Articles

February 19, 2010

Head over to Gene Stout's Web site to read the latest review of And Party Every Day:

http://www.genestout.com/index.php/book-review-and-party-every-day-inside-story-of-casablanca-records/

February 15, 2010

Couple of nice news items to share:

First, VH1 Classic's #1 series, That Metal Show has selected And Party Every Day: The Inside Story of Casablanca Records as its official "pick of the week."  Show cohost Eddie Trunk talked enthusiastically about the "tell-all" book as the show's guest, Joey Kramer (Aerosmith) watched in amusement.

You can see the clip here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpePHvBxnZI

Second, here's a nice review of the book from the Dagensbok Web site.  http://dagensbok.com/2010/02/10/larry-harris-and-party-every-day   For those of you not quite so fluent in Swedish (including the authors), here you go: http://translate.google.com/?hl=en&tab=wT#sv|en|

January 18, 2010

Several new updates for the new year:

The LA Weekly ran a great three-page piece called "The Last Days of Disco," which features Larry Harris and And Party Every Day.   You can check out the article here:  http://www.laweekly.com/2010-01-07/music/the-last-days-of-disco/

And Party Every Day appeared on The Bay Area Reporter's winter reading list.  Here's the link for details:  http://www.ebar.com/common/inc/article_print.php?sec=books&article=503

The Edge ran a review (syndicated in editions in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, San Franscisco, Orlando, Providence, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Dallas).  You can read it here:  http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=entertainment&sc=books&sc2=&sc3=non-fiction&id=100185&pf=1

In the first week of January, a popular Houston-area show called The Roula and Ryan Show (104.1 FM, KRBE) had LL Cool J on as a guest.  During the interview, the conversation turned to the topic of disco and the host, Ryan Chase mentioned that he was reading And Party Every Day and high recommended the book to all his listeners.

Q magazine recently ran a review of And Party Every Day, and will feature the book as part of a longer disco-oriented piece in their March 2010 issue.  Be sure to keep your eyes open for it.  Q should be available at your local bookseller.

 December 9, 2009

The current (January 2010) issue of Mojo, features a nice review of the book.  The magazine should be at your local newsstand or bookseller this week.

Also be sure to check out the great interview with Larry appears in the current issue of The Onion.  It's online here:  http://www.avclub.com/articles/larry-harris,36049/

Dcember 1, 2009

Check out the review of And Party Every Day at the Chicago Tribune's site:  http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/chi-1129-ae-casablanca-booknov29,0,5731831.story

Another rave review, from the Misenpopic blog, is at:  http://misenpopic.blogspot.com/2009/11/for-those-who-like-to-read-i-salute-you.html

November 30, 2009

Win copies of And Party Every Day at the House of Hair web site: 

http://houseofhaironline.com/2009/11/win-and-party-every-day-casablanca-records-book/

Review in The Advocate: 

http://www.advocate.com/Arts_and_Entertainment/Books/And_Party_Every_Day/

Review in All Access magazine:

http://www.allaccessmagazine.com/vol7/issue17/casablanca.html 

November 12, 2009

From Ink19:

"Harris is the nucleus of this bona fide page-turner. His first-person accounts of Casablanca's meteoric rise from obscurity into the industry's stratosphere, and its inevitable, yet heartbreaking, crash are riveting. In fact, Harris's insider stories are so compelling, and he, himself, such a fascinating character, the reader may truly be left wanting more."

Read the full review here:  http://www.ink19.com/issues/november2009/printReviews/partyEveryDay.html

 November 11, 2009

Here's Larry discussing Casablanca Records and the '70s lifestyle with Janet Davies of ABC Channel 7 in Chicago.

 October 27, 2009

Be sure to tune in for Larry's appearance on The Dennis Miller Show on Monday, November 2 at 12:30PM Eastern.

October 20, 2009

Listen to Larry Harris's interview on The Frankie Boyer Show (from Friday, October 16) here:

http://archives.warpradio.com/ltrn/FrankieBoyer/101612.mp3

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From Noise Creep: "Gene Simmons and Former Casablanca Exec Disagree on Kiss' Early Years:"

http://www.noisecreep.com/2009/10/19/gene-simmons-former-casablanca-exec-disagree-on-kiss-early-yea/

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Library Journal review:

http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6702744.html?industryid=47118#NF1016
 

October 15, 2009

Several new reviews and interviews to check out:

Orlando Weekly review by entertainment critic Steve Schneider:

http://www.orlandoweekly.com/music/story.asp?id=13512

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Short blurb at AllAccess.com

http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/65375/039-and-party-every-day-039-the-inside-story

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Two-part interview with And Party Every Day author Larry Harris on the KISS FAQ site:

Part one: http://www.kissfaq.com/forum09/viewtopic.php?t=35972

Part two: http://www.kissfaq.com/forum09/viewtopic.php?t=36460

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The Confederate Crusader review:

http://semjaza777.livejournal.com/

October 6, 2009 - RELEASE DAY!!

The official release day for And Party Every Day: The Inside Story of Casablanca Records is finally here. The book is available directly from the authors at www.casablancabook.com and at your favorite local retailers throughout North America. The book will be available in the U.K. on November 1. Pick up your signed copies at the link above.

October 1, 2009 - Thursday

And Party Every Day is #1 in Amazon's "Entertainment Popular" category!

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Clips of Larry's September 28^th interview with Steve Ponchaud from WMIK/WUPK in Michigan are below:

On how Casablanca got Detroit radio stations to play KISS:

http://www.speedyshare.com/601231186.html

On the necessity of releasing KISS's double live album Alive!:

 http://www.speedyshare.com/516413951.html

On the 1978 KISS solo albums:

 http://www.speedyshare.com/661258354.html

September 30, 2009 - Wednesday

And Party Every Day: The Inside Story Of Casablanca Records author Larry Harris makes an interview appearance today. Follow the link to the audio file and listen to Larry's recollections of the rationale and excess behind the 1978 KISS solo albums.

http://www.speedyshare.com/661258354.html

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Here's a piece that ran in today's edition of PULSE of Radio.

NEW BOOK SPOTLIGHTS HISTORY OF CASABLANCA RECORDS

By Howie Edelson

Courtesy of PULSE Of Radio - A Service Of United Stations Radio Networks

Out on October 1st is what's shaping up to be most exciting -- and informative -- music book of the year; And Party Every Day: The Inside Story Of Casablanca Records, cowritten by the label's cofounder and executive vice president and managing director Larry Harris.

Harris and co-authors Curt Gooch and Jeff Suhs chronicle the legendary '70s label which launched and groomed the careers of Kiss, Donna Summer, the Village People, and Parliament, among others. And Party Every Day also tells the story of how the label's success -- motivated by Harris' cousin, Casablanca's late founder and president Neil Bogart -- was a brilliant case of smoke and mirrors, in which they outspent nearly all of the label's profits.

Harris explains that a perfect example of spending money to make money was how, in an unprecedented move, Casablanca promoted Kiss as a star attraction starting with their non-hit self-titled debut: "Radio people have told me that if it wasn't for what Casablanca committed and did for them, because the money we put into them when they weren't selling any records and into the gigs was unbelievable. To make them headliners in markets that (we) first walked into with hardly any airplay at all -- was never done. People were looking at us like we were crazy."

Harris says that a relentless touring and release schedule is what eventually propelled Kiss into platinum territory "What we needed to keep the company going -- at least the first two or three years -- we needed an album from them every six months, which... nobody was putting out that product flow. Even though they fought it, we insisted, and that's one of the main reasons Alive! -- which I talk about in the book -- came out is we didn't have any money to put them in the studio again. It was almost a no-brainer that we needed a Kiss album, let's go with this one -- even though they really didn't have any hits! They're the first band, I think, to come out with a double live album that never really had a hit up to that point."

Harris, along with Neil Bogart, worked at Buddah Records prior to launching Casablanca. While at Buddha they promoted Genesis -- who along with the other top Casablanca acts -- Kiss and Donna Summer -- is on the induction shortlist for the 2010 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

To order, read a sample, and check out rarely-seen videos by Casablanca acts -- including Kiss, Donna Summer, Angel, and the Village People -- log on to: http://casablancabook.com/

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September 26, 2009 - Saturday

The Vinyl District is currently featuring an extended preview of And Party Every Day, including the book's complete first chapter. Check out the preview here:

http://vinyldistrict.blogspot.com/2009/09/tvd-recommends-and-party-every-day.html

 

 

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September 25, 2009 - Friday

Michael Musto from The Village Voice has a quick blurb about the book from the Voice's August 18 issue:

"There's a lively book coming out by Larry Harris from Casablanca Records, the rock-and-disco label that was big in the '70s, back when there were tennis-related three-ways. Reveals Harris: "We passed on signing Billy Squier, mostly because we were leery of getting involved with someone [manager] Bill Aucoin was having a personal relationship with, and we were under the impression he was with Billy, in a physical sense—Aucoin was and is openly gay." Hello! Also discussed: Gene Simmons used his darting tongue on Katey Sagal; disco queen Donna Summer was beaten by her egomaniac boyfriend, making her hit song "I Feel Love" extra ironic; and Rodney Dangerfield kept a Noxzema jar of coke in his suit pocket, even at airports. No respect!"

You can check it out here (scroll halfway down the page 'til you see the Larry Harris mention).

 http://www.villagevoice.com/2009-08-18/columns/blind-items-about-raw-sex-and-meth-habits/

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September 22, 2009 - Tuesday

And Party Every Day: The Inside Story of Casablanca Records

 

OFFICIAL RELEASE DATE: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6!!!

And Party Every Day: The Inside Story of Casablanca Records  will be released the same day as (former Casablanca crown jewel) KISS's new CD Sonic Boom drops. But you don't need to wait until October 6 to purchase your copy; you can buy a SIGNED book directly from the authors right now, just click on the neon "Purchase" tab on the upper left.

And while you're visiting our site, be sure to read some book excerpts and check out the archival Casablanca videos. You will not be disappointed.

Some fun facts about And Party Every Day and its authors:

Book stats: 320-page hardcover, with a glossy wrap around full-color cover. Two 8-page color inserts of never-before-published 1970s images of KISS, Donna Summer, Parliament Funkadelic, Angel, the Village People and Casablanca Records President Neil Bogart.

This is the first full-length book published on Casablanca Records and Neil Bogart.

And Party Every Day is authored by Casablanca cofounder and VP Larry Harris, along with Curt Gooch and Jeff Suhs who the KISS Army may remember as the writers of KISS Alive Forever (2002, Billboard Books).

And Party Every Day is the fastest-selling title in the history of Backbeat Books. The first printing sold out in advance, as did the second run, and now the third printing is almost gone (only a few hundred remain in the warehouse)! Not bad for a book that hasn't even been released yet.

In the grand Casablanca Records tradition of "always give them something more," a complete label discography has been assembled especially for this book with release dates and annotations.

A Casablanca music video/promo-film discography is also included and most of the videos listed in it will be available for viewing on this site. (See the tab marked "Trailer/Videos" beginning later this week.)

Collector Alert: All first-edition copies of And Party Every Day come with platinum gilding.

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September 18, 2009 - Friday

Several well-respected members of the music industry have been reading advance galleys of And Party Every Day. Here's what they had to say:

 "I could not put the book down." — Danny Goldberg-Gold Village Entertainment (former publicist for Led Zeppelin and KISS)

"Larry rips the roof off of Casablanca Records" —Scott Shannon, Program Director/Morning Man WPLJ-FM (and former VP of Casablanca Records)

"Spectacular..." —K en Sharp - Coauthor of KISS's official biography: Behind The Mask

If you work in the music industry and have read an advance copy, please get in touch and let us know your thoughts, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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September 4, 2009 - Friday

The first And Party Every Day review is in, courtesy of Roy from HITS Magazine, and it's a great one!

http://www.hitsdailydouble.com/news/newsPage.cgi?news07745m01

"Larry Harris, And Party Every Day: The Inside Story of Casablanca Records (Backbeat Books): It’s been 27 years since the death of Casablanca’s legendary founder Neil Bogart of cancer, and 18 years since the publication of Fredric Dannen’s Hit Men, which basically used the label as an example of the decadent extravagance and drug-fueled corruption that characterized the record industry’s first collapse way back in the ’80s. The Brooklyn-born Bogart’s young Queens cousin Larry Harris, who first joined Neil at Buddah and went on to help launch and run the notorious Casablanca in its '70s KISS and disco heyday, tries to set the record straight, but his tales of winning over radio PDs, trade journalists and, ultimately, the public, with tales of hyperbole, drugs, sex and rock & roll, evokes an earlier, happier time in the currently struggling business. The book opens with Harris brow-beating then-influential Billboard chart editor Bill Wardlow for not making their disco movie soundtrack, Thank God, It’s Friday, #1 over the competing Saturday Night Fever, and for the most part, the author isn’t afraid to name names or point fingers—among his larger-than-life subjects are label artists George Clinton, Donna Summer, Cher, Gene Simmons and The Village People, as well as Johnny Carson, Merv Griffin, Robin Williams, Giorgio Moroder, longtime KISS manager Bill Aucoin, rock writers Lester Bangs and Jaan Uhelszki, and a variety of radio and record execs who were once powerful and are now almost forgotten. If you’re a fan of record industry lore, this freewheeling memoir captures the meteoric rise and fall of one of the industry’s legendary hype machines in its ’74-’80 heyday, when it practically coined the disco genre, but still had time to support groundbreaking, iconoclastic acts like KISS and Parliament. Looking back, there’s an innocence at work here, grown men amazed that they’re allowed to carry on a prolonged adolescence, spending money like it was water, constantly on the edge of ruin. It also captures the beginning of the business being taken over by the multinational congloms, with the European PolyGram acquiring Casablanca, then looking on in horror as all those awards and self-promotion hide a ledger that is sinking in red ink—leading us directly to the record industry of today. All the great stories are here—George Clinton’s pot-induced vision of a Mothership landing in the middle of a live concert, the story behind the infamous Johnny Carson album which almost destroyed the label before it started, the four KISS solo albums shipping gold and getting returned platinum. Harris’ tale includes the entire cast of characters and captures a time when the wildest dreams seemed like they could come true. These days, it comes across as a part of the past so distant as to seem like another galaxy, somewhere far away, when people were still having a good time…and were proud to be a part of an industry where the possibilities appeared endless, the sky the only limit. Reading And Party Every Day is like waking up the morning after with a giant hangover."