Pullin’ ‘Tubes: Praising The Sugar Man
Every few years, some record company seems to unearth an album from a lost artist of the 1960s or ’70s that blows people away – i.e. Shuggie Otis, Os Mutantes, Gary Higgins, Judee Sill, etc. This year’s lost classic, Cold Fact, comes to us from a Detroit singer-songwriter simply known as Rodriguez. The album is chocked full of an interesting combination of psychedelic rock meets folk rock meets Motown soul and one that I’ve been obsessing over.
As the story goes the album never took off the states, but Rodriguez became a bit of a cult figure in both Australia in the late ’70s and South Africa in the 1990s (where he played sold out stadium shows). It wasn’t until recently though – that the now 66 year-old – played a headlining show of his own in the states – thanks to all the buzz surrounding the reissue by Light In The Attic Records. The album opens with Sugar Man and infectious ode about a drug dealer, check this version from the Byron Bay Blues Festival…
More Rodriguez:
- I Wonder – Byron Bay Blues Festival – 2007
- Crucify Your Mind – Live In Rotterdam
- Paolo Nutini & Rodriguez – Sugarman – St. Andrews Hall – Detroit, MI
Jeffrey Greenblatt
Jeff joined the Hidden Track team full-time in 2008 and helps guide the site in his role as Managing Editor and Social Media Coordinator. Each week Jeff pens Pullin' 'Tubes, Tour Dates and Bloggy Goodness in addition to features, video posts and more. Jeff is a graduate of The George Washington University ('98), with a B.A. in Journalism, and has worked in the media and technology industry for the likes of Scripps Networks Interactive, MTV, VH1, A&E and Joost.
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Nice one. Yeah, this cat is cool. When I first heard that ‘Sugar Man’ song, I thought it was Donovan.
That cat is amazing!! Buy the CD you wont regret it In fact You will Love it
[...] year, I was infatuated with Light In The Attic’s reissue of Cold Fact, the rediscovered lost classic of [...]
[...] Ever since 2008 Jeff has been telling us about and updating us on the story and music of Rodriguez, the Detroit singer-songwriter who put out a couple of outstanding albums in the early ’70s that failed commercially in the states but were huge hits in South Africa years later. Decades after he retired to a “normal” life, and rumors circulated in South Africa that he was dead, Rodriguez was brought to South Africa and treated as a hero. This incredible Cinderella story was documented in the critically-acclaimed documentary Searching For Sugar Man and for a tear-jerking piece on tonight’s episode of 60 Minutes. [...]