Hot ’60 Minutes’ Segment: ‘Searching For Sugar Man’

COMMENTS (6)

• Yes, and according to Bob Lefsetz’ most recent article, it shouldn’t be believed. Rodriguez and his music haven’t been living in quite as much obscurity as Sony and the filmmakers would like you to think, a fact 60 Minutes decided to completely gloss over.

  Comment by Darren — Monday October 8, 2012 @ 11:12am PDT  Reply to this post

  • Lefsetz admits to having not seen the movie and not surprisingly, has his facts wrong. The movie documents how Rodriguez wasn’t heard from (and was presumed dead by many) for years before being rediscovered in 1998. So that fact that one of his songs was sampled by Nas in 2001 and was featured in a 2006 movie, which Lefsetz points to as proof of dishonest filmmaking, is irrelevant. He also complains that Rodriguez hasn’t been living in obscurity because he toured with Midnight Oil. He doesn’t mention that tour was in 1981.

    Comment by Rick — Monday October 8, 2012 @ 2:17pm PDT  Reply to this post

  • What Lefsetz gets completely wrong – because he has not seen the movie – is that it takes place in the ’90s with the South Africa concerts taking place in 1998. He did not “tour” with Midnight Oil in Australia; he appeared at festivals in the late 1970s and shared bills with them. The movie is about South Africa and the lack of information cased by the trade embargo. 60 Minutes did not do a thorough job of reporting the story and said his records are from the late 1960s; they are from the early 1970s. Sony did not reissue his music. That was done by Light in the Attic four years ago.The music is owned by the man who discovered Bill Withers, Clarence Avant, who chose not license the music to anyone prior to that.

    Comment by Rodriguez fan — Monday October 8, 2012 @ 2:58pm PDT  Reply to this post

• “Inspirational” is the only way to describe it, especially for someone like me who grew up in metro Detroit. I know how amazing one has to be to become what he is.

  Comment by Philip L. Smith — Sunday October 28, 2012 @ 4:49pm PDT  Reply to this post

• Great article! Rodriguez fan, I have read other reviews and Rick’s post sounds familiar. A lot of so-called skeptics about the film “sound” just the same and their (his) articles/pots look very similar, “..no Rodriguez didn’t live in obscurity.” “Rodriguez toured Australia in 1980.” Well, I am 42 years old. I have worked in the music business for over 20 years, and I have never heard of Rodriguez before this 60 minutes special; having said that, for the last time to these so-called skeptics, this documentary was done from a South African point of view, about TWO South African fans SEARCHING for Rodriguez. Maybe Rick and/or some of these skeptics can make a documentary about how “Searching for Sugar man” is a fraud. I know I am been sarcastic here, but it really upsets me how some people posts or blogs something just to vent without specific true facts.

  Comment by Jerry — Wednesday January 23, 2013 @ 10:48am PST  Reply to this post

• hi everyone, rodriguez fans from then and now.

  sixto diaz rodriguez was on radio and in the australian charts for a long time during the 70s. he played live shows at festivals with midnight oil as early as 1981 and repeatedly after that. they knew where he was and when the oils played in detroit, he always came to their gigs, as their musical message shares a common ground.

  looking at “searching for sugar man” from a director’s view and a south african perspective, i completely understand why australia was not even mentioned in the movie. rodriguez gave the south african generation that witnessed the awakening and the struggle an amazing songbook. australia was just in love with his musical presence. so, never let the facts get in the way of a good story.

  rodriguez just played again a sold out tour of australia being backed by 3 midnight oil core members: jim moginie, rob hirst and martin rotsey plus brian ritchie of the violent femmes and jack howard of hunters and collectors. they tour as as “THE BREAK” in their own sci-fi surf spectacular.

  rodriguez is a dignified man and adheres to the path of humility… in a hushed voice between songs: “i am a child of…70…so, you can treat me just as a normal…legend.

  Comment by j. paul — Wednesday April 10, 2013 @ 11:10pm PDT  Reply to this post