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January 2001

Cold Fact - Sixto Rodriguez
by Tim Forster

Until recently a mysterious figure, Sixto Rodriguez was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1942 to Mexican immigrant parents - his first name chosen because he was their sixth child. Possessed of an distinctive voice, Rodriguez was a singer / songwriter steeped in the folk and blues traditions of his times and comparisons with Dylan and Donovan are inevitable and not undeserved. However, a profoundly working class upbringing in this industrial - and musical - heartland helped to make his work quite unique.

In April 1967 he recorded five original songs for the local Impact label. The A-side of the resulting single, 'I'll Slip Away' (later re-cut in the mid 70s), was an atmospheric number with considerable commercial potential, the B-side, 'You'd Like To Admit It', a contrasting folk-rocker in which the singer berated an ex-girlfriend for going off with a 'hick'. Unfortunately it became Impact's penultimate release before the label went under. Of the remaining tracks 'Forget It' would later be re-recorded for his first LP and 'To Whom It May Concern' for the second, but the intriguingly titled 'That Discotheque' remains unreleased in any form.

Undaunted, two years later Rodriguez found himself signed to the newly founded Hollywood label, Sussex (Bill Withers' first label), and the classic 'Cold Fact' LP emerged as their first release. Recorded in 1969 and skilfully produced by two other Impact refugees, Mike Theodore and Dennis Coffey, it opened with the trippy but dark 'Sugar Man'. Over a subtle backing of acoustic guitar and electronic effects Rodriguez's lyrics were starkly honest:

"Sugar man, met a false friend / On a lonely dusty road / lost my heart when I found it / it had turned to dead black coal. / Silver magic ships you carry / Jumpers, coke, sweet Mary Jane / Sugarman, you're the answer / That makes my question disappear / Sugarman, 'cos I'm weary / Of those double games I hear."

The themes of many other songs on the album can be gleaned from the titles alone: 'Crucify Your Mind' (drugs), 'This Is Not A Song, It's An Outburst: Or, The Establishment Blues', 'Inner City Blues' and 'Rich Folks Hoax' (social unrest and political apathy), but there were also beautiful, bittersweet love songs in 'Forget It' and 'Jane S. Piddy'. Rumour has it (although Rodriguez has denied the connection) that 'Like Janis' was inspired by Janis Joplin. The brutally direct 'Only Good For Conversation' stands out as a great fuzz rocker, but for the most part the album gives prominence to Rodriguez's acoustic guitar and powerful lyrics.

'Coming From Reality', which was recorded at London's Lansdowne Studios, came in a striking die-cut gatefold sleeve. However, despite featuring some excellent musicianship - especially the lead guitar work courtesy of ace session man Chris Spedding - it somehow contrived to be less interesting than its predecessor. The most immediately striking tracks are undoubtedly those where the band is in full flight - 'Climb Up On My Music' and 'Heikki's Suburban Bus Tour' for instance - but the more restrained acoustic numbers repay repeated listening. 'Sandrevan Lullaby - Lifestyles' (the title is a conflation of the names of Rodriguez's two daughters) and 'Cause' were both subtly orchestrated and their lyrics echoed the dark emotional themes of the debut album.

Three further tracks recorded in the mid-seventies - a new version of the Impact single 'I'll Slip Away', 'Can't Get Away' and 'Street Boy' - were each the equal of any of his previous works, but none were released at the time. After neither album made any impact in the States, Rodriguez seemed to simply disappear. That, however, was really only the beginning of the most extraordinary phase of his career. When, in 1970, some enterprising folk at Festival Records imported 400 copies of 'Cold Fact' to Australia they rapidly sold out. The LP was subsequently issued by A&M in 1971 and as its fame spread it gradually acquired a cult following amongst the disaffected youth both there and in countries like New Zealand and South Africa. When it was finally issued on CD in those markets it went platinum and Rodriguez was so well known by the beginning of the 80s that he even toured Australia with Midnight Oil. After disappearing into temporary obscurity once more - during which increasingly bizarre rumours circulated about his demise - he recently returned to South Africa for a sell-out stadium tour. Both albums have subsequently been reissued in all formats in those countries, while a CD 'Rodriguez: At His Best' (Blue Goose VPCD 6748) collects together highlights from both LPs and adds the three unreleased mid-seventies tracks for good measure. The A-side of the Impact single, meanwhile, is available on 'The Best Of Impact Records' (Collectables CD COL 5883).

This article originally published online at:
Fuzz, Acid and Flowers
and Head Heritage