than the Stones, bigger than
Elvis, selling around half a million dodgy copies after a girl brought it into
the country to play to her friends who made copies and their friends made
copies. Despite that he remained a
mystery. There was no information available other than he was believed dead. The
circumstances depended on who was telling the story: from a plain and simple
drug death, to setting himself on fire, to shooting himself in the head on
stage.
Malik Bendjelloul’s
Searching For Sugar Man tracks the search for Sixto Rodriguez. I’m not going
to write much more other than to urge you to see this film. His beautiful,
poetic music alone will blow you away (he stands toe-to-toe with period Dylan,
Simon & Garfunkel, Arthur Lee, Nick Drake) but as his story unravels Rodriguez
becomes even more remarkable. Don’t research him first, just watch the film.
Those of an emotional nature may wish to have a hanky handy; I can’t listen to
“I Wonder” now without welling-up. If you aren’t a fan already, I promise you
will be.
Searching For Sugar
Man, directed by Malik Bendjelloul, is in cinemas now.
That's an extremely attractive sounding carrot you've just dangled there... I'm going to have to check it out (with my hanky handy too, by the sound of it).
ReplyDeleteTry and see it in the cinema if you can (be quick!). You'll love it.
ReplyDeleteI've been beaten over the head about this, but this time hearing it from someone who's opinion I value means I'll have to hope I can see this....
ReplyDeleteYou'd need a heart of stone not to be moved by it.
ReplyDelete