Category Archives: Nostalgia

Climb Up On My Music – A Tribute to Rodriguez, Cape Town, 14 September 2023

The Toneelhuis at 55 Shortmarket Street, Cape Town on Thursday 14 September. Tickets through Quicket Rodriguez Real name Jesus Sixto (pronounced Seez-too) Diaz-Rodriguez (10 July 1942 – 8 August 2023) — Wikipedia Rodriguez changed the lives of a lot of kids in the 70s. Cold Fact was the go-to album for some comfort and escapeContinueContinue reading “Climb Up On My Music – A Tribute to Rodriguez, Cape Town, 14 September 2023”

“Searching For Sugar Man” coming to Netflix this Friday!

Searching For Sugar Man Searching For Sugar Man Searching For Sugar Man is a 2012 documentary film about a South African cultural phenomenon, written and directed by Malik Bendjelloul, which details the efforts in the late 1990s of two Cape Town fans, Stephen “Sugar” Segerman and Craig Bartholomew Strydom, to find out whether the rumoured deathContinueContinue reading ““Searching For Sugar Man” coming to Netflix this Friday!”

Rodriguez Music: I Wonder (unplugged on MNet TV, 5th March 1998)

https://soundcloud.com/briancurrinmusic/i-wonder-unplugged-on-mnet-tv 5th March 1998: 7.30 p.m. Rodriguez was interviewed on Front Row TV program (MNET) and performed an “unplugged” solo version of “I Wonder”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8bmpRE8Nys I Wonder on South African TV March 1998 (very short clip)

It Was 24 Years Ago Today… That I Saw Rodriguez Play! | Brian Currin

Rodriguez and Brian Currin on the 7th March 1998… with just autographed, rolled-up set list clutched in his hand! The Set List I WonderOnly Good For ConversationCan’t Get AwayCrucify Your MindJane S. PiddyTo Whom It May ConcernLike JanisInner City BluesStreet BoyA Most Disgusting SongI’ll Slip AwayHalfway Up The StairsI Think Of YouRich Folks HoaxClimb UpContinueContinue reading “It Was 24 Years Ago Today… That I Saw Rodriguez Play! | Brian Currin”

Sugar Man – Just Jinger

1001 South African Songs You Must Hear Before You Go Deaf by John Samson When Rodriguez walked out onto the stage in Cape Town back in 1998 to kick off his first ever SA tour, he thanked the audience for keeping him alive. And a large part of that thanks could have been directed towardsContinueContinue reading “Sugar Man – Just Jinger”

The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 11 by Steve Louw

Pat Thrall called me from Atlanta in September 2003, where he was working with Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart. They were coming to Cape Town and wanted to record with local musicians, in preparation for an album and concert to raise funds and global awareness to help fight the AIDS tragedy. I knew Dave Stewart as aContinueContinue reading “The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 11 by Steve Louw”

The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 9 by Steve Louw

Rodriguez arriving in Cape Town, 2nd March 1998 Rodriguez walked into the UCA rehearsal studio in Cape Town, grinning, looking fit and healthy, despite having just got off of a flight from Detroit, leaving the freezing winter behind him. It was the 5th of March 1998, the day before the first show of Rodriguez’ sold-outContinueContinue reading “The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 9 by Steve Louw”

Dead Men Don’t Tour, Rodriguez in South Africa 1998 (TV Documentary)

This documentary was shown on South African Television this week, 20 years ago. Footage from this documentary features strongly in the Oscar winning film, Searching For Sugar Man. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRGvhH_BcX0&t=2s Dead Men Don’t Tour Directed by Tonia Selley and featuring Big Sky, “Dead Men Don’t Tour”, was first broadcast on SABC 3 at 9.30pm on the 5th JulyContinueContinue reading “Dead Men Don’t Tour, Rodriguez in South Africa 1998 (TV Documentary)”

The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 8 by Steve Louw

I was back in Brooklyn Recording, in early 1997, and the room felt familiar. We were tracking the songs that would become the album, one of which was “Going Down with Mister Green”, and the band that played on Horizon was back in the groove. We were friends, and I was getting used to producing. I figured it wasContinueContinue reading “The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 8 by Steve Louw”

The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 7 by Steve Louw

“What are we doing, a polka thing?” Scott Crago laughed as he breezed past me into the studio. With long blonde hair and Southern Californian surfer vibe, he looked the part for the gig he had just landed as the Eagles’ drummer for their reunion tour. It was May 1994, and I was in BrooklynContinueContinue reading “The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 7 by Steve Louw”

The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 6 by Steve Louw

It was past midnight when Jimmy Iovine and The Edge walked into the studio where we were mixing “Waiting for the Dawn”. He was producing Rattle and Hum with U2, and they were recording guitar in the room next door. The studio sheet showed that “MaWayJa” was in with Shelly Yakus, and they wanted toContinueContinue reading “The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 6 by Steve Louw”

The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 5 by Steve Louw

Tony Visconti wore leather pants, his greying hair slicked back. I was straight out of two years of smoky, sweaty clubs and other dives. He was straight out of stardom, working with David Bowie. I had been asked by my record label to look after him during his trip to Johannesburg to record local stars,ContinueContinue reading “The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 5 by Steve Louw”

The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 4 by Steve Louw

It was Kevin’s 25th birthday and he was leaving South Africa for Australia. He had hired Rita’s, a big underground club, and all of the artists with whom Kevin had made records were playing. We had just finished the second All Night Radio album, and Tim Parr of Ella Mental had come in and playedContinueContinue reading “The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 4 by Steve Louw”

Illuminating Headlight Dreams

by Brian Currin, June 2021 Back in early April 2021, I read a press release announcing a new album coming from Steve Louw and it included the video of a song called “Crazy River”. I loved the big open spaces this song evoked (and enhanced by the video) and the subtle African guitar sounds remindedContinueContinue reading “Illuminating Headlight Dreams”

The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 3 by Steve Louw

Little Steven – Voice Of America It was a hot summer in 1984 in Johannesburg when Little Steven (aka Miami Steve van Zandt) looked straight into my eyes through the lens of my camera. He was listening to the live recording of my band, All Night Radio, and I could see he was into it.ContinueContinue reading “The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 3 by Steve Louw”

The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 2 by Steve Louw

All Night Radio (early 80’s) with Steve Louw (centre) AUGUST 1981: The Stones’ ‘Start Me Up’ echoed off every wall, and blared out of every cab window and shop door in the hot August weather in New York City. Their groove and the pulse of the city seemed to be superimposed, laying down a thickContinueContinue reading “The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 2 by Steve Louw”

Reaching Out To Rodriguez

Hi folks at sugarman.org 🙂 I tried sending the below to the fanmail email for Rodriguez but it bounced. I know it probably won’t reach Rodriguez here but thought I’d give it a shot anyway. Hi Sixto Rodriguez (or whoever reads your fanmail!), I hope this email finds you well in the absurd reality of the covidContinueContinue reading “Reaching Out To Rodriguez”

Colours To My Dreams

This mix opens with a recent cover version of “Sugar Man” by South African singer Rebekah Thompson. This version plays under the closing credits of the 2019 film “Moffie” which is about a young man drafted into South Africa’s military, but he knows he is different and must keep himself hidden. https://www.mixcloud.com/briancurrin/colours-to-my-dreams-feat-beyonc%C3%A9-blondie-philip-glass-emily-browning-cradle-of-filth-epica/ 1. Sugar ManContinueContinue reading “Colours To My Dreams”

The Songs of Rodriguez

“…Climb up on my music and my songs will set you free…” Originally appeared on SugarMan.org Sugar Man https://www.youtube.com/embed/esG4gK-pieA Probably Rodriguez’s most well-known song. Rodriguez himself is also often referred to as The Sugar Man. A great song with superb instrumentation. This slow bluesy rock song is a paean to his drug dealer, however RodriguezContinueContinue reading “The Songs of Rodriguez”