Died On This Date (May 8, 1982) Neil Bogart / Co-Founder of Casablanca Records
themusicsover Neil Bogart (Born Neil Bogatz)
February 3 1943 – May 8, 1982
Neil Bogart is best remembered as co-founder of Casablanca Records, the one time home of such acts as KISS, Angel, Donna Summer, the Village People, Parliament and Cher. Casablanca was one of the labels closely associated with the rise of disco. In the late ’70s, Bogart founded Boardwalk Records which he hoped would be to new wave what Casablanca was to disco. Joan Jett was one of the flagship artists of the label. Bogart died of lymphoma at the age of 39.
Bob Mercer is perhaps best remembered as the music industry veteran who helmed the wildly successful Now That’s What I Call Music! hit compilation series. But to many of those with whom he worked, he was above all, a beloved mentor and motivator. Since the Now series debuted in the United States in 1998, it has sold in the neighborhood of 77 million units combined. What was fairly unique about the series at the time, at least in the US, was that the CDs collected the biggest current dor recent hits of the day, in a partnership with the major labels. To many, the series would be a flop, but of course they were proven wrong over and over again. During his career, Mercer also held executive positions at EMI UK (where he signed the Sex Pistols, Queen, and T. Rex to name a few), PolyGram’s TV division, and New Door Records. Bob Mercer was 65 when he died of lung cancer on May 5, 2010.
Erika Roman was a popular radio personality at Orlando’s Power 95.3 FM where she hosted the morning show. Born in New York City, Roman began her radio career while still in college where she was a co-host at Stonybrook University’s WUSB. She also worked at Fever Records where she promoted their artists at night clubs and other events while still in college. Later, Roman went to work as a co-host with Ed Lover and Dr. Dre on Hot 97’s morning show. In 2006, Roman went to work at Power 95.3 in Orlando. Roman was killed on May 1, 2009 in a single car accident while trying to avoid a discarded piece of furniture in the road. She was 31.