Rodriguez - Cold Fact - GuitarTalk Community

Rodriguez - Cold Fact

Squonk

In the early 70's this album was huge in South Africa.

I swopped Uriah Heep - Look at yourself (imported with the mirror) for a copy of this Album.
It was the biggest thing since cottage cheese. The lyrics were just so psychedelia, 60's and cynical.
The one song I used to sing whenever someone let me down

Forget It

But thanks for your time

Then you can thank me for mine

And after that's said

Forget it.

I think I then swopped the album for Thin Lizzy's "Johnny the Fox" in about 1977.

Just started listening to it again. It's a bit dated but good stuff.

Might be a bit more nostalgia than good music, but I am enjoying it anyway.

inflames

I love Rodriguez, I discovered his music when I was in ST8, about 12 years ago!
Love the album!

[deleted]

I love Rodriguez, I discovered his music when I was in ST8, about 12 years ago!
Love the album!

Same. I remember when he came to South Africa at about that time.

Renesongs

I preferred Rodriguez when he was pretending to be dead - less noisy.

Keira-WitherKay

yeah great music for the time.......... but a tad dated today ..... his tunes will always be classics tho

Matt-White

Nope, I have to disagree. I don't think its dated at all. My 16 year old daughter and her friends know every lyric on that album - and they discovered it by themselves. It cannot be dated then? Theres enough stuff on there that is still universal/apt/topical.
And I think the oddball production still makes it stand out today - on its own feet.
I have to agree with the sentiments about his performances, though! Sucks!

FatBoy

I love that album, haven't been to a live show or listened to any other albums though. I don't think its dated at all, to me it is a classic, and will always be timeless.

AlanRatcliffe

I agree the recordings are very dated - too much reverb and an overuse of "psychedelic" effects dated it pretty quickly. The songs themselves never struck a chord for me either.

This is the only country his music was a hit, and he didn't even know it until Steven Segerman tracked him down in '97. He never saw a penny from the multi-platinum local sales (gee, where have I heard that before?).

Ray

I didnt like it then ie early 70's when in school. They used to pay it at parties plenty. Springs was not a big town and there was a group of girls with tight jeans and high heels and if you wanted to dance with them slow like, you waited for one of those drony sort of Rodriguez songs and then you tackle one of them. Somehow they seemed to think then you're a head with some sensitivity. So, a vital part of the recipe - thanks Rodriguez. One thing though, the lyrics stuck in your head like shit to a wet blanket. Moon is hanging in a purple sky 'nall. But Thin Lizzy, ya that was too grand.

inflames

This is the only country his music was a hit, and he didn't even know it until Steven Segerman tracked him down in '97.

When I first heard that it was scary to believe, that this man only found out 20 years later that he had fan ?

He never saw a penny from the multi-platinum local sales

Never knew that, thanks Alan! That sucks, he could have bought a new car!

Squonk

Ray wrote: I didnt like it then ie early 70's when in school. They used to pay it at parties plenty. Springs was not a big town and there was a group of girls with tight jeans and high heels and if you wanted to dance with them slow like, you waited for one of those drony sort of Rodriguez songs and then you tackle one of them. Somehow they seemed to think then you're a head with some sensitivity. So, a vital part of the recipe - thanks Rodriguez. One thing though, the lyrics stuck in your head like shit to a wet blanket. Moon is hanging in a purple sky 'nall. But Thin Lizzy, ya that was too grand.

Good Stuff Ray ? You share a lot of history of what South Africa was really like back then. Springs produced some good bands though, and any town that has a suburb called Daggafontein is tops in my book ?

AlanRatcliffe

inflames wrote: When I first heard that it was scary to believe, that this man only found out 20 years later that he had fan ?

Scary, but all-to-familiar a record company trick so they could pocket all the proceeds (BTW, I've been trying to remember - who was the local group that fought for 40 years before getting any royalties?). And they now wonder why people have no qualms about ripping them off by downloading...

Ray wrote: Springs was not a big town and there was a group of girls with tight jeans and high heels and if you wanted to dance with them slow like, you waited for one of those drony sort of Rodriguez songs and then you tackle one of them.

I think that was universal. "Of course I love Rodriguez/the Thompson Twins/Men without Hats!". The teenage male at his most sincere...

But Thin Lizzy, ya that was too grand.

Heath

Alan Ratcliffe wrote:
inflames wrote: When I first heard that it was scary to believe, that this man only found out 20 years later that he had fan ?
Scary, but all-to-familiar a record company trick so they could pocket all the proceeds (BTW, I've been trying to remember - who was the local group that fought for 40 years before getting any royalties?).

wasnt that clout , iirc , they were also heavily shafted

AlanRatcliffe

No. One of the later rock 'n roll bands...

Keira-WitherKay

as for royalties... the song the "lion sleeps tonight" was stolen and used in stage productions and only recently was the original composer a black south african creditted and awarded royalties or his family was ......... if i'm not mistaken ...this is totally from meomory and i think i recall this only happenng a few years ago..........

Gearhead

Alan Ratcliffe wrote:
But Thin Lizzy, ya that was too grand.
+1

+ a whole lot. I got 'Live and Dangerous' recently, (one of) the first album(s) that was recorded live and substantially dubbed over. You can think of this 'technique' whatever you want, to me the album sounds like I did miss out on some mind blowing concerts (being too young at the time). The sheer expression of rock 'n roll rebellious emotion echoes through from first to last note:
'Tonight there's gonna be a jailbreak
somewhere in this town
tonight there's gonna be a jailbreak
don't ye be around..'

singemonkey

I thought Cold Fact was great. I don't own a copy. One bad thing I can say about it is it's easy to saturate yourself. If I think of any of those songs now, I get no desire to listen to them because they feel over-listened - if you follow me. I'm sick of them, and have been for many years, would be putting it plainer.

Wessel

I know of allot of people from my generation that loves Rodriguez ...like myself? ( I am 21 ) Especially songs like Sugar man and I wonder. Which I am not sure is his original songs. I have even asked random people who their favorite band is and they would answer Rodriguez..and they would know all the words etc. A few years back SABC 3 had a documentary on how they found him and brought him to South Africa. Would like to see it again.