No release date yet, but the authors are shooting for the fall. The book's co-authors are Curt Gooch and Jeff Suhs, who wrote the essential KISS Alive Forever. I've been waiting for a book on Neil Bogart and Casablanca. It's a soap opera unto itself.

http://www.musicforte.com/shop/lyrics-a ... EveryNight

Now it can be told! The true, behind-the-scenes story of Casablanca Records, from an eyewitness to the excess and insanity.

Casablanca was not a product of the 1970s, it was the 1970s.

From 1974 to 1980, the landscape of American culture was a banquet of hedonism and self-indulgence, and no person or company in that era of narcissism and druggy gluttony was more emblematic of the times than Casablanca Records and its magnetic founder, Neil Bogart. And Party Every Day is a frontline look at the record label that exploded onto the 1970s music scene, rising faster, burning brighter, and crashing in a more spectacular fashion than any other label in history.

From Bogart's daring first signing, the positively pyrotechnic KISS, through the discovery and superstardom of Donna Summer and the Village People – not to mention extraterrestrial funk master George Clinton and his circus of freaks, Parliament Funkadelic – to the descent into the manic world of disco and its attendant vices, this book charts Bogart's meteoric success and eventual collapse under the weight of uncontrolled ego and hype. ...Nd Party Every Night is a compelling tale of ambition, greed, excess, and some of the era's most biggest music acts.

Written with great candor and humor by Larry Harris, Casablanca's cofounder and former senior vice president and managing director, And Party Every Day is the only definitive and firsthand look a t Casablanca's remarkable story, and a breathtaking view of that great American era of extravagance. Includes dozens of never-before-seen photos and a complete discography.

This book had better have the inside poop on the Hollywood Squares blooper album!!!

Alan

(Yes, I have it - I'm the guy.)

Oh, I am IN!!!

And of course, they'll have to mention the Here's Johnny: Magic Moments From The Tonight Show album that almost sank the company before it hit it big with KISS and Donna Summer.

Wasn't that their first release? Or one of them?

I'm pretty sure that KISS's debut album was their very first release. I believe that the Here's Johnny album was released in late 1974/early 1975. Neil Bogart was so convinced of its commercial potential that he overpressed the amount of albums for the initial pressing. It gave rise to the industry joke that it shipped gold and returned platinum. Or something like that.

Oh crap - it was the Tonight Show album I was thinking of. I mean, I actually have the Hollywood Squares album, but I'm not sure it was a Casablanca release.

[Edit: Nope. It was Event. ]

Oh, the shame...

Alan

That's a must read for me and not just because of the Kiss connection.

Same here, my friend.

There's a release date! October 1st. Can't wait!



Product Description
Now it can be told! The true, behind-the-scenes story of Casablanca Records, from an eyewitness to the excess and insanity. Casablanca was not a product of the 1970s, it was the 1970s. From 1974 to 1980, the landscape of American culture was a banquet of hedonism and self-indulgence, and no person or company in that era was more emblematic of the times than Casablanca Records and its magnetic founder, Neil Bogart. From his daring first signing of KISS, through the discovery and superstardom of Donna Summer, the Village People, and funk master George Clinton and his circus of freaks, Parliament Funkadelic, to the descent into the manic world of disco, this book charts Bogart's meteoric success and eventual collapse under the weight of uncontrolled ego and hype. It is a compelling tale of ambition, greed, excess, and some of the era's biggest music acts.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0879309822/?tag=imwan-20

Piper were a major failure for this label-of course Billy Squier went on to great success solo. Angel were on Casablanca and I think Dr. Hook towards the end of their career.
Can't remember who else-all I know is the only band I ever bought anything from on that label was indeed KISS!

How can you forget Santa Esmerelda? Maybe because they were so forgettable.

Right. Sure.

Don't forget about:
Fanny
The Hudson Brothers

And let us not forget...

Great read! Lots of interesting stuff here. I'm glad that Larry wrote this book and finally gave an insider's view of that wild, crazy era of the record business in the '70s. You aint never gonna see a time like that again!!

There's also a you tube channel with some classic '70s Casablanca videos! I'm sure a lot of people here will have some fun with those!

http://www.youtube.com/user/CasablancaBookTV

[YouTube]http://www.youtube.com/user/CasablancaBookTV#p/u/4/MK84QowHjnA[/YouTube]

There is a documentary on Casablanca Records on VHS, but I've never watched it. They could reissue it on DVD. My book has been dispatched, but it has a longer way to go than yours before I get it.

Piper were on Casablanca?

It's not really a documentary, Emilio. I think you're referring to Inside The Casbah. It's a collection of promo videos by KISS, Parliament, Village People, Angel & others as well as TV ads and some footage made to look like news profiles, but in reality are promotional materials for KISS's solo albums and the Village People doing a photoshoot for the cover of their Crusin' album. A lot of fun to watch, but not really what I'd call a "documentary."

Good to see you around these parts, old friend!

Thanks, Chris. But it would be still good to have it on DVD.