Searching for Sugar Man: a Musicologist Detective Story ...

I came across this ‘story’ in July as a recommended film to see – which bewitched me ... and I had to make sure I saw it before they took it off the big screen ... I’d asked our film society if the cinema would be showing it down here – I was admonished ... it’s not our sort of thing – yet now three months on, I wonder if they will change their minds ...

IMDb Film Poster

Here’s another way of telling a story – apparently a non-existent story at that – a story across continents, with a tie in to London, across four decades ... superlative comparisons to Dylan and those of his ilk ... what went wrong ...

(You could click this link and listen to some of his words and music as you read this - repeated at end of post)

Searching for Sugar Man – is really an unbelievable story – I eventually got to see the film and if it had been on again at the next showing I’d have stayed in my seat .... I have never in my life been completely mesmerised ... so I went back to London to see it once again: same reaction – mesmerised, still am!

Chapman's Peak Drive on a clear day!

I have to tell you about it – you’ve gathered that haven’t you!

Someone who is described as a better musician and lyricist than Dylan ... a man who is also described as one of the best in their stable ... others include Marvin Gaye, Woody Guthrie, but where is he, who is he ...

The story starts with a fuzzy implied 1970s film sequence of a trip along Chapman’s Peak Drive in an open top car pondering who is Rodriguez ...  where is he ...

Back in the early 70s an American girl visited South Africa bringing with her a copy of an album titled ‘Cold Facts’ ... it became the rage and everyone wanted a copy – Rodriguez became a cult singer selling masses of his two albums (‘Coming from Reality’ being the other one) – hundreds of thousands – but no-one knew anything about him.

Montage of Cape Town

South Africa was a closed society in the 1970s ... the rest of the world might have been pillorying the South African (apartheid) government ... the white liberal South Africans had no idea – all media was shut out, everything was censored.

Yet Sixto Rodgriguez’s lyrics had an immense impact in South Africa ... his eloquent attacks on prejudice, injustice and suppression appealed to young white liberals who saw themes inspired by the troubles of traumas of the American 1960s that were applicable to their own defiance of apartheid.

So Rodriguez was selling lots of copies – he was bigger than the Stones or Elvis, his records outsold Abbey Road - but there was no information – zilch!  Once apartheid had been broken (1992)... the search was on.  But where to start?  Authors of detective stories ... where to start?!

What evidence was around to look at ... the back of the 1970s albums where the lyrics appeared mentioned various cities and towns (Detroit, London, New York, Amsterdam) – all drew blanks: there just wasn’t any information ...

Stephen 'Sugar' Segerman: Cape Town record shop

Two South Africans an ex jeweller, now record shop manager Stephen ‘Sugar’ Segerman and the music journalist Craig Bartholomew -Strydom had been fascinated by this Detroit-based-folk rock singer ... who’d disappeared.

We are taken back 40 years ... this time to the rust belt of Detroit ... where through interviews with music colleagues from those early days, (including their acknowledgement that he was on their list as one of the top five artists), Dearborn run-down waterside bar tenders, co-labourers working on building sites ...

Cover of Cold Fact album

... then the very early internet opened up the world ... another look at the album – the name of ‘Dearborn’ suddenly stood out – via an early forum one of Rogriguez’s daughters replied ... saying he’s my Dad!

We learn that he’s alive ... and has spent his time singing in bars, but ensuring his daughters’ education by working as a manual labourer ... we are given some more background (he has a philosophy degree) and present history ...

The two South African “investigators” are eventually rewarded ... now we fast forward a little to 1998 ... Rodriguez is persuaded to go to South Africa, where he’s a hero, and play to enormous adoring crowds.

Malik Bendjelloul, a documentarist making films on rock musicians for Swedish television met the South African questors in Cape Town and was determined to make a film of their obsessive pursuit.

Bendjelloul considered it offered unique insights into the history of popular music, the vagaries of the rock scene and the nature of celebrity in our time.

What makes the story particularly intriguing is that the end is happy without being truimphalist ... this modest, very talented man didn’t become a star and, despite the recent developments, shuns the trappings of luxury that come with being a rock star.

Rodriguez in Detroit Institute of Art

Here lies a rousing documentary turned into a detective story ... which is painstakingly created adding layer upon layer of intrigue ... pulling all the pieces together – accompanied by this wonderful music ... until his return in 1998 to South Africa – where the awestruck South Africans welcome Rodriguez back ...

There are more twists and turns to the movie and subsequent developments ... but if you’d like to glance briefly at the social history of apartheid South Africa, see run down Detroit as it was, hear about rock history shenanigans ...

... this makes a wonderful feel-good film ... with a cast including Rodriguez, Segerman, Bartholomew-Strydom, Dennis Coffey (guitarist from Detroit, publishing under the Motown, Sussex and Westbound labels), Mike Theodore (producer engineer working with Coffey) et al ....

The Roundhouse Venue - an old engine house

... the AllinLondon website has this synopsis:  “Searching for Sugar Man tells the true story of the greatest 70s US rock icon who never was, how he was rediscovered in a far off land and finally became the legend he always deserved to be.  It is a story of hope, inspiration and the power of music” ...

... The Guardian states that ‘Not all whites were philistine racists: many were trapped by history and fate and the apartheid laws they detested.  Rodridguez’s music gave them a voice – and indirectly helped to change things.  This movie might itself make a modest contribution to rewriting the history of white South Africa.”

It was the opening film at the Sundance Film Festival this year (winning the Special Jury Prize and the audience Award for best international documentary) ... it holds a 96% “Certified Fresh” rating on the review aggregator of Rotten Tomatoes ...

... while Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film a glowing four-star review, writing “I hope you’re able to see this film ... and yes, it exists because we need it to .... “

Join me in discovering some rock history – relax and watch a story unfold, while listening to some amazing music, with enlightening lyrics ... still appropriate for today ...

Here are some links:

The Guardian - Searching for Sugar Man: the world exclusive trailer .. I love this intro (2.27)

You Tube: Must have album(s) Rodriguez - Cold Fact   (12.37 - but you'll be hooked right from the start!!)

... track 3: Crucify Your Mind

... track 4: This is Not a Song, It’s an Outburst: Or, The Establishment Blues

... track 8: I wonder

“Sugar Man” track 1 – can be found here  (3.48)

Rodriguez has finally been recognised in the States – he’s been interviewed, done some shows, and next week is here in the UK at The Roundhouse, London; Royal Festival Hall London; Liverpool; Gateshead; Edinburgh; Belfast; Brighton; Bristol and Manchester ...

Searching for Sugar Man takes me along my journey of life ... a social history of life in South Africa in the 70s ... a growing understanding of the genres of music (rock, folk, soul, funk etc) ... some highlights of the Detroit music industry ... a relook at the world as it is now – correlations are to be found to this day ...

Some quotes:

·        Bob Dylan ... was mild compared to this guy ...

·        .. a wandering spirit around the city ...

·        Every revolution needs an anthem ... soundtrack to our lives ...

·        Like a wise man, a prophet – way beyond his musical qualities ..

·        Representative of the human spirit .. of what is possible ..

·        Powerful, uplifting and unforgettable ... 

Enjoy!

Hilary Melton-Butcher

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