And Party Every Day: The Inside Story of Casablanca Records (36 page)
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Authors: Larry Harris,Curt Gooch,Jeff Suhs
BOOK: And Party Every Day: The Inside Story of Casablanca Records
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Acknowledgments
First, let me thank my cowriters, Curt Gooch and Jeff Suhs, for all their help in researching various aspects of this book and keeping the story accurate. They found me by accident while they were consulting on another book. I told them about the manuscript, which I had written years ago, and they were immediately interested in working with me and finding a publisher. Thanks also to Mike Edison at Backbeat Books, who realized the potential of my story about one of the most fabled record companies in history.
My thanks for help in jogging my memory about stories I had completely forgotten or did not know at the time to: Karmen Beck (a fountain of knowledge), Dick Sherman, Sherrie Levy, Nancy Lewis, Cecil Holmes, Dick Clark, Robert Klein, Gregg Giuffria, Brett Hudson, Joyce Bogart-Trabulus, Bill Aucoin, Peter Lake, Felix Robinson, Don Wasley, Ruben Rodriguez, T.J. Lambert, Barb Amesbury, Soozin Kazick, and Bill Schereck.
Thanks to Paula Manzanero for coming up with a title for this tale.
Most of all, I want to thank my partner and true soul mate for thirty-five years: Mary Candice Hill Harris (the unidentified woman). You lived through my Casablanca years, which was not always the smoothest of rides, stood by me, and believed in me and my crazy ideas. You’ve made my life richer and certainly more interesting than it would have been without you.
Curt Gooch and Jeff Suhs would like to thank Steve Clark of Superior Graphix for his time and effort, Ken Sharp, and Jeff Falk. They would also like to thank Marc Scallatino for photo editing, Mary Williams for copyediting, and Joe Fields for timeline research.
Where Are They Now?
| Name | What’s Going On Now |
|---|---|
| Bill (Barb) Amesbury | Following sexual reassignment surgery, Bill is now named Barb and is a documentary filmmaker. |
| Bill Aucoin | Living in Florida and still dabbling in the music industry. |
| Long John Baldry | Died July 21, 2005 of a chest infection. |
| Lester Bangs | Died April 30, 1982 of an accidental drug interaction. |
| Chris Bearde | Resides in Las Vegas; runs Chris Bearde’s International Comedy Hall of Fame. |
| Karmen Beck | Worked with Bruce Bird until his death in 1994, then became president of The Album Network; now an indie producer of various functions. |
| Henri Belolo | Still working in France as a producer. |
| Irv Biegel | President of Sumthing Distribution; cofounder of Boardwalk with Neil Bogart. |
| Bruce Bird | Died in 1994. |
| Nancy Bird | Remarried and found religion. |
| Ira Blacker | Owns and operates a commercial printing company, Printing Source; owns valuableclocks.com |
| Beth Bogart | Married to Peter Guber’s older brother, Charlie. |
| Joyce Bogart-Trabulus | Married to Neil’s doctor; has stewarded the Neil Bogart Foundation since Neil’s death. |
| Jheryl Busby | Became president of Motown and made a fortune on the sale; found dead in his hot tub in Malibu in November 2008 at age fifty-nine. |
| Phyllis Chotin | Does indie design work. |
| Dick Clark | Suffered a stroke in late 2004; continues to host Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve annually. |
| George Clinton | Still funkifying the world. |
| Alec Costandinos | Produced Tina Turner’s debut solo LP; lives in Europe and reportedly writes jingles for TV spots. |
| Al Coury | Retired and living in Oxnard, California. |
| Peter Criss | Retired from KISS; married and living in New Jersey; pursuing a solo career. |
| Frankie Crocker | Died October 21, 2000. |
| Ray D’Ariano | Doing radio in Rhode Island. |
| Clive Davis | Chief creative officer at Sony BMG; now seventy–eight years old. |
| Ron Delsener | Sold Ron Delsener Presents to Clear Channel Communications. |
| Al DiNoble | Doing various indie projects. |
| Jeff Franklin | Still out there making deals. |
| Ace Frehley | Left KISS in 2002; once again pursuing a solo career. |
| Ken Friedman | Died of AIDS. |
| Gregg Giuffria | Megarich, though no longer in the music business; works with gambling casinos. |
| Carl Glickman | Philanthropist and a member of the board of directors for The Bear Stearns Companies; still resides in Cleveland. |
| Randee Goldman | Currently works in the animal rescue field. |
| Merv Griffin | Died of prostate cancer August 12, 2007. |
| Allen Grubman | Became the most powerful attorney in the music business. |
| Peter Guber | Owner of a movie production company; very, very rich from the sale of the Guber-Peters Entertainment Company to Sony. |
| Morgan Harris | Works out of Chicago, creating marketing and PR campaigns for the film and television industries. |
| Christy Hill | Retired and living in LA. |
| Cecil Holmes | Worked at Columbia Records for 10 years; currently driving a limo in LA. |
| Jimmy Ienner | Rich from some great investments. |
| Brian Interland | Working various deals in the music industry; VP of label relations with Bus Radio. |
| Paul Jabara | Died of complications from AIDS, September 29, 1992. |
| Arthur Kassel | Cofounded the Beverly Hills Gun Club; married Tichi Wilkerson, who owned the Hollywood Reporter. |
| Soozin Kazick | Retired and living in LA. |
| Steve Keator | Died of AIDS. |
| Allen Klein | Passed away July 4, 2009, from complications of Alzheimer’s. |
| Robert Klein | Starred with Adam Sandler in Reign over Me in 2007; recently released a DVD titled Robert Klein: The HBO Specials 1975–2005. |
| Mike Klenfner | Died July 14, 2009, of congestive heart failure. |
| Peter Lake | Went on to his true love, writing; during the 1980s, testified in a murder trial against white supremacists while working undercover for a short-lived Larry Flynt news publication. |
| T.J. Lambert | Spent sixteen years at ABC and ESPN; now chief operating officer of Radiolicious. |
| Mauri Lathower | Retired. |
| Howard Marks | Died in June 1990. |
| Curtis Mayfield | Died December 26, 1999 from complications of diabetes. |
| Wally Meyrowitz | Died in 1984, reportedly of drug-alcohol complications. |
| Buddy Miles | Died February 26, 2008 of congestive heart failure. |
| Meco (Domenico) Monardo | Still recording movie-based music. |
| Jacques Morali | Died of AIDS November 15, 1991. |
| Giorgio Moroder | Involved in musical stage productions; one of his songs was used during the closing ceremonies of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. |
| Susan Munao | Owns a management firm in California that handles Debby Boone. |
| Scott Muni | Died at age seventy-four on September 28, 2004. |
| Mo Ostin | Retired in 2004, when DreamWorks Records was sold. |
| David Puttnam | Ran Columbia Pictures from 1986 to 1988; currently chairman of a London-based digital marketing agency. |
| Patti Quatro | Living in Austin, Texas; with her husband, runs a tour business for musicians. |
| Russ Regan | Sold his record company in 2007 to Clearvision Entertainment; became CEO as part of the acquisition. |
| Bob Regehr | Died of cancer, September 16, 1984. |
| Buck Reingold | At last report, living in a trailer park in Florida. |
| Artie Ripp | Living in California. |
| Ruben Rodriguez | The hottest R&B indie promoter in the country. |
| Renny Roker | Founder and CEO of Teens on the Green. |
| Howie Rosen | Owns a successful indie promotion company in California. |
| Steve Rubell | Died of hepatitis on July 25, 1989. |
| Kal Rudman | Still running FMQB. |
| Kenny Ryback | In LA doing indie AAA radio. |
| Larry Santos | Made his money singing and writing commercial jingles; retired to Las Vegas. |
| Ian Schrager | Owns several unique upscale hotels; recently partnered with the Marriott hotel chain. |
| Scott Shannon | Program director and morning man at WPLJ-FM in New York. |
| Dick Sherman | Died of cancer, July 2, 2008. |
| Gene Simmons | Still in KISS; currently executive producing the successful A&E show Gene Simmons Family Jewels. |
| Marc Paul Simon | Died in 1989. |
| J. R. Smalling | Founder and president of Elite Music Tours. |
| David Sonenberg | Manages Fergie, the Black Eyed Peas, and others. |
| Paul Stanley | Continues to front KISS; avidly pursuing a career in painting. |
Casablanca Discography
What follows is a complete list of audio recordings released under the original Casablanca Records label, with nearly 300 albums by more than 140 artists between 1974 and 1985.
| Catalog # | Album | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| NB 9001 | KISS | KISS |
| NB 9002 | What Am I Gonna Do | Gloria Scott |
| NB 9003 | Up for the Down Stroke | Parliament |
| NB 9004 | Feel So Good | Danny Cox |
| NB 9005 | Jus’ a Taste of the Kid | Bill Amesbury |
| NB 9006 | Light of Love | T.Rex |
| NB 9007 | Rock and Roll Survivors | Fanny |
| NB 9008 | Hollywood Situation | Hudson Brothers |
| NBLP7001 | KISS | KISS |
| NBLP7002 | Up for the Down Stroke | Parliament |
| NBLP7003 | Jus’ a Taste of the Kid | Bill Amesbury |
| NBLP7004 | Hollywood Situation | Hudson Brothers |
| NBLP7005 | Light of Love | T.Rex |
| NBLP7006 | Hotter Than Hell | KISS |
| NBLP7007 | Rock and Roll Survivors | Fanny |
| NBLP7008 | Feel So Good | Danny Cox |
| NBLP7009 | One for the Road | Greg Perry |
| NBLP7010 | Harry and Tonto-OST | Bill Conti |
| SPNB1296 | Here’s Johnny: Magic Moments from “The Tonight Show” | various artists |
| NBLP7011 | You and Me Together Forever | James and Bobby Purify |
| NBLP7012 | Good to Be Alive | Long John Baldry |
| NBLP7013 | What I Was Arrested For | Lenny Bruce |
| NBLP7014 | Chocolate City | Parliament |
| NBLP7015 | Einzelgänger | Einzelgänger |
| NBLP7016 | Dressed to Kill | KISS |
| NBLP7017 | The Boy’s Doin’It | Hugh Masekela |
| NBLP7018 | Larry Santos | Larry Santos |
| NBLP7019 | More Miles per Gallon | Buddy Miles |
| NBLP7020 | Alive! | Kiss |
| NBLP7021 | Angel | Angel |
| NBLP7022 | Mothership Connection | Parliament |
| Release date | RIAA status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2/8/1974 | Gold | Pressings from June 1974 onward contain the single “Kissin’ Time” |
| 3/11/1974 | ||
| 7/10/1974 | First Casablanca album to be promoted with a TV spot | |
| 3/12/1974 | ||
| 7/10/1974 | ||
| N/A | ||
| N/A | ||
| N/A | ||
| 8/13/1974 | ||
| N/A | Gold | |
| N/A | ||
| N/A | ||
| N/A | ||
| 10/22/1974 | Gold | |
| N/A | ||
| N/A | ||
| 3/11/1975 | ||
| 10/2/1974 | ||
| 11/15/1974 | Gold | Issued with a large fold-out poster |
| 2/4/1975 | ||
| 3/5/1975 | ||
| 3/5/1975 | ||
| 3/12/1975 | ||
| March 1975 | ||
| 3/19/1975 | Gold | |
| 6/12/1975 | ||
| 6/11/1975 | ||
| 7/18/1975 | ||
| 9/10/1975 | Platinum | Originally issued with an eight-page booklet |
| 10/27/1975 | ||
| 12/15/1975 | Platinum |
| Catalog # | Album | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| NBLP7023 | Colonial Man | Hugh Masekela |
| NBLP7024 | Bicentennial Gathering of the Tribes | Buddy Miles |
| NBLP7025 | Destroyer | KISS |
| NBLP7026 | Where Is the Love | Margaret Singana |
| NBLP7027 | Thanks for the Music | Giants |
| NBLP7028 | Helluva Band | Angel |
| NBLP7029 | Cherries, Bananas and Other Fine Things | Jeannie Reynolds |
| NBLP7030 | You Are Everything I Need | Larry Santos |
| NBLP7031 | Presents the Disco Suite Symphony No. 1 in Rhythm and Excellence | Frankie Crocker’s Heart and Soul Orchestra |
| NBLP7032 | The Originals | KISS |
| NBLP7033 | Moon over Brooklyn | Group With No Name |
| NBLP7034 | The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein | Parliament |
| NBLP7035 | Welcome to Club Casablanca | Long John Baldry |
| NBLP7036 | Melody Maker | Hugh Masekela |
| NBLP7037 | Rock and Roll Over | KISS |
| NBLP7038 | Four Seasons of Love | Donna Summer |
| NBLP7039 | Just Like a Recurring Dream | Meisburg and Walters |
| NBLP7040 | Stallion | Stallion |
| NBLP7041 | Love to Love You Baby | Donna Summer |
| NBLP7042 | Get Down and Boogie | various artists |
| NBLP7043 | On Earth as It Is in Heaven | Angel |
| NBLP7044 | Cinnamon Flower | Charlie Rouse Band |
| NBLP7045 | Wildflowers 1: The New York Loft Jazz Sessions | various artists |
| NBLP7046 | Wildflowers 2: The New York Loft Jazz Sessions | various artists |
| NBLP7047 | Wildflowers 3: The New York Loft Jazz Sessions | various artists |
| NBLP7048 | Wildflowers 4: The New York Loft Jazz Sessions | various artists |
| NBLP7049 | Wildflowers 5: The New York Loft Jazz Sessions | various artists |
| Release date | RIAA status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1/30/1976 | ||
| 2/24/1976 | ||
| 3/15/1976 | Platinum | |
| 2/24/1976 | ||
| 4/21/1976 | Final album issued with original blue label artwork | |
| 5/18/1976 | First album issued with new tan label artwork | |
| 6/1/1976 | ||
| 10/1/1976 | ||
| N/A | ||
| 7/21/1976 | Reissue of Casablanca NBLP7001, 7006, and 7016 in a combined limited edition release | |
| 9/3/1976 | ||
| 7/20/1976 | Gold | |
| 10/1/1976 | ||
| 11/1/1976 | ||
| 11/1/1976 | Platinum | Originally issued with two copies of a multicut sticker |
| 10/11/1976 | Initial pressings included a 1977 calendar | |
| 12/29/1976 | ||
| 1/20/1977 | ||
| January 1977 | ||
| 1/12/1977 | ||
| 1/24/1977 | Originally issued with a poster | |
| February 1977 | ||
| March 1977 | ||
| March 1977 | ||
| March 1977 | ||
| March 1977 | ||
| March 1977 |
| Catalog # | Album | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| NBLP7050 | Frankie Crocker & The Heart and Soul Orchestra | Frankie Crocker & The Heart and Soul Orchestra |
| NBLP7051 | Delights of the Garden | Last Poets with Bernard Purdie |
| NBLP7052 | The Washington Hillbillies | Washington Hillbillies |
| NBLP7053 | Parliament Live: P. Funk Earth Tour | Parliament |
| NBLP7054 | Life | Jimmy James |
| NBLP7055 | Shut Out | Paul Jabara |
| NBLP7056 | I Remember Yesterday | Donna Summer |
| NBLP7057 | Love Gun | KISS |
| NBLP7058 | Munich Machine | Munich Machine |
| NBLP7059 | Disco Calypso | Beckett |
| NBLP7060 | The Deep-OST | John Barry |
| NBLP7061 | Don’t Let the Music Stop | Larry Santos |
| NBLP7062 | Would You Dance to My Music | Eddie Drennon and the B.B.S. Unlimited |
| NBLP7063 | Love and Kisses | Love and Kisses |
| NBLP7064 | Village People | Village People |
| NBLP7065 | From Here to Eternity | Giorgio Moroder |
| NBLP7066 | Love Shook | Pattie Brooks and the Simon Orchestra |
| NBLP7067 | Love’s an Easy Song | Meisburg and Walters |
| NBLP7068 | A Year at the Top | Greg and Paul |
| NBLP7069 | Zodiac Lady | Roberta Kelly |
| NBLP7070 | Another Island | Arthur Wayne |
| NBLP7071 | Bobby Deerfield-OST | various artists |
| NBLP7072 | Rare Gems Odyssey | Rare Gems Odyssey |
| NBLP7073 | Daydreamer | Pat Hollis |
| NBLP7074 | Flame Thrower | Wildfire |
| NBLP7075 | One Wish | Jeannie Reynolds |
| NBLP7076 | Alive II | KISS |
| NBLP7077 | Sphinx | Sphinx |
| Release date | RIAA status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 7/2/1976 | ||
| 4/20/1977 | Douglas reissue | |
| 4/27/1977 | Last of the tan label issues | |
| 5/5/1977 | Gold | First album to be issued with the FilmWorks artwork; originally issued in a gatefold sleeve with a poster and iron-on transfer |
| 1977 | ||
| 5/25/1977 | Issued exclusively on red vinyl | |
| 6/1/1977 | Gold | |
| 6/17/1977 | Platinum | Originally issued with a paper toy gun |
| 5/17/1977 | ||
| 6/15/1977 | ||
| 6/2/1977 | Issued on blue vinyl with a poster of Jacqueline Bissett | |
| 4/4/1977 | ||
| 6/22/1977 | ||
| July 1977 | ||
| 7/18/1977 | Issued as a picture disc NBPIX7064 | |
| 7/22/1977 | ||
| 10/3/1977 | ||
| 10/3/1977 | ||
| 8/12/1977 | ||
| 10/3/1977 | ||
| 10/3/1977 | ||
| 10/3/1977 | ||
| 10/13/1977 | ||
| 10/3/1977 | ||
| 10/3/1977 | ||
| 10/3/1977 | ||
| 10/24/1977 | Platinum 2X | Originally issued with KISS rub-off tattoos and an eight-page booklet |
| 2/24/1978 |
| Catalog # | Album | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| NBLP7078 | Once Upon a Time . . . | Donna Summer |
| NBLP7079 | You Told Your Mama Not to Worry | Hugh Masekela |
| NBLP7080 | Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood | Santa Esmeralda Starring Leroy Gomez |
| NBLP7081 | At Last. . . the Pips | Pips |
| NBLP7082 | Tribal Fence | Margaret Singana |
| NBLP7083 | Hey Everybody | Stallion 2 |
| NBLP7084 | Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome | Parliament |
| NBLP7085 | White Hot | Angel |
| NBLP7086 | Romeo and Juliet | Alec R. Costandinos and the Syncophonic Orchestra |
| NBLP7087 | Golden Tears | Sumeria |
| NBLP7088 | The House of the Rising Sun | Santa Esmeralda 2 |
| NBLP7089 | Gettin’ the Spirit | Roberta Kelly |
| NBLP7090 | A Whiter Shade of Pale | Munich Machine Introducing Chris Bennett |
| NBLP7091 | How Much, How Much I Love You | Love and Kisses |
| NBLP7092 | Trigger | Trigger |
| NBLP7093 | Singin’ in the Rain | Sheila and B. Devotion |
| NBLP7094 | Pleasure Principle | Parlet |
| NBLP7095 | It Don’t Mean a Thing | Eddie Drennon |
| NBLP7096 | Macho Man | Village People |
| NBLP7097 | Night and Day | Eclipse |
| NBLP7098 | Confessions | D.C. LaRue |
| NBLP7099 | Thank God It’s Friday—OST | various artists |
| NBLP7100 | Double Platinum | KISS |
| NBLP7101 | Got a Feeling | Patrick Juvet |
| NBLP7102 | Keeping Time | Paul Jabara |
| NBLP7103 | Forever Yours | Sylvers |
| NBLP7104 | Love’s in You, Love’s in Me | Giorgio and Chris |
| NBLP7105 | Confidential Affair | Harvey Scales |
| NBLP7106 | Our Ms. Brooks | Pattie Brooks |
| NBLP7107 | I Wanna Make It on My Own | Evelyn Thomas |
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