Frank Farianthe legendary pop music producer, composer and founder of the German/Caribbean disco funk ensemble Boney Mand the man behind the creation of the infamous pop duo Milli Vanilli.
He died Tuesday at 82 years oldas confirmed by his production agency, Allendorf Media.
Frank Farian was the creator of the hits Boney M and Milli Vanilli. Photo: AFPThroughout his career, Farian it has sold more than 850 million copies and obtained 800 gold and platinum records.
The Milli Vanilli farce
The German Frank Farian not only became famous for his musical merits and his great talent in creating hits with the “Eurodisco” rhythm, but also He was the architect of one of the greatest farces in pop history: the Milli Vanilli group.
Live the dancers and singers Rob Pilatus and Fabrice Morvan, of Milli Vanilli.In 1988 Farian signed a production contract with Munich dancers and singers Rob Pilatus and Fabrice Morvan and christened the vocal duo Milli Vanilli. He wasn’t impressed by the duo’s vocal talent, but he was amazed by their good looks.
He produced the duo’s first highly successful album, co-writing its hits Girl, you know it’s true, girl, I’ll miss you, all or nothing AND Honey, don’t forget my numberwhich were actually recorded by singers such as John Davis, Charles Shaw, Brad Howell and twin sisters Jodie and Linda Rocco.
First released in Europe in 1988 under the title All or Nothing (later renamed Girl You Know It’s True in the US), Milli Vanilli’s debut went six-times platinum in the US.
Milli Vanilli with the 1990 Grammy Award, which they then had to return. Photo. APThey won the 1990 Grammy Award for best new artist, but live playback scandals and Morvan and Pilatus’s insistence on singing themselves on a second album brought their relationship to a critical point.
In November 1990, Frank Farian announced that he had fired the duo and confessed that they did not sing on the songs on the Milli Vanilli album.
After the scandal, Pilatus and Morvan They were forced to return to the Grammys and were part of a class action lawsuit alleging consumer fraud in the United States. Farian was unharmed and continued his career behind the scenes.
Boney M, another huge success
Another of the successful groups invented and produced by Farian was Boney M, which essentially consisted of himself and a handful of session musicians. He was a phenomenon of the “Eurodisco” style scene between 1970 and 1980, starting with the 1974 dance single, Baby, do you want to kick ass? and continuing with eight gold and platinum albums, with hits such as But Baker, Rasputin AND Rivers of Babylon.
Frank Farian with two singers Boney M, Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barret at the premiere of the musical ‘Daddy Cool’ in Berlin. Photo: EFEHowever, despite all of Boney M’s fame, Frank Farian never appeared on the covers of any of his albums.
two greetings
After the announcement of his former producer’s death, Morvan sent a statement to The Guardian newspaper which read: “My deepest condolences to his family. His music will live on. “We can never deny the happiness and joy he brought to this world.”
Liz Mitchell, the Jamaican-born British singer in the initial line-up of Boney M, said: “We have shared and united under a star that has gone beyond what we ever dared hope for. I say congratulations for the work we have done. Rest in peace Franco.”
Source: Clarin
