Searching for Sugar Man

You know that feeling of slight resentment when you have been a fan of a band/artist for years and then all of a sudden they become popular and everyone knows about them? 

Well that has happened with `70s rock icon Rodriguez except I could not be happier that he is finally getting the world wide recognition that he deserves.

The documentary Searching for Sugar Man tells the story of Sixto Diaz Rodriguez, an American singer from Detroit whose musically career never amounted to much anywhere in the world except in South Africa.

This Swedish-British production is based on the search for information about Rodriguez in the `90s, who was rumored to have committed suicide on stage.

In 1997, Stephen "Sugar" Segerman set up a website called "The Great Rodriguz Hunt".

Rodriguez was so important to South Africans because in a time of severe government control, the Apartheid regime, Rodriguez offered an alternative, he sang of anti-establishment and freedom.

Even though the Apartheid government was scratching records, the popularity of Rodriguez never died out but intensified. It is said that in South Africa in the `70s he was even more famous than Elvis and Bob Dylan, selling an estimated 500 million copies.

At the 2013 Oscars, Searching for Sugar Man won Best Documentary and finally people are aware of one of the greatest musicians.

I have seen him live once before in London town and it is still one of the best performances that I have ever see.

I am so excited to see him again in June at the Hammersmith Apollo and you should too.