Davitt Sigerson
Davitt Sigerson was born in New York City and went to school and university in the UK. He wrote for Black Music, Sounds and Melody Maker, and was the disco columnist for Time Out. In 1979 he moved back to New York as American correspondent for Melody Maker, also writing about music for the Village Voice, Rolling Stone and The New York Times. In the ‘80s he released two solo albums for Ze/Island Records; wrote songs for or with Philip Bailey, Eddie Money, Kiss and Loverboy; and produced records for David & David, John Doe, Olivia Newton-John, the Bangles, and Tori Amos, among others. He became president of Polydor Records in 1991; president of EMI, Chrysalis and SBK Records in 1994; and chairman of Island Records in 1998. He left at the beginning of 1999, after Polygram was sold to Seagrams. Sigerson’s first novel, Faithful was published in 2004 by Doubleday in the US and Serpent's Tail in Britain.
56 articles
List of articles in the library
Overview by Davitt Sigerson, Black Music, November 1975
Arps, Moogs, Rhythm Boxes... the sounds of black music have never been more complex. DAVITT SIGERSON explains all. ...
Crispy And Company, MFSB: Krispi And Company, MFSB: More Disco Madness
Profile by Davitt Sigerson, Black Music, November 1975
What kind of madness is it when two bands adopt different names to record versions of a 30s showtune called 'Brazil'? Just put it down ...
B.T. Express, Gloria Gaynor, Tom Moulton: Tom Moulton, Father of the Disco Mix
Interview by Davitt Sigerson, Black Music, January 1976
TOM MOULTON is the behind-the-scenes figure of disco music. His name has appeared on the credits of discs by Gloria Gaynor, B.T. Express, Bobby Moore, ...
Donna Summer: Love To Love You, Baby (Reprise) (GTO 008) ***
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Black Music, February 1976
'Love To Love You Baby'/'Full Of Emptiness'/'Need-A-Man Blues'/'Whispering Waves'/'Pandora's Box'/'Full Of Emptiness' ...
Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes: Wake Up, Everybody (Philadelphia Int.)
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Black Music, March 1976
'Wake Up Everybody'/'Keep On Lovin' You'/'You Know How To Make Me Feel So Good'/'Don't Leave Me This Way'/'Tell The World How I Feel About 'cha ...
Gil Scott-Heron: You Won't Be Able to Tune In, Turn On and Cop Out...
Interview by Davitt Sigerson, Black Music, April 1976
Davitt Sigerson goes to New York to rap with the angry poet of revolution, Gil Scott-Heron ...
The Spinners: The Detroit Spinners: Spinners Wynner
Interview by Davitt Sigerson, Black Music, June 1976
The Detroit Spinners have recently celebrated twenty years in the music business. Their leader, Philippé Wynne, talked to Davitt Sigerson in New York about his ...
Report and Interview by Davitt Sigerson, Black Music, October 1976
Davitt Sigerson investigates New York's soul music underground ...
George Chandler: Anatomy of a Soul Record
Report by Davitt Sigerson, Black Music, November 1976
George Chandler in the studio at Chipping Norton ...
Brass Construction: Brass Construction II (United Artists) ****
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Black Music, January 1977
JEFF LANE'S BC passed the BTs in sales with their first, platinum, album. They did it with compulsive, highly syncopated and relentless disco music which ...
Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band
Profile and Interview by Davitt Sigerson, Black Music, January 1977
Davitt Sigerson Probes Into The Mind Of Stony Browder Jr. ...
Al Green: Have A Good Time (London SHU 8505) ****
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Black Music, February 1977
AL, WE WERE told, would have a completely new sound for this album. Full Of Fire was a commercial failure; the last big single had ...
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Black Music, February 1977
ALTHOUGH IT doesn't scale the polyrhythmic peaks of their last perpetual player, Archie's guys' second set for PIR is far more consistent than their first. ...
Boney M: Take The Heat Off Me (Atlantic K50314) **
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Black Music, February 1977
ATLANTIC OBVIOUSLY felt that they should hop onto the German disco camel before the hump drains, and they've done it in a fairly competent way. ...
Earth, Wind & Fire: Spirit (CBS 81451) ****
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Black Music, February 1977
A PLATEAU album for Maurice White's group, and with the death of co-producer Charles Stepney, that raises a few questions for the future. On the ...
Johnny Bristol: Bristol's Crème (Polydor Super 2383 430) ****
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Black Music, February 1977
BRISTOL'S BEEN searching for a hit since 'Hang On In There', and 'Do It' is about the closest he's come. Although not a collection of ...
The Pointer Sisters, Rose Royce: Rose Royce (and guests): Car Wash (MCA MCSP278) ****
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Black Music, February 1977
WRITTEN AND produced for the film by Norman Whitfield, arranged by Paul Riser, performed by Rose Royce with some help from Wah Wah Watson, The ...
The Salsoul Orchestra: Salsoul Orchestra: Christmas Jollies (Salsoul SZS 5507) ****
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Black Music, February 1977
AFTER THE disappointing Nice & Naasty album, Vince Montana has come through with an uncompromisingly vulgar yuletide commercialisation, and it's simply splendid. On the first ...
Overview by Davitt Sigerson, Black Music, March 1977
In the first part of a detailed investigation Davitt Sigerson chronicles how "jazz" found its way back to the commercial big league. ...
Overview by Davitt Sigerson, Black Music, April 1977
In part two of his analysis of crossover jazz, Davitt Sigerson looks at developments during the last three years. ...
The Dramatics, Rufus: Rufusized
Report and Interview by Davitt Sigerson, Black Music, July 1977
Casting an appreciative eye at Chaka Khan, Davitt Sigerson updates the Rufus Story ...
The Isley Brothers: Ernie Isley: Pride of the Isleys
Interview by Davitt Sigerson, Black Music, September 1977
"THE ALBUM, 3+3, featuring 'That Lady', was in '73, but since 1969, we've been more or less involved with the Isley Brothers. My father was ...
Ben E. King: The Chimes of Big Ben
Interview by Davitt Sigerson, Black Music, October 1977
An album and a successful tour with the Average White Band has lifted soul veteran Ben E. King back to the top. He tells Davitt ...
David Bowie, Kraftwerk, Giorgio Moroder, Donna Summer: New Musick: Disco
Essay by Davitt Sigerson, Sounds, 3 December 1977
A CLUB; members are photographed, beam-screened at the door, automatically invoiced. Large, low-ceiling, air-conditioned. Bland diffused light. Gunmetal grey walls, carpets, couches. Easily-read digital clocks, ...
Van Morrison: "Sam Cooke Still Turns Me On"
Interview by Davitt Sigerson, Sounds, 1 July 1978
A short and rather scruffy man, accompanied by a handsome L.A. Ethnic (tee-shirt, jeans, clean black moustache) is milling around Oxford on an afternoon characterised ...
Interview by Davitt Sigerson, Sounds, 26 August 1978
WEBSTER’S gives "Excessive, extravagant; Fanciful, fantastic; violent, unrestrained" as definitions of "outrageous". ...
Ashford & Simpson, Michael Henderson: Constitution Hall, Washington D.C.
Live Review by Davitt Sigerson, Black Music, December 1978
NICKOLAS AND Valerie were the head-liners at this elegant gig (and deservedly so, after years of writing hits for others they're riding their second consecutive ...
Dr. John: Dr John: City Lights
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Melody Maker, 9 December 1978
DR JOHN is clean (and mean) and on the scene; so Hail on Mac 'cause it's a stone fact (y'all), the gritty gumbo hustler's back. ...
Patrick Adams, Musique: Patrick Adams: The Invisible Dance Master
Interview by Davitt Sigerson, Melody Maker, 9 December 1978
PATRICK ADAMS rides by night as SINE, Cloud One, the Universal Robot Band and Musique. He's a young New Yorker with ineffable self-confidence and a ...
Hot Chocolate: Everyone's a Moneyspinner
Profile and Interview by Davitt Sigerson, Melody Maker, 13 January 1979
GREAT POPULAR music is generally not a cynical or synthetic product, but something personal to one individual that many, many others find appealing. ...
Marvin Gaye's Here, My Dear: A Masterpiece after all?
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Melody Maker, 20 January 1979
EDITOR'S NOTE: A couple of weeks ago, Vivien Goldman trashed Marvin Gaye's new album in these columns. A dissenting voice pleads to be heard – ...
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Melody Maker, 20 January 1979
WAR WAS a multi-platinum album act in America with such classic Top 40 streetfunk singles as 'All Day Music', 'Cisco Kid', 'The World Is A ...
Chic: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Davitt Sigerson, Melody Maker, 27 January 1979
Cheers for Chic ...
Interview by Davitt Sigerson, Melody Maker, 3 February 1979
Yes, it is. For behind Chic's rags-to-Regine's success lies an understanding of style as cool as their musical intelligence. ...
Roy Ayers: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Davitt Sigerson, Melody Maker, 10 February 1979
THE WITTY, sham-fundamentalist introductions of trumpeter John Mosley were not the only examples of crowd manipulation at Roy Ayers' packed Hammersmith appearance. Despite no sets ...
Bobby "Blue" Bland: Lone Star Café, New York NY
Live Review by Davitt Sigerson, Melody Maker, 28 April 1979
Two nights of Bland magic ...
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Melody Maker, 28 April 1979
IN A YEAR already generous with good R&B albums comes Ray Parker's second release, and it may be the best of all. ...
The Isley Brothers: Winner Takes All
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Melody Maker, 16 June 1979
3 + 3 DON'T MIND they just keep on jamming. Strings and horns? Uh-uh. They just go up to Bearsville. Ernie puts down the drums ...
Sun Ra: Squat Theatre, New York NY
Live Review by Davitt Sigerson, Melody Maker, 22 September 1979
Panto time with Sun Ra ...
DJ Hollywood, The Sugarhill Gang: The Sugarhill Gang: Freak of the Week
Report by Davitt Sigerson, Melody Maker, 15 December 1979
DESPITE A rhythm track that mangles Chic's 'Good Times' (they settled out of court), 'Rapper's Delight' by the Sugarhill Gang has been the season's biggest-selling ...
Blondie: Your Instrument Is Your Body
Interview by Davitt Sigerson, Melody Maker, 22 December 1979
PEOPLE REMEMBER the face as they see it in photographs, that's axiomatic. And her face possesses that photographic stillness even in life – not as ...
Interview by Davitt Sigerson, High Fidelity, February 1984
What do Southside Johnny, David Bowie, and Diana Ross have in common? ...
Julian Lennon: Valotte (Atlantic)
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Rolling Stone, 17 January 1985
YES, HE sounds and often thinks like His father. That's probably what accounts for Julian Lennon's label push and radio exposure. What's ironic is that ...
The Gap Band: Gap Band: Gap Band VI (Total Experience Records) ****
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Rolling Stone, 28 March 1985
LEON RUSSELL took the three Wilson brothers out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and L.A. entrepreneur Lonnie Simmons made them funk stars as the Gap Band. Beginning ...
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Rolling Stone, 15 August 1985
OH, SLICK RICK, you can trade your beads for a hennaed perm, but they still won't put you on MTV. As Dylan said of George ...
Steve Arrington: Dancin' in the Key of Life (Atlantic)
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Rolling Stone, 26 September 1985
STEVE ARRINGTON, who once sang and drummed with the Dayton funk band Slave, has been gathering admirers since 'Just a Touch of Love' and 'Watching ...
Sheila E: Romance 1600 (Paisley Park/Warner Bros.)
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Rolling Stone, 21 November 1985
IT'S A PITY that Sheila E., Prince's only independently creative female artist, needs a twelve-minute collaboration with the Small One to make her second LP ...
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Rolling Stone, 5 December 1985
THESE THREE records from the illustrious Womack clan — two from Bobby and one from brother Cecil and wife Linda (daughter of Sam Cooke and ...
Olivia Newton-John, Diana Ross: Olivia Newton-John: Soul Kiss/Diana Ross: Eaten Alive
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Rolling Stone, 13 February 1986
HERE WE HAVE two of the biz' primo canaries coming up with long-awaited (and, you can bet, carefully considered) albums and not exactly setting the ...
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Rolling Stone, 24 April 1986
WHO BUT PRINCE fills us today with the kind of anticipation we once reserved for new work by Bob Dylan, the Beatles and the Rolling ...
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Rolling Stone, 17 July 1986
OF ALL CURRENT superstars, none has manipulated the apparatus of fame more astutely than Madonna. Like Prince, she recognized the virtue of a one-word name ...
Randy Travis: Storms Of Life (Warner Bros.)
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Rolling Stone, 25 September 1986
OF ALL THE cool new Country stars, expect Randy Travis to last the longest. ...
Tina Turner: Break Every Rule (Capitol)
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Rolling Stone, 6 November 1986
Tina repeats a winning formula ...
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Rolling Stone, 22 October 1987
MICHAEL JACKSON is a man. Agreed, he is a young man, emotional age about thirteen, with a young man's interest in cars, girls, scary movies ...
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Rolling Stone, 22 September 1988
Keith Sweat: Make It Last Forever (Elektra) ***; Tony Terry: Forever Yours (Epic) ***; Al B. Sure!: In Effect Mode (Warner Bros.) ***; Johnny Kemp: ...
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Rolling Stone, 12 July 1990
The New Jack Edition ...
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