The Capitol Days Interviews
Editor's Note: My parents were all involved with Capitol Records in the 1950s and this page indexes my interviews with them. I did the interviews to preserve the history for future generations of our family, but I'm publishing it online to offer a candid glimpse into the Hollywood music scene of the 1950s. If you were in the industry at the time, or remember people we discuss in the interviews, please write to me. I'll post your comments here* (contact info.).
- Nori
Capitol Records - the company
Company History
Interview with Don Hassler discusses the Tower, 1950s recording technology, Capitol marketing practices; Glenn Wallichs, Buddy deSylva, Johnny Mercer, Frank Sinatra, the Beatles, Kay Starr, Les Paul and Mary Ford, Nelson Riddle, Billy May, and EMI.
Illustrations: The Tower, the interviewees Don and Paula Hassler, the late Bill Muster, and interviewer, Nori Muster.
More Company History
Don Hassler discusses more details about Capitol Records in the 1950s, in response to a letter from Steve Webb. More information about the recording business, record quality, recording techniques, the echo chambers, the difference between CD and LP quality, more about the company founders, and recording innovations of Les Paul.
Capitol Records People
Don Hassler discusses the people shown in the "Capitol Gang" photo (Bill Muster, Perry Mayer, Dick Rising, Fred Rice, Bud Frazer, Steve Auld, and Jack Smothers). Also (not pictured): Johnny Mercer and Buddy DeSilva, Perry Como, and Studs Turkel.
Don Hassler
Don Hassler History
Don Hassler describes his years at Capitol and the Hollywood Jaycees (Junior Chamber of Commerce), as well as jobs before and after Capitol. Other topics: the Four Freshman, Stan Kenton Presents, Patti Page, Les Paul, Mary Ford, Frank Sinatra, Kay Starr, Vic Damone, disk jockey payola, the musicians union, and the Mafia.
Illustrations: Concord reel-to-reel tape recorder, Hollywood Jaycees news item (1959), Hollywood Jaycees Race program and detail photo of Johnny Grant (1956), Capitol Records memo (1959), Capitol News (c. 1952), Capitol Records Sales report (1953), Capitol Records letter from Manila and letterhead detail (1957), and Hollywood Jaycees letter and letterhead detail (1959).
Johnny Grant and the Jaycees
Don Hassler recalls memories of Honorary Mayor Johnny Grant and the Hollywood Jaycees.
Military Band Memories
Don Hassler recalls his years in the Illinois National Guard.
Bill Muster
Bill Muster History
In this section, Don and Paula Hassler recall Bill Muster's role at Capitol producing the Weekly Wrap-up, stories about Keely Smith and Louis Prima, Lord Buckley, and how Bill Muster was fired because of a dust up over Playboy magazine.
Illustrations: Daily Variety front page, Capitol Sales Wrap-Up front page and masthead detail, plus one page from the Wrap-Up ("Promotion with Impact"), a "Special Hits" reply post card, and Playboy Magazine letterhead detail.
Playboy vs. Capitol
Readable scans of actual correspondence from Playboy magazine, Bill Muster, and executives at Capitol; also two articles in Variety.
Nori Muster
Interview with Nori Muster
Nori talks about her parents, her writing career, and why she built the Capitol Records history website.