Label Guide: Casablanca
Casablanca Records was formed in 1973 by former Buddah Records executives Neil Bogart, Larry Harris, Cecil Holmes, and Buck Reingold. Bogart arranged financing through Warner whereas he could start his own record label, which would be a sudsidiary of Warner Bros. Records. He called the label Casablanca as it was the name of his favorite film, and he also had the same last name as its star Humphrey Bogart. Also, since Warner Bros. owned the rights to the title of the film Casablanca, Bogart knew there would be no lawsuit against him regarding the name Casablanca Records.
The label's first signing was the rock group Kiss, followed by artists as George Clinton's Parliament and Donna Summer. But Bogart soon became unhappy with the lack of support from parent Warner Bros., and Casablanca became an independent record label in 1974.
The commercial breakthrough for Casablanca came with the Giorgio Moroder produced 17-minute version of Donna Summer's Love To Love You, Baby. This record marked both the beginning of Disco Music and the invention of a new release format, the extended version 12"-single. Casablanca remained very successful throughout the rest of the 1970s with similar artists like Santa Esmeralda and The Village People.
In 1977, the record company merged with a production company called Filmworks, Inc., and the new company became known as Casablanca Record and Filmworks. Neil Bogart sold half the company to PolyGram Records that same year, but PolyGram was not satisfied with its financial performance under Bogart's helm, and in 1980 it acquired the entire company and Bogart was removed from his position.
In the 1980s, Casablanca Records was not as successful without Bogart running the company, and by 1986, PolyGram had folded Casablanca Records and some of its acts were moved over to Mercury Records, while other acts were dropped altogether. In January 2012, Casablanca Records was relaunched as an electronic music imprint under Republic Records.
-
1. Label Variation
first Casablanca label (1974)
The first blue Bogart label (smoking man) was used for NB 9000 series when Casablanca was distributed by Warner Bros. -- Accordingly, the bottom rim text reads 'Manufactured and distributed by Warner Bros. Records, Inc.'
-
2. Label Variation
second Casablanca label (1974 - 1975)
When the Warner Bros. distribution deal ended, the bottom rim text was changed to 'Manufactured and Distributed by Casablanca Records, Inc.'
-
3. Label Variation
third Casablanca label (1975 - 1977)
In late 1975, the label design was changed to the familiar Oasis scene with a fortress, camels and palm trees. This first Oasis label has no people in the scenery and the bottom rim text still reads 'Manufactured and Distributed by Casablanca Records, Inc.'
-
4. Label Variation
fourth Casablanca label (1977 - 1984)
From 1977 on the label changed its name to Casablanca Record and FilmWorks, Inc., and both the neon logo and the bottom rim text were changed accordingly. This second Oasis label now features people in the scenery.
-
Custom Label
custom Casablanca label
Casablanca Records issued several custom label designs for selected releases.
-
UK Label Variation
UK Casablanca label (1979)
Casablanca Records was distributed by Pye Records in the United Kingdom.