Cold Fact [VINYL]

Product Information

Sugarman' was listed at number 34 in "The 100 Greatest Drug Songs Ever!" published in the December 2002 issue of Mojo. Since I have the Rodriguez album 'Cold Fact', I introduced it to some friends and co-workers and everyone liked it and thought it's very unique! They've been surprized that he's totally unknown here, and that he'd never made it in Germany. The recent re-issue of the timeless classic 'Cold Fact' by Rodriguez is a dream-come-true for me. Let me explain; I first heard this album in the early 70s and it crept into my heart and soul and is still one of my New Zealand: I have 'At his best' as well as 'Cold Fact'. Both are virtually in mint condition as I've maybe played them 3 or 4 times between the both of them. They are distributed by Festival records in New Zealand. 'At his best' 1977, Interfusion, L 36338 and 'Cold Fact' 1978, Interfusion, L34226, SMX 38229 (SXBS-7000), 1978 A&M RECORDS, Sussex... Licensed by With this 2002 re-issue I was asked for my input, and Terry Fairweather from PT Music and Bill Robb from Robb Graphics allowed me the freedom to fix all the mistakes, as well as including one of my personal concert photographs from the 2001 tour. 'Cold Fact' album producer, Mike Theodore, provided some valuable info, as did Gary Harvey, co-composer of 2 songs on the album. Nils van der Linden let us use a shortened version of the biography he wrote for the special Rodriguez 60th birthday edition of the Digest ( read Nils' sleeve notes). And Rodriguez, the original Sugar Man, supplied a quote or 2 and a signature.

The absolute form of expression through notes. I am a deep believer in the idea that a music album is nothing more than a complete idea that conveys a certain mood, thought, feeling, and sometimes location. And in my opinion, this album is one of the best examples of this approach. And this has several reasons. It's easy to look at my chosen setting for this one and perceive negativity. It's probably also tempting to assume a falsified romanticism that might come from someone who has -- admittedly -- spent a majority of their life in small towns, suburbs, and the edges of cities. Jane S. Piddy" was written as ‘Jane’s Pity’ on the original promo release of ‘Cold Fact’, so it’s not a big leap to ‘Janis Pity’. Possibly a sort-of tribute to Janis Joplin? Rodriguez has denied this, but listen to the words and hear the similarity to Joplin’s lifestyle. The song is filled with phrases like "now you sit there thinking, feeling insecure..." and "...don't bother to buy insurance, coz you've already died...". Great imagery and biting prose which could be applied to any excessive lifestyle. Sometime in the late '80s, RPM in South Africa released a limited edition CD with catalogue number ICSXBS7000. Not sure if any cassettes were released.

Contributors

Copies of Cold Fact and At His Best are readily available through any good music store in Australia. Copies of his albums are available on vinyl through second hand dealers. Cold Fact and At His Best are the most common, although it is possible to find Coming From Reality.

She gave me a copy of a book called The Nitty Gritty Rather Pretty City. It wasn't a novel, but an elementary school 'reader' -- designed to provide a somewhat cohesive, year-long language arts curriculum to a range of young readers. To its credit, it was not only well-designed enough to hold the attention of a kid with documented-but-undiagnosed issues in that area, but also enough to be remembered by that same person thirty-some years later. Cold Fact was awarded a platinum disc in South Africa on the 9th March 1998, for in excess of 50 000 units of the CD sold. The actual figure is probably far higher. An orange circle was added to the CD cover, containing the words "featuring the hits: I Wonder, Sugar Man, Inner City Blues".

Credits

Francois Bredenkamp was very surprised and pleased to receive my mail and promised to send me a copy of their album. Unfortunately his band doesn't exist anymore! For many, this album is one magnificent trip, lost in the haze of hippiness, and indeed the album is laced with narcotic references, but as far as talent goes, Cold Fact is a remarkable album perfect for idealists and dreamers. The obsessive This song was not actually written by Rodriguez, but sure sounds like it could have been. It was written by Gary Harvey, Mike Theodore ('Cold Fact' producer) and Dennis Coffey (guitarist on 'Cold Fact'). "Hate Street" actually refers to the famous "Haight/Ashbury" area of San Francisco, the famous Hippie hang-out during the late '60s "Summer Of Love".