He never got the reappraisal that Abba did, but with covers of 60s psych, songs about the Troubles and an unerring knack for hooks, the late German songwriter leaves a daring legacy
Source: picture alliance / Getty Frank Farian, the German producer & songwriter who made Milli Vanilli one of pop music's most famous (and infamous) acts, has died at the age of 82. His family confirmed to BBC News on Tuesday (Jan. 24) that Farian passed away at his home in Miami. A cause of death was not given at press time, but he did receive a heart valve transplant in 2022. Farian first rose to prominence with 70s disco-pop group Boney M., co-writing, promoting and singing lead vocals on many tracks. The group's biggest hit was 1979's "Daddy Cool," which peaked at #6 on the UK charts and #65 on the US Hot 100. Farian also produced albums for artists such as Meat Loaf and Stevie Wonder, selling an estimated 800 million records. However, his biggest impact (and scandal) came with the formation of Milli Vanilli in 1988. Consisting of Fabrice "Fab" Morvan and Rob Pilatus (on-screen, anyway), the group had a string of hits, including three