“Searching for Sugar Man” is a winning musical detective
story about a forgotten early 70s rocker who became a huge hit in South Africa
while no one in America has heard of him. Swedish director Malik Bendjelloul’s
English-language documentary is both intriguing and uplifting. The artist
simply known as Rodriguez was an enigma even before being ‘discovered’ in the
late 60s by some of music industry people. Those who’d noticed his occasional
gigs in his native Detroit wondered if the elusive musician was a homeless
drifter. Signed to former Motown Records chairman Clarence Avant’s Sussex
label, he released two albums through A&M in 1971 and 1972. Despite high
hopes and good reviews that compared him to Bob Dylan, both albums drew no
notice and the singer-songwriter simply disappeared.
In South Africa, however, his songs somehow managed to find
an audience before they even had a local distributor. Rodriguez’s hard-luck and
rebellious lyrics about urban life, bolstered by appealing melodies and a
distinctive voice, hit a chord with young liberal whites living under the thumb
apartheid. Over the years, they sold an estimated 500,000 copies, an
extraordinary number that made him ‘bigger than Elvis’ in the midsized nation.
It was believed among South African fans that Rodriguez died tragically. Yet
these rumors were entirely unsubstantiated and virtually nothing was known
about him beyond cryptic hints found in the lyrics themselves. A couple of
particularly obsessed types took it upon themselves to research further,
setting up a website to obtain any additional info. Surprisingly, one of
Rodriguez’s grown daughters stumbled upon the site and soon Rodriguez is put in
touch with a worshipful public he never knew existed. Unfortunately,
Bendjelloul is not able to find out what happened to Rodriguez’s music
royalties. Nonetheless, Rodriguez accepts fame and adulation with Zen-like
aplomb as he does several concerts in South Africa. “Searching for Sugar Man”
is a hugely appealing documentary with Rodriguez’s own music providing the
soundtrack. 7/29/12
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