He had this kind of magical quality that all the genuine poets and artists have: to elevate things. To get above the mundane, the prosaic. All the bullshit. All the mediocrity that’s everywhere. The artist, the artist is the pioneer.- Rick Emmerson
Sixto Rodriguez. Remmber the name because I promise to get back to this.
Watching the documentary- Searching For Sugar Man for the third time. Probably the most inspiring, thought provoking, music documentary of all time.
Well, at least for me.
Imagine this, a down on his luck musician in the 70s with music writing skills that would not only rival but overshadow Bob Dylan, created a series of albums in the US that practically no one ever purchased.
Except in South Africa.
Yes, a country 9000 miles from Detroit, where the albums last breathed it’s final sigh of recognition hope. It took a different continent for his songs to be recognized. His songs were a staple go-to cultural cure pill from the apartheid. He was an icon. Bigger than Elvis. More relevant than any other artist that this country has ever laid ears on. He was that big. And yet, no one ever really knew him.
Fast forward 25 years and everyone basically thought that Rodriguez had bean dead for years. No news, no trails, only whispers.
Stephen “Sugar” Segerman, a devoted fan, joined forces with investigative journalist Craig Bartholomew-Strydom to uncover the truth about Rodriguez’s mysterious fate. Their search led them to an unexpected revelation—one of Rodriguez’s daughters responded to their inquiry, confirming that he was very much alive, quietly living in a modest home in Detroit, Michigan.
Probably one of the most enigmatic, hauntingly elusive artists the world has ever known. There was zero knowledge of Rodriguez’s existence. No one knew his whereabouts. One can say he just faded into the mists and crawled into the shadows never to be seen again.
This documentary takes you on a rollercoaster ride of a redemptiom that took almost three decades to unfold. What follows is a decades-long search not just for an artist—but for truth, dignity, and a second chance.
Searching for Sugar Man isn’t just about music. It’s about how a legacy survives, even when no one’s watching. It’s redemption told through vinyl and rumor, and it moved me in ways that until now, I can’t fully understand.
Ever felt like none of the things you ever did mattered? Sixto Rodriguez is a testayment to how beautiful things will always be uncovered, recovered and remembered.. Prepare to be an instant fan of the artist and add entire albums on your Spotify accounts.
Then thank me later.
Related posts:
This film then gives us that feeling of being able to look inside people’s lives and see the many aspects of how relationships can break down in a matter of minutes because of a single significant eve...
It just might be a homage to the 1986 movie Children of a Lesser God, but Isa Pa with Feelings is the Pinoy counterpart that doesn't disappoint but levels up in almost every cinematic angle you can th...
Imagine Neo (The Matrix) before taking the red pill, Tyler Durden’s ensuing empathy towards quasi-existentialism in Fight Club, throw in a subtle mix of Renton’s battle with addiction in Trai...
First of all, the characters are relatable. You can plug in Korean actors in replacement of the main cast and it would still feel socially relevant and accessible. Heck, you can replace the characters...