Frank Farian#Career

{{Short description|German record producer and singer (1941–2024)}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Frank Farian

| image = Frank Farian.jpeg

| caption = Farian in 2008

| background = non_performing_personnel

| birth_name = Franz Reuther

| alias = {{hlist|Zambi|G. Mart|FMP}}

| birth_date = {{birth date|1941|7|18|df=y}}

| birth_place = Kirn, Germany

| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|1|23|1941|7|18|df=y}}

| death_place = Miami, Florida, U.S.

| occupation = Record producer, singer

| years_active = 1958–2024

| spouse =

}}

Franz Reuther (18 July 1941 – 23 January 2024), known professionally as Frank Farian, was a German record producer and singer who founded the 1970s disco-pop group Boney M., the pop band No Mercy, and the pop band Milli Vanilli. He frequently created vocal groups in which the publicised members merely lip-synced to songs sung by session performers. Farian owned the record label MCI and several subsidiaries.

Early life

Farian was born in Kirn, Germany, on 18 July 1941.{{cite news |first=Jürgen |last=Brendel |url=https://www.dw.com/en/boney-m-producer-frank-farian-turns-75/a-19406061 |title=Boney M. producer Frank Farian turns 75 |publisher=Deutsche Welle |date=18 July 2016 |access-date=13 December 2023 |archive-date=13 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231213032601/https://www.dw.com/en/boney-m-producer-frank-farian-turns-75/a-19406061 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Frank Farian | Biography & History |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/frank-farian-mn0000135298/biography |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210826230917/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/frank-farian-mn0000135298/biography |archive-date=26 August 2021 |access-date=26 August 2021 |website=AllMusic}} He and two siblings were raised by his mother, because his father was killed in World War II before his birth.{{cite news |url=https://www.t-online.de/unterhaltung/stars/id_90465074/hitproduzent-der-ewige-daddy-cool-frank-farian-wird-80.html |title=Der ewige 'Daddy Cool' - Frank Farian wird 80 |website=T-Online |date=18 July 2021 |access-date=13 December 2023 |language=de |agency=dpa |archive-date=13 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231213120857/https://www.t-online.de/unterhaltung/stars/id_90465074/hitproduzent-der-ewige-daddy-cool-frank-farian-wird-80.html |url-status=live }} He trained as a cook before discovering rock and roll, renaming himself Frank Farian, and forming a band called Frankie Boys Schatten. In 1964, they released their first single, "Shouting Ghost", which was a failure.{{Cite news |date=19 July 2021 |title=Frank Farian wurde 80: Vom Tellerwäscher zum Musik-Millionär |url=https://www.stadlpost.at/frank-farian-wurde-80-vom-tellerwaescher-zum-musik-millionaer/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719164259/https://www.stadlpost.at/frank-farian-wurde-80-vom-tellerwaescher-zum-musik-millionaer/ |archive-date=19 July 2021 |newspaper=Stadlpost |language=de}}

Career

In April 1967, he released a cover of Otis Redding's "Mr. Pitiful" under the name 'Frankie Farian'. After signing a recording contract as a solo performer, he moved into pop and appeared on the TV programme Hitparade. In 1976, Farian's German-language cover of Dickey Lee's "Rocky" stayed at No. 1 for four weeks.{{Where|date=January 2024}} His 1973 single "Was kann schöner sein?", a German language cover of the Lynsey de Paul/Ron Roker song "When You've Gotta Go", was listed as one of the Top 100 all time "Schlagerlieder" by German magazine Popkultur.{{cite web | url=https://popkultur.de/70er-jahre-schlager/ | title=70er Hits: Die besten Schlager aus den Siebziger Jahren | website=Popkultur.de | date=21 March 2019 | language=de | access-date=25 June 2023 | archive-date=21 February 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240221112354/https://popkultur.de/70er-jahre-schlager/ | url-status=live }}

Working with composers Hans-Ulrich Weigel, Stefan Klinkhammer, and Roland Kaiser, he co-wrote and produced the song "Skateboard" for Copains which was released in 1977. It was a hit in both Germany and Sweden where it peaked at no. 38 and no. 17 respectively.Schweizer Hitparade - [https://hitparade.ch/song/Copains/Skateboard-245454 Copains – Skateboard] It was also a hit for German singer Benny who got the song to no. 40 in the German charts.Schweizer Hitparade - [https://hitparade.ch/song/Benny/Skateboard-52055 Benny – Skateboard] Years later it would be covered by German skape-punk band, Disaster Area.Burn Your Ears, Donnerstag, 30 Juni 2005 - [https://www.burnyourears.de/reviews/genres/punk-rock/2554-disaster-area-forever.html Disaster Area - Forever Review, Punk Rock - Geschrieben von Robert]Underdog, Sommer 2009 #28 - [https://archive.org/details/underdog_28/page/34/mode/2up? Page 34 UNDERDOG: Skate und Punk war im Pott (Mühlheim, Marl) schwer angesagt.]

=Boney M.=

In late 1974, he recorded "Baby Do You Wanna Bump" (a remake of Prince Buster's song "Al Capone" from 1967), first released in 1975 as a single and on the 1976 album Take the Heat off Me under the pseudonym Boney M. He recruited a line-up which included vocalists Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett along with a front-man, Bobby Farrell, and a female dancer, Maizie Williams. Under the name Boney M., he achieved his biggest success in Europe as well as world-wide with songs including "Daddy Cool", "Rivers of Babylon", "Rasputin" and a remake of "Mary's Boy Child". As later with Milli Vanilli, Farrell did not actually sing; in performances, he lip-synced to Farian's own vocals.{{cite news |title=The most famous musical conspiracy theories and hoaxes |url=https://www.radiox.co.uk/features/best-musical-hoax-prank-conspiracy-theories/ |work=Radio X |date=1 April 2022 |access-date=13 December 2023 |archive-date=17 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230117185454/https://www.radiox.co.uk/features/best-musical-hoax-prank-conspiracy-theories/ |url-status=live }}

=Far Corporation=

Farian also started the supergroup Far Corporation (named after the first syllable of his last name), which featured Steve Lukather, David Paich, Bobby Kimball, Simon Phillips (all from Toto fame), and Robin McAuley. Far Corporation were the first act to chart with a cover version of Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven"; their cover was a top 10 hit in the UK, reaching number 8 in October 1985.{{Cite book |last=Roberts |first=David |title=British Hit Singles & Albums |publisher=Guinness World Records Limited |year=2006 |isbn=1-904994-10-5 |edition=19th |location=London |page=195}}

=Meat Loaf=

In 1986, Farian produced and mixed the Meat Loaf album Blind Before I Stop. He also sang backing vocals on the album's lead single, "Rock 'n' Roll Mercenaries", which was credited to Meat Loaf featuring John Parr.{{Cite book |last=Roberts |first=David |title=British Hit Singles & Albums |publisher=Guinness World Records Limited |year=2006 |isbn=1-904994-10-5 |edition=19th |location=London |page=358}}

=Milli Vanilli=

On 14 November 1990, Farian confessed to orchestrating the events leading to the Milli Vanilli scandal. As a producer, he assembled a group of session musicians and fronted it with physically attractive dancers Robert Pilatus and Fabrice Morvan. Following a 1989 performance where a backing track error first revealed the singers had been lip-syncing, Farian confirmed to the press that others had sung on the albums.{{Cite book |last=Tobler |first=John |title=NME Rock 'N' Roll Years |publisher=Reed International Books Ltd. |year=1991 |edition=1st |location=London |page=479 |id=CN 5585}} Milli Vanilli's 1990 Grammy Award for Best New Artist was revoked, and at least 26 lawsuits were filed in the United States under U.S. consumer fraud protection laws.{{cite news |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE6DA1239F930A2575BC0A967958260 |title=Judge Rejects Milli Vanilli Refund Plan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090202093257/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE6DA1239F930A2575BC0A967958260 |archive-date=2 February 2009 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=13 August 1991 |access-date=21 March 2006 }}{{cite news |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IrozAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA4 |title=Judge OKs refunds to Milli Vanilli fans |newspaper=Lodi News-Sentinel |date=25 March 1992 |page=7 |agency=AP |access-date=13 December 2023 |archive-date=13 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231213120857/https://books.google.com/books?id=IrozAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA4 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |first=Tom |last=Ford |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZScxAAAAIBAJ&dq=r&pg=PA22 |title=Two Port Clinton teens add a lawsuit to others against Milli Vanilli |newspaper=Toledo Blade |date=7 December 1990 |page=5 |access-date=24 January 2024 |archive-date=13 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231213120857/https://books.google.com/books?id=ZScxAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA22&dq=r |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |first=Ulysses |last=Torassa |title=Suit seeks refunds for Ohioans who bought Milli Vanilli album |newspaper=The Plain Dealer }}

=La Bouche, Le Click, Eruption, No Mercy=

Following the Milli Vanilli controversy, Farian developed similar Eurodance groups La Bouche and Le Click. He also produced the 1997 version of "Tic, Tic Tac" by Chilli Feat. Carrapicho.{{Cite web |title=Swisscharts: Chilli Feat. Carrapicho – Tic, Tic Tac (Original Remix Version) |url=http://swisscharts.com/showitemurl.asp?cat=s&id=3484 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217103146/http://swisscharts.com/showitemurl.asp?cat=s&id=3484 |archive-date=17 February 2022 |access-date=12 April 2020 |website=Swisscharts}}

Some other groups and solo acts Farian was involved with are Eruption (whom he managed in 1977), singer Precious Wilson, and Latin pop band No Mercy, which was based in Germany.{{citation needed|date=December 2023}}

=''Daddy Cool'' musical=

On 15 August 2006, the musical Daddy Cool opened at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London's West End, featuring Michelle Collins, Michael Harvey, Javine Hylton, and singer/songwriter Darvina Plante. The £3 million show was produced by Farian and Robert Mackintosh. The story, written by Stephen Plaice with Amani Naphtali, is predominantly based on the songs of Boney M., but also has songs by Milli Vanilli, Eruption, La Bouche, and No Mercy. A second show opened on 23 April 2007 in Berlin, Germany, and toured in the Netherlands{{Cite web |title=Daddy Cool Musical |url=http://daddycoolmusical.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070519131138/http://www.daddycoolmusical.com/ |archive-date=19 May 2007 |access-date=13 March 2016 |website=Daddycoolmusical.com}} from August 2011 to February 2012, Spain (Palma de Mallorca) in July 2012, Switzerland from November 2015 to January 2016,{{Cite web |title=DADDY COOL – das Musical mit den Welthits von Boney M. im Le Théâtre Kriens-Luzern |url=http://www.le-theatre.ch/daddycool |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404071429/http://www.le-theatre.ch/daddycool/ |archive-date=4 April 2016 |access-date=13 March 2016 |website=Le-theatre.ch |language=de}} and Germany in 2016.{{Cite web |title=Daddy Cool Das Boney M Musical – Frank Serr Showservice Int. e.K |url=http://www.showservice-international.de/daddy-cool-das-boney-m-musical.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150205023651/http://www.showservice-international.de/daddy-cool-das-boney-m-musical.html |archive-date=5 February 2015 |access-date=13 March 2016 |website=Showservice-international.de |language=de }}

=Other activities=

In 2006, Farian was credited as co-writing the song "Doin' Fine" with British producers Nathan Thomas and Carl M. Cox. (Other writers involved in the song were Chris Rudall, Baz Qureshi, Peter Wilson, Chris Richards, and George Reyam). Described as paying tribute to the sound of Boney M., the song was essentially a new composition featuring the string arrangement from Boney M.'s 1976 number one hit "Daddy Cool". It was recorded by Australian pop singer Peter Wilson.{{Cite web |title=Peter Wilson Music |url=https://peterwilsonmusic.com/ |url-status=dead |access-date=26 August 2021 |website=Peterwilsonmusic.com |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080604231424/http://www.peterwilsonmusic.com/ |archivedate=4 June 2008}} It was initially released in the UK on 16 April 2007 in its extended format, entitled "Daddy's Cool 12" Mix", and reached number one on the EuroDanceHits EuroNRG Top 40 in May 2007.{{Cite web |title=Euro Dance Hits : Site News |url=http://www.eurodancehits.com/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081111162439/http://www.eurodancehits.com/index.html |archive-date=11 November 2008 |access-date=2014-08-08 |publisher=Eurodancehits.com}} The original version of "Doin' Fine" was featured on Peter Wilson's debut album, Follow Me,{{Cite web |title=Klone Records! |url=http://www.klonerecords.com/releases/moreinfo.php?ID=281 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015201113/http://klonerecords.com/releases/moreinfo.php?ID=281 |archive-date=15 October 2007 |access-date=8 August 2014 |publisher=Klone Records!}} released in the UK on 8 October 2007. It was also recorded in 2008 by Amanda Lear.

Personal life

Later in life, Farian resided in Miami, Florida, United States.{{Cite news|last=Tominey |first=Camilla |date=1 December 2021 |title=Boney M's Liz Mitchell: 'At the moment, there's such little hope in the lyrics we hear' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/artists/boney-ms-liz-mitchell-music-clean-nothing-frightened/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110131627/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/artists/boney-ms-liz-mitchell-music-clean-nothing-frightened/ |archive-date=10 January 2022 |access-date=17 February 2022 |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph}} He had three daughters and a son with his former common-law wife, Chinya Onyewenjo.{{cite news |url=https://www.morgenpost.de/printarchiv/leute/article103194535/Produzent-Frank-Farian-mit-65-wieder-Vater.html |title=Produzent Frank Farian mit 65 wieder Vater |newspaper=Berliner Morgenpost |date=8 May 2007 |access-date=13 December 2023 |language=de |archive-date=13 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231213120857/https://www.morgenpost.de/printarchiv/leute/article103194535/Produzent-Frank-Farian-mit-65-wieder-Vater.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://www.welt.de/vermischtes/prominente/article13921718/Farian-tauscht-alte-zickige-Ex-gegen-Po-Prinzessin.html |title=Musikproduzent: Farian tauscht 'alte, zickige' Ex gegen Po-Prinzessin |newspaper=Die Welt |date=14 March 2012 |access-date=13 December 2023 |language=de |archive-date=13 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231213120857/https://www.welt.de/vermischtes/prominente/article13921718/Farian-tauscht-alte-zickige-Ex-gegen-Po-Prinzessin.html |url-status=live }} His daughter Yanina sang with him in 2021 on a cover of "Cherish" by Kool & the Gang. In 2022, he announced that his life had been saved by a surgery to replace an ailing heart valve with tissue from a pig's organ.{{cite news | url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/frank-farian-obituary-82pp87bkw | title=Frank Farian obituary | access-date=26 January 2024 | archive-date=26 January 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240126023511/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/frank-farian-obituary-82pp87bkw | url-status=live }}

Farian died in Miami on 23 January 2024 at the age of 82.{{cite news |title=German music producer Frank Farian dies aged 82 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/german-music-producer-frank-farian-dies-aged-82/a-68063478 |access-date=23 January 2024 |publisher=Deutsche Welle |date=23 January 2024 |archive-date=23 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240123122608/https://www.dw.com/en/german-music-producer-frank-farian-dies-aged-82/a-68063478 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |first=Peter |last=Keepnews |title=Frank Farian, the Man Behind Milli Vanilli, Is Dead at 82 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/23/arts/music/frank-farian-dead.html |access-date=23 January 2024 |website=The New York Times |date=23 January 2024 |archive-date=23 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240123171645/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/23/arts/music/frank-farian-dead.html |url-status=live }}

In films

In 2023, Farian was portrayed by Matthias Schweighöfer in the film Girl You Know It's True.

On 3 September 2024, it was announced that there is a documentary series covering the life and career of Farian in pre-production by Australian film producer Kaine Harling and Kelly Hauge, titled Behind the Curtain: The Frank Farian Story.{{Cite news |date=3 September 2024 |title=New Docuseries on Boney M., Milli Vanilli Creator Frank Farian |url=https://apnews.com/press-release/ein-presswire-newsmatics/music-pop-music-56611a150b35f21684f5b2dca254ad1c |access-date=3 September 2024 |website=AP News}}

Discography

=Studio albums=

So ein Tag (1971)
So muß Liebe sein (1973)
Rocky (1976)
Division One (1985)
Solitude (1994)

=Compilation albums=

Star Discothek (1978)
The Hit Man – The Best of 25 Years (1994)
The Hit Collection – The Best of 25 Years (1994)
The Hit Man II (2000)
Summer Hits (2001)
Dieter Thomas Heck präsentiert: 40 Jahre ZDF Hitparade (2009)
Produced by Frank Farian (2009)

=Singles=

"Shouting Ghost" (1964)
"Yakety Yak" (1964)
"Under the Boardwalk" (1965)
"Mr. Pitiful" (1967)
"Gipsy" (1968)
"Dana My Love" (1968)
"Ein Kissen voller Träume" (1969)
"Speedy Jack" (1970)
"Du bist wunderbar" (1971)
"Morgens, mittags, abends – Barbara" (1971)
"So ein Tag" (1971)
"Gold in Acapulco" (1972)
"Leg den Kopf an meine Schulter" (1972)
"Was kann schöner sein" (1973)
"So muß Liebe sein" (1973)
"Wunderbar" (1973)
"Bleib bei mir" (1974)
"An mir soll es nicht liegen" (1974)
"Atlantica" (1975)
"My Decision" (1975)
"Cara mia bleib" (1975)
"Rocky" (1976)
"Spring über deinen Schatten, Tommy" (1976)
"Sie war erst 17 (und neu in der Stadt)" (1977)
"Mother and Child Reunion" (1985)
"Stairway to Heaven" (1985)
"Fire and Water" (1986)
"You Are the Woman" (1986)
"One By One" (1987)
"Sebastian" (1987)
"Rikki Don't Lose That Number" (1994)
"Rainy Days" (1994)

=Albums produced (selection)=

;Boney M.

Take the Heat off Me (No. 2 Germany, No. 1 Sweden)
Love for Sale (No. 1 Germany, No. 1 Sweden, No. 2 Netherlands)
Nightflight to Venus (No. 1 UK, No. 1 Germany, No. 1 Netherlands)
Oceans of Fantasy (No. 1 UK, No. 1 Germany, No. 3 Netherlands)
The Magic of Boney M. – 20 Golden Hits (No. 1 UK, No. 2 Germany, No. 2 New Zealand)
Gold – 20 Super Hits (No. 2 Netherlands, No. 2 New Zealand)