David Cicero (singer)
Encyclopedia
David John Cicero is an American
singer and keyboardist
who was signed in 1989 to Spaghetti Records
, a record label
owned by Pet Shop Boys
. Releasing material as Cicero, he went on to have minor success in the early 1990s.
, Scotland
. He attended a Pet Shop Boys concert in Glasgow
in 1989 and gave a demo tape to Peter Andreas, Pet Shop Boys' personal assistant. Andreas contacted Cicero with an offer of artist management and later when Neil Tennant
and Chris Lowe
heard Cicero's material, they signed him up to their recently formed Spaghetti label, licensed through Polydor.
Cicero released his début single
"Heaven Must Have Sent You Back to Me" on 12 August 1991. Despite promotion from the artist and Pet Shop Boys, the single failed to chart
. The follow-up, "Love is Everywhere", reached number 19 in the UK Singles Chart
in January 1992. The third single release was "That Loving Feeling" which reached number 46 in April 1992. The latter two singles were co-produced by Pet Shop Boys.
His debut album, Future Boy, was released in June 1992. The album was produced
by David Jacob with the exceptions of "Love is Everywhere" and "That Loving Feeling" which were produced by Pet Shop Boys, and "Cloud 9" and "Sonic Malfunction", which Cicero produced himself. Pet Shop Boys also remix
ed "Heaven Must Have Sent You Back To Me" for the album, and also received keyboard and backing vocal
credit for the album. The album did not chart, but to promote it, a new version of "Heaven Must Have Sent You Back to Me" was released as the fourth single and charted at number 70. The music video
for the single was directed by Chris Lowe
.
On 2 November 1992, Cicero released a fifth single "Live for Today" with Sylvia Mason-James
providing backing vocals. The single was taken from the Pet Shop Boys produced soundtrack
to the film
, The Crying Game
, but it failed to chart. The following year, after the success of the title track, sung by Boy George
, it was planned to re-release the single, but this never happened.
Cicero released nothing further through Spaghetti Records, although he was still signed with them until 1996. The Pet Shop Boys' fan club magazine regularly gave updates about him, saying that he was working on new tracks and he even came close to a duet release that year with a singer called Bianca, who had been spotted on the television show Stars in Their Eyes
.
By late 1996, Cicero moved to Clubscene Records, later merged into Academy Street Records in Scotland
and his brother
Mike took over as manager
. He supported Take That
on tour.
Cicero featured as one of the mystery guests in the episode of Never Mind The Buzzcocks
, broadcast on the 9 October 2008 on BBC Two
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer and keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
who was signed in 1989 to Spaghetti Records
Spaghetti Records
Spaghetti Records is a record label launched in September 1991 by Pet Shop Boys.The first single to be released on Spaghetti was by a 21-year-old Scottish singer, synthesizer player and songwriter called David Cicero. The single was called "Heaven Must Have Sent You Back to Me"...
, a record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
owned by Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
. Releasing material as Cicero, he went on to have minor success in the early 1990s.
Career
Cicero was born in Long Island, but when his parents divorced, he moved to LivingstonLivingston, Scotland
Livingston is a town in West Lothian, Scotland. It is the fourth post-WWII new town to be built in Scotland, designated in 1962. It is about 15 miles west of Edinburgh and 30 miles east of Glasgow, and is bordered by the towns of Broxburn to the northeast and Bathgate to the northwest.Livingston...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He attended a Pet Shop Boys concert in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
in 1989 and gave a demo tape to Peter Andreas, Pet Shop Boys' personal assistant. Andreas contacted Cicero with an offer of artist management and later when Neil Tennant
Neil Tennant
Neil Francis Tennant is an English musician, singer and songwriter, who, with bandmate Chris Lowe, makes up the successful electronic dance music duo Pet Shop Boys.-Childhood:...
and Chris Lowe
Chris Lowe
Chris Lowe is an English musician, who, with colleague Neil Tennant, makes up the pop duo Pet Shop Boys.-Childhood:...
heard Cicero's material, they signed him up to their recently formed Spaghetti label, licensed through Polydor.
Cicero released his début single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"Heaven Must Have Sent You Back to Me" on 12 August 1991. Despite promotion from the artist and Pet Shop Boys, the single failed to chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
. The follow-up, "Love is Everywhere", reached number 19 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in January 1992. The third single release was "That Loving Feeling" which reached number 46 in April 1992. The latter two singles were co-produced by Pet Shop Boys.
His debut album, Future Boy, was released in June 1992. The album was produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
by David Jacob with the exceptions of "Love is Everywhere" and "That Loving Feeling" which were produced by Pet Shop Boys, and "Cloud 9" and "Sonic Malfunction", which Cicero produced himself. Pet Shop Boys also remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
ed "Heaven Must Have Sent You Back To Me" for the album, and also received keyboard and backing vocal
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
credit for the album. The album did not chart, but to promote it, a new version of "Heaven Must Have Sent You Back to Me" was released as the fourth single and charted at number 70. The music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the single was directed by Chris Lowe
Chris Lowe
Chris Lowe is an English musician, who, with colleague Neil Tennant, makes up the pop duo Pet Shop Boys.-Childhood:...
.
On 2 November 1992, Cicero released a fifth single "Live for Today" with Sylvia Mason-James
Sylvia Mason-James
Sylvia Mason-James born in 1959 is a British singer who has worked extensively as a backing vocalist and solo artist.She started her career with the disco band Voyage in 1977....
providing backing vocals. The single was taken from the Pet Shop Boys produced soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
to the film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, The Crying Game
The Crying Game
The Crying Game is a 1992 psychological thriller drama film written and directed by Neil Jordan. The film explores themes of race, gender, nationality, and sexuality against the backdrop of the Irish Troubles...
, but it failed to chart. The following year, after the success of the title track, sung by Boy George
Boy George
Boy George is a British singer-songwriter who was part of the English New Romantic movement which emerged in the early 1980s. He helped give androgyny an international stage with the success of Culture Club during the 1980s. His music is often classified as blue-eyed soul, which is influenced by...
, it was planned to re-release the single, but this never happened.
Cicero released nothing further through Spaghetti Records, although he was still signed with them until 1996. The Pet Shop Boys' fan club magazine regularly gave updates about him, saying that he was working on new tracks and he even came close to a duet release that year with a singer called Bianca, who had been spotted on the television show Stars in Their Eyes
Stars In Their Eyes
Stars in Their Eyes is a British television talent show that ran on Saturdays nights from 21 July 1990 until 23 December 2006 in which contestants impersonate showbiz stars...
.
By late 1996, Cicero moved to Clubscene Records, later merged into Academy Street Records in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and his brother
Sibling
Siblings are people who share at least one parent. A male sibling is called a brother; and a female sibling is called a sister. In most societies throughout the world, siblings usually grow up together and spend a good deal of their childhood socializing with one another...
Mike took over as manager
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
. He supported Take That
Take That
Take That are a British five-piece vocal pop group comprising Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange, Mark Owen and Robbie Williams. Barlow acts as the lead singer and primary songwriter...
on tour.
Cicero featured as one of the mystery guests in the episode of Never Mind The Buzzcocks
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Never Mind the Buzzcocks is a comedy panel game television show with a pop music theme, currently without a permanent presenter. It stars Phill Jupitus and Noel Fielding as team captains. The show is produced by Talkback Thames for the BBC, and is usually aired on BBC Two...
, broadcast on the 9 October 2008 on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
.
Singles
- "Heaven Must Have Sent You Back To Me" (Spaghetti / CIAO 1)
- "Love Is Everywhere" (1992) (Spaghetti / CIAO 3)
- "Future Boy" (Spaghetti / 513428-2)
- "That Loving Feeling" (1992) (Spaghetti / CIAO 4)
- "Heaven Must Have Sent You Back To Me" (1992) (Spaghetti / CIAO 5)
- "Live For Today" (Spaghetti / CIAO 7)
- "Don't Worry" (Clubscene Records)
- "Say Hello Wave Goodbye" (Clubscene Records)
- "Summertime" (Academy Street Records)