RIP Frank Farian - Boney M, Milli Vanilli, Meat Loaf and more

[GoodJudge]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-68065904

German music producer Frank Farian - founder of the disco band Boney M - has died at the age of 82, according to his family.

They released a statement on Tuesday via Farian's agency saying he had passed away at his home in Miami.

Boney M, which formed in 1976, had a string of hit singles including Daddy Cool, Rasputin and Rivers of Babylon.

Farian also went on to found the duo Milli Vanilli, who were involved in a lip-synching controversy.

He was born Franz Reuther in 1941 in Kirn, south-western Germany, and trained as a chef while also pursuing a musical career - first as a singer and then as a producer.

He also worked with the likes of Meat Loaf and Stevie Wonder and is reported to have sold an estimated 800 million records worldwide.

In 1990, Farian was embroiled in a scandal surrounding Milli Vanilli when he confessed they had not sung on their records.

The duo - who scored a clutch of hits in the late 1980s - later had their Grammy Award for best new artist revoked.

In 2022, Farian revealed he had undergone heart surgery and had a pig heart valve inserted, which he said saved his life.

[BDG135]

I'm gonna miss you. https://youtu.be/ZbUENJ5FjBk?si=Dbm5WQrfQKU47I85

[GreatWhiteSnake]

That's a lot of records yo...

[dmbrocker]

I'm gonna miss you. https://youtu.be/ZbUENJ5FjBk?si=Dbm5WQrfQKU47I85

[BernieTaupson]

Sync sync, sync and destroy!
You know the hour’s gettin’ late!
Sync sync, sync and destroy!
Mime the words and seal your fate!!

[Fat_Elvis]

A con-man & sociopath.

[TooOldToCare]

Nikki Sixx died again?

JK

[veritas]

boney M were huge in Europe when I grew up!

[El Vampiro Blanco]

boney M were huge in Europe when I grew up!

Yup, Boney M and Abba were on the radio non stop.
My grandma loved Boney M because of the crazy dancing man....

[AnthonyFocxsFogMachine]

A con-man & sociopath.

This.

Boney M had a lip synching guy as well, Bobby Farrell. They were HUGE globally, not so much in the U.S.

Farian found a formula, was ruthless in its execution, and shamelessly walked away with hundreds of millions of dollars, leaving broken performers' lives in his wake. He's like the Don King of producers/promoters

[El Vampiro Blanco]

A con-man & sociopath.

This.

Boney M had a lip synching guy as well, Bobby Farrell. They were HUGE globally, not so much in the U.S.

Farian found a formula, was ruthless in its execution, and shamelessly walked away with hundreds of millions of dollars, leaving broken performers' lives in his wake. He's like the Don King of producers/promoters

What was shameless or ruthless about it?
For Boney M he wrote the music and did male vocals and one or two of the femaie singers dis the female vocals.
Why would Bobby Farrel be entitled to that money? He got paid for being a live performer.
They were even open about this with the press in the 70s.
With Milli Vanilli they kept it a secret from the public, but if they didn't write the music nor performed on the record, there's no reason to be paid for it.