The story of Casablanca Records is inextricably interwoven with the life story of its founder Neil Bogart. Bogart's career in the music industry began well before the founding of Casablanca. As an executive at Buddah Records, he was the leading proponent of what became known as Bubblegum Pop. Later in founding Casablanca, Bogart became one of the leading industry figures in the mass popularization of Disco. Along with a certain acumen for shepherding hit music, Bogart was also notorious for his Bacchanalian lifestyle. The backlash against Disco brought Casablanca back to earth and Bogart soon sold the label. Neil Bogart formed a new venture, Boardwalk Records, but an untimely early death cut short a possible third act as a key figure in popular music. Casablanca soon faded, but has recently been revived as a vehicle for another notorious music figure, former Sony Music head Tommy Mottola.
Neil Bogart's early career in the music industry included stints as a recording artist and executive positions for MGM and Cameo-Parkway Records. In 1967, a 24-year-old Neil Bogart was hired to be general manager for the newly created Buddah Records. Among his first projects was working with producers Jerry Kasenetz and Jeff Katz and the group Ohio Express to create the smash hit single Yummy, Yummy, Yummy. Other hits followed in quick succession including the Lemon Pipers' Green Tambourine and the 1910 Fruitgum Co.'s Simon Says. These hits soon came to be grouped under the category Bubblegum Pop due to their appeal to a very young audience. The popularity of Bubblegum Pop faded by the end of the 1960's and Buddah Records' string of hits slowed.
In 1973 Bogart left Buddah to form his own record label. The newly formed Casablanca Records signed its first recording act, the theatrical Rock band Kiss, in November of 1973. Kiss' first self-titled album became Casablanca's first album release in February of 1974. Success came quickly for Casablanca as Neil Bogart signed a wide range of recording acts seeking to create a presence for the new label. Kiss' live album Alive sold a million copies in 1975 and that year Casablanca entered the Disco arena via its subsidiary label Oasis.
By early 1975, producer Giorgio Moroder had recorded a pair of overseas hit singles by Donna Summer and was looking for American distribution. Casablanca licensed Love To Love You Baby, the latest collaboration between Giorgio Moroder and Donna Summer, but it failed to ignite interest. Undaunted by that failure, Neil Bogart continued to play the single for private guests. Following positive response from his guests, Bogart convinced Giorgio Moroder to record an expanded version of the song and release it as the centerpiece of a Donna Summer album on Oasis. This 17-minute version generated instant interest from Disco club DJs. Casablanca's reign as one of the top Disco labels had begun.
In addition to Oasis, Casablanca spawned a number of other subsidiaries. These included Millenium, the home of Meco's Disco version of the Star Wars theme, Chocolate City, home of Funk pioneers Cameo, and Tom and Jerry, producer Tom Moulton's own label. By 1978 Casablanca was leading the way in the commercial dominance of Disco. The soundtrack for the film Thank God It's Friday and records by Donna Summer and the Village People were all smash Disco hits. Casablanca was the label of choice when the owners of Studio 54 made the decision to release the two-disc album A Night At Studio 54, a celebration of the music played at the club.
Casablanca's close identification with the success of Disco had its drawback. When the inevitable backlash against Disco came it hit Casablanca hard. Neil Bogart saw the writing on the wall and sold Casablanca to Polygram. The label was in a shambles, drowning in a sea of bad distribution, drugs and shoddy record-keeping. Casablanca soon lost Donna Summer to David Geffen's self-named startup label. Lipps Inc.'s Funkytown and the 1983 success of the Flashdance soundtrack brought Casablanca other major Dance hits, but the glory days were over. Neil Bogart started one more label, Boardwalk, and shepherded Joan Jett's emergence as a star, but tragically he died in 1982 before the age of 40. However, the final word on Casablanca Records has not yet been written. A revival of the label is currently underway as a vehicle for former Sony Music head Tommy Mottola. One of his first signings is actress Lindsay Lohan.