Anyone heard of Rodriguez?

[W1GUH]

There's a current artsy-fartsy movie out about Sixto Rodriguez. He released an album in '71 that royally flopped here in the US but by chance caught fire and sold scads of copies in So. Africa. After that he disappeared from the scene. The movie, something like "Searching for the Sugar Man", chronicles the search of a guy in So. Africa to find out what happened to Rodriguez. Great movie and very moving story.

You can google "Rodriguez Cold Fact" for info, audio, and video.

[XE1/N5AL]

I hadn't heard of Rodriguez before, but it's a great "truth is greater than fiction" story. A summary of what I found in one long sentence:

A "failed" American-musician-turned-construction-worker discovers thirty years after the fact, through an Internet search by his eldest daughter, that he is a platinum-selling, musical legend in South Africa; where his anti-establishment music -- which may have been an early catalyst to ending apartheid -- had inspired a generation of young adults, who knew little about him and believed him to be long-deceased through a gruesome suicide.

[W5GA]

His music sucks.

[n2ize]

His music sucks.
In what way ? I know some people who say that about any music they don't like. it's like saying, "Mozart sucks".. well I guess if one hates classical music then perhaps they may feel that way despite the fact his music doesn't suck and he is one of the greatest composers ever and he wrote beautiful music. I know people who say "the Beatles suck", because they don't happen to like their music. But they are great writers, composers, musicians nonetheless and their music will live on and on.

[WØTKX]

I heard him on an NPR interview about a month ago.

[W5GA]

In what way ? I know some people who say that about any music they don't like. it's like saying, "Mozart sucks".. well I guess if one hates classical music then perhaps they may feel that way despite the fact his music doesn't suck and he is one of the greatest composers ever and he wrote beautiful music. I know people who say "the Beatles suck", because they don't happen to like their music. But they are great writers, composers, musicians nonetheless and their music will live on and on.
It sucks because IMHO it's not good music.

[n2ize]

It sucks because IMHO it's not good music.
Okay, so then it is as I said. It is your personal opinion.

[kf0rt]

Okay, so then it is as I said. It is your personal opinion.

Tunes are a pretty personal preference deal. Spun up a track of Rodriguez on YouTube here, and must admit I'm leaning towards Doug's opinion on this one. The guy ain't horrible, but not really tasty to my ears.

Been listening to a bit of Reckless Kelly lately, but damn... Those guys need an audio engineer. Great band, I'm thinking, but their audio is some of the worst I've heard.

[W1GUH]

The movie portrayed him as the embodiment of good-guy humility. After the guy in So. Africa found him, he toured the country to sold-out audiences.

Afterwards, he returned to his humble, but honest, labor in construction and demolition, and gave away a lot of what he made from the tour to friends and family.

Another thing in the movie is it's portrayal of Detroit's winters, at least a few decades ago. Specifically, during the winter you could count on snow and ice on the ground constantly from late November to March. I could almost feel the bone-chilling chill of that damp winter wind that could cut right to the bone despite cold weather gear. There was no such thing as a "January thaw" there. Four Brothers is another movie that portrayed that.

Re: music and personal opinion....

Yep, all art is completely subjective and completely personal opinion. Peoples "milages" WILL vary.

But one thing I found playing in the symphony orchestra in college is that music I hated when we first started rehearsing a new piece, came to be some of my favorites. Somehow, the constant exposure to it caused me to hear stuff that I hadn't heard at first and the music eventually started to make sense and be very pleasurable to hear.

Or, my experience with rap and hip-hop (someday I'll learn the difference). Hated it at first and because of that I didn't pay a lot of attention to it. Then, when I DID hear it properly (thanks to San Andreas) I realized how wrong I had been. Seems THAT'S where great street art can be found. The point is that one's first impression of any art can be modified as you learn more about it.

[wa6mhz]

Rodriguez Island is a rare DX Entity out in the South Indian Ocean. 3B9! DXpedtion there right now!

[W1GUH]

Cold fact.