Before I explain how the cool cat with a caramel coated voice ends up in one of our backyards, first some backstory:
For the uninitiated, it was way back in 1970 that Rodriguez first stepped out in style, dropping Cold Fact, one of the most timeless, well rounded blend of Rock, Folk, Jazz, Soul, Blues albums ever made.
But despite its awesome music and beauty – it has poetically crafted socially conscious lyrics that can cut to the core, the album sank without a trace, much like the man himself.
For 30 years Rodriguez was an enigma – not even the label knew where to find him -. Barring a couple of sold out Australian tours in 1979 and 1981 (he never even became popular enough to do this in his home country) nothing had been heard of Rodriguez for almost 30 years when a journalist found him working as a labourer in Detroit in 1996.
He had no idea of his fame.
He has since toured to sell out crowds in South Africa, and this year he returned to Australia, who welcomed him with open arms and rave reviews.
And then invited him round for a Barbie.
Here is what some of the guests had to say about what they loved:
Johnno: The man’s a worker. He never let all that fame go to his head, even though that’s cuz he didn’t even know about it, still, he got on with things, you know? Hard working like. You could sit around, talk about how you did all your own paving around the pool, and he knew what you were on about, even chips in with a bit of brickie talk. That’s not bad for a darkie
Robbo: He likes a drink. Even though he’s a bit of a skirt, drinkin red wine instead of a good old-fashioned beer, you can’t knock him cuz he sure knows how to put it away. See him skull all those glasses? Some young bloke walked up mid set and shouted him another round, sorta like a dare even, but he downed that too. Bloody brilliant.
(note: some English folk were there too, like)
Mick: He likes the Oils. I heard he supported them back in tha 80s. Means he’s pretty much one of us. And you just kinda knew, that after the sun set and your all sittin around the fire, that if you asked him to do an Oils number, he’d know all the words, but probably not even think about their meaning, and that’s authentic like. Nah really, he’s good for a sing a long, you know? I reckon he’s even the type that’d let ya have a bash of his guitar once his done
Matty: He knows about Mary Jane. And he’s got that cool song that goes ‘sugar man’, but its not really about sugar, wink wink, nudge nudge. Cheeky buggar. The boys all love that one, always gets a good jeer, some sly grins and some high fives, goes right over the missus’ head but, she’s got no idea, probably thinks it’s a love song!
Here is what some of the guests didn’t like so much:
Dave: His dress sense. He didn’t turn up in no thongs. Came along decked out in all that black gear, wearin that wonky hat, and a bloody woman’s scarf! And his suspenders were broke, only one bloody clip holdin up one side of his pants over his old paunch, I mean, I know he’s done it rough all those years, but that’s no reason not to look respectable. Any one think he been shopping at some charity stop
Liz: His accent. Makes it bloody hard to talk to the bloke, no one really knew what he was on about, it was all ‘yeah mate, yeah, that’s right’ and just nodding along while you didn’t have a bloody clue in hell
Mel: The seating arrangements. That was real confusin’, cuz everyone wanted to come right, but how would we all fit? I mean, you couldn’t have everyone lumped into together, like, that’d be a bit fair, you had to think about sections, havin all oldies up front with their steaks and chips, and lettin the rest of the mob fight it out up back, bit of headache, had to even have Robbo do a bit of a stint on security, keeping the majority of people outta the way cuz you cant have people just mixin together willy nilly
Timmy: Knowin’ how to respond. You’d get ‘im doin’ a bit of a sing a long, takin some requests, singin that song about sugar that’s not about sugar, but how’d you respond like? That’s what got me. The old ducks were clapping and boppin and singin along, but that looked bloody naff, so I just thought you’re better off just standin’ there, or sittin still kinda like you’re watchin the TV, few times I gave the boys some high fives and stuff, you know, for those songs about havin sex n’ that, but that about does it. I know Ricky, he just brought along his camera, sat there firing off a few shots on his new digital SLR, that’d be a good way to do it I reckon
Sharon: His message. I dunno what he’s on about, like when he said, “free love, its expensive”, what the hells that suppose to mean? And then it got real crowded cuz obviously all the neighbours and the relos wanted ta come, made it a bit squishy up back, I even had one sheila stepping on my toe and getting in me road while I was tryin have a bit of a twirl around, and that just pissed me right off. Those things he says about measuring love and the state of the world, he can shove that, I jus wanted ta job that bitch
Aaron: His encore. Honestly mate, I swear, he got up to leave, got all the way to the gate, them he comes back, and get this, starts singin this song, “I’m going to live, until I die”. I mean, c’mon, that’s a bit bloody fucking obvious in’it. Reckon that’s supposed to be some kinda joke or something? Shit, wouldn’t want him telling too many of those…
RubyTwoShoes 