"AND PARTY EVERY DAY" by LARRY HARRIS - REVIEW

AND PARTY EVERY DAY:
The Inside Story Of Casablanca Records
By Larry Harris
with Curt Gooch and Jeff Suchs
Backbeat Books
$24.99 Hardcover/2009
299 pages +
Special Thanks to Diane Levinson

by J. Frank Hagan
There are many legendary history
making life episodes that took place in the 1970's - the "ME" decade - Sexual revolution, high gas prices, a poor economy, Jimmy Carter and then there was Casablanca Records.

This is the story of two men, cousins,
from New York, employed at Buddah Records set out to start their very own record label.

This is the inside look into one of the greatest record labels of all time, written by co-founder and executive vice president Larry Harris, started the label along with his cousin, the very charismatic Neil Bogart. Together, they built an empire which introduced the world to a new genre of music, disco with Donna Summer, and turned the world onto one of the greatest bands of all time, Kiss.

And Party Every Day takes you back into a time where sex, drugs, rock and roll and even disco were the norm in the record business. At least at the offices of Casablanca. Neil Bogart was a believer, a go-getter who wasn't afraid to take a chance. Signing Kiss to their new label, Larry and Neil were taking big chances and even bigger risks. Harris' writing takes you on that journey of the excitement of starting a new record label and signing new talent that other labels, then, more likely now, would simply pass on. Their logo and likeness, like the movie, is famous the world over.

This was the book I could not put down and actually read twice. Harris makes no bones about his drug use ( and Neil's for that matter ) back in the day. At times right in the offices of Casablanca. There are some funny stories Harris recalls, one with the fantastic George Clinton, who had brought in some uncut, potent cocaine to the office and that anyone willing to try it would start speaking Spanish since it "hadn't cleared customs yet."

Harris' journey takes you through the process of Kiss playing for the Warner Brothers execs, bringing future disco queen Donna Summer from Europe to the US, George Clinton's Parliament, and a creation of one man's dream of five man signing group, the Village People. Casablanca's promotions was a machine, that stopped at nothing as Harris goes into detail, taking it's artists to the top of the heap. Signing artists like Robin Williams, the Hudson Brothers, ANGEL and Cher, Casablanca left no lands undeveloped as the label that took chances and single handed an entire genre of music, disc0. Their successes led them to launch another arm of the company, Casablanca Filmworks, producing the award winning film Midnight Express as well as the Deep, Thank God It's Friday and Foxes. Everything about Casablanca Records and Fimworks was HUGE

Harris, so honestly and lovingly takes you along on his incredible ride with his cousin Neil Bogart, the proud fathers of Casablanca Records. The UPS and DOWNS. The big BIG money. The HUGE
promotion. Their commitment to their artists. The love and passion that was Casablanca Records. Larry Harris left Casablanca in 1979. Neil passed away at age 39 on May 8, 1982.

And Party Every Day: The Inside Story Of Casablanca Records features never-before-published photographs, a complete discography, promotional film and music video guide and a "where are they now?" section. This book is a must read! Now go get yours and start reading!!

OFFICIAL SITE-
Casablancabook.com
(If you order the book through this site, all copies will be signed by Larry Harris)
YouTube
(Never before seen promo films from the Casablanca roster)
Facebook
Twitter
MySpace
The making of "Thank God It's Friday" with Donna Summer and Neil Bogart.

ANGEL on ROCK CONCERT May 1977.