The film touches on the fact that Rodriguez apparently sold 500,000 copies of his albums in South Africa. The sales went SOMEWHERE, apparently to the record company. Shouldn't Rodriguez have seen some of that money? The fact that he didn't, shouldn't that invite some sort of lawsuit? The movie brings up the point that he's owed all this money, but it kind of stops short.
shareIn my opinion the movie only touches on this as part of the story, but it doesn't follow it further because that's not what the movie is about. It's about the South African legend, and the search for the man behind that legend.
Regarding the money and a lawsuit, that ship has probably sailed. The money is long gone, and the company that made the records is no longer in business. Who would he even sue? I mean, if there's a way then great, but I'd be shocked if he was able to extract that blood from the proverbial stone.
Actually I wonder how many records were REALLY sold in the USA.
He would not be the first artists (musician, writer, filmmaker, etc.) being told by his producers/distributors/publishers that his work was not getting any interest from public, while making huge hidden profits at his back.
Please remember that Rodriguez issued his records during the 70s and access to information was not as simple and easy as for today. And even nowadays publishers manage to scam artists !!!
Rodriguez seemed like an enlightened person.
I didn't get the sense he cared much about money. It doesn't really matter.
I didn't get the sense he cared much about money. It doesn't really matter.
It looks like Rodriguez has finally retained some serious legal firepower to look for his lost royalties. I hope he gets something back.
http://www.freep.com/article/20130517/COL18/305170139/rodriguez-pursues-royalties-sugar-man
From this article, it sounds like he is touring the USA now, and making some decent coin. Good for him.
Lots - no, most musicians from the 50s and 60s got screwed out of royalties and such. It's not surprising. It may also be that whatever company wound up with the rights (I noticed Sony Music was credited at the end of the film for at least two songs) simply didn't know how to reach him and had no legal obligation to do so. As Avant said, since the relevant producers were now defunct nobody is going to worry about trying to get money to them/him.
"I'll book you. I'll book you on something. I'll find something in the book to book you on."