By: Michael Madavi

Artist: Rodriguez
Title: Coming From Reality
Label: Light in the Attic
Genre: Rock : Psychedelic Rock
Release Date: 4.14.09
UPC: 844185093965
Territory: World, ex-Australia, France

“Heikki’s Suburbia Bus Tour”

Imagine the surprise Sixto Diaz Rodriguez must have felt in 1998 when his daughter revealed to the long inactive musician that his album Cold Fact, an American commercial failure, had become a hit in South Africa completely unbeknownst to its creator. The Detroit native’s failure at home didn’t stop a greatest hits compilation from an Australian label that purchased his catalog in the mid-70′s, At His Best, from going platinum in South Africa. He had also gained significant popularity in Australia, New Zealand, and Zimbabwe. Without knowing it, Rodriquez had become an icon of psychedelic folk rock all over the world and formed a loyal fan base that enacted an internet campaign, “The Great Rodriguez Hunt” to track him down in 1997.

For 25 years, no one really knew where Rodriguez was. There were rumours he was dead, that he was a drug addict, had gone blind, been committed to a mental hospital and even that he had murdered his wife and was in jail (all false). Instead, in response to his growing Aussie popularity, he embarked on Australian tours in 1979 and 81′ then returned to Detroit where he studied philosophy, worked as a school teacher, social worker, petrol station attendant and laborer, raised two daughters and ran independently and unsuccessfully for mayor (twice), senator and city council (three times).

While he was dealing with the domestic, financial, and political, Cold Fact had become a guiding light and inspiration for South African youth serving in the military during the ’70s and ’80s. It wasn’t till his daughter stumbled across a fansite for her father from South Africa in 1998 that he realized the delayed impact his album had actually made. Rodriguez’s music is difficult to categorize as it fuses elements of Rock, Folk, Jazz, Soul, Blues and even Classical flourishes. He is a singer-songwriter in the social commentary style of Bob Dylan, with the emotional feel of the old Blues masters and even touches of Rock and Roll.

In 2008, Light in the Attic Records reissued Rodriguez’s fantastic debut album, Cold Fact to much critical praise and a rejoicing fanbase. Perhaps the best things take time to reach their maturity, as the album now stands as one of the best psych-folk recordings of the late 60′s/early 70′s musical landscape. The reissue achieved great success and Rodriguez once again found himself touring across North America and finally gaining the recognition he was wrongfully denied decades earlier. Cold Fact’s reissue success set the stage for the LITA reissue of his sophomore and final album, Coming From Reality.

Coming From Reality found Rodriguez decamping from Detroit to London’s Lansdowne Studios, where the album was recorded with some of the UK’s top talent including Chris Spedding (Sex Pistols, Dusty Springfield, Harry Nilsson) and producer Steve Rowland (The Pretty Things, PJ Proby and the man who discovered The Cure), who recalls Coming From Reality as his favorite ever recording project. Highlights include the Sinatra-like “To Whom It May Concern”, the “Rocky Raccoon”-inspired “A Most Disgusting Song” and the rock n’ roll journey, “Heikki’s Suburbia Bus Tour”.
Meanwhile, the Rodriguez story keeps gathering pace. A Swedish documentary company are working on a feature length documentary about the enigmatic performer’s life and music, and Rodriguez is planning to bring his live show to North America and Europe come Spring/Summer 2009. Be sure to pick up the albums and don’t miss this resurrected legend on his upcoming live dates:

• Fri, Apr 10- High Noon Saloon- Madison, WI
• Fri, Apr 24- Beachland Ballroom- Cleveland, OH
• Fri, May 08- Schubas Tavern- Chicago, IL
• Sat, May 09- Magic Stick- Detroit, MI
• Wed, May 13- Rock and Roll Hote-l Washington, DC
• Thu, May 14- Johnny Brenda’s- Philadelphia, PA
• Fri, May 15- Bowery Ballroom- New York, NY
• Mon, Jun 22- Richard’s On Richards Cabaret- Vancouver, BC
• Tue, Jun 23- The Triple Door- Seattle, WA
• Wed, Jun 24- Doug Fir Lounge- Portland, OR
• Fri, Jun 26- Slim’s- San Francisco, CA
• Sat, Jun 27- El Rey Theatre- Los Angeles, CA
• Fri, May 29- Paradiso- Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Sat, May 30- Whelans- Dublin, Ireland
• Mon, Jun 1- Nouveau Casino- Paris, France
• Wed, Jun 3- Circolo Degli Artisti- Rome, Italy
• Sat, Jun 6- Barbican- London, UK
• Sun, Jul 12- Les Ardentes Festival- Liege, Belgium