Frank Farian German music producer, musician Date of Birth: 18.07.1941 Country: Germany

Biography of Frank Farian

Frank Farian, whose full name is Franz Reuther Farian, was born in 1941 in Kirn, Germany. His mother sang in a church choir, while his father, a factory worker, was killed during World War II. From a young age, Frank had a passion for music and sang in the church choir with his mother, showcasing his impressive vocal abilities.

With the responsibility of being the sole provider for his family, as his mother had to raise three children on her own, Frank started earning money at the age of twelve by playing guitar in restaurants. While studying to become a chef, he devoted all his free time to his hobby - music.

During the early 60s, Frank became heavily influenced by the wave of American music that was spreading worldwide and created the pseudonym "Frankie Farian" for himself. He formed his own band called "Frankie Farian und die Schatten" and performed at various venues. In 1964, the band even had the opportunity to perform at an international rock festival in Hamburg.

In the late 60s, Frank launched his own solo projects and began his career as a producer, collaborating with the recording company 'Hansa' and its director Hans Blume. In 1976, he released the hit song 'Rocky' in Germany. His first major production project was the instrumental group '75 Music', later known as 'Gilla'. In the 70s, this German group gained fame by releasing German versions of English songs, which became huge hits, such as 'Johnny', 'Sunny', and 'No Woman No Cry'.

To break into the international music scene, Frank released an all-English album called 'Help! Help!' with 'Gilla', later reissued as 'Bend Me, Shape Me'. By this time, Frank sensed the upcoming disco wave. The single 'Baby Do You Wanna Bump?' became the first release of the project 'Boney M', and it was with this song that the pseudonym 'Boney M' was first used. Although Frank also produced several other groups such as 'Benny', 'Gilla', 'FALCONS', it was 'Boney M' that became the most successful.

The mysterious quartet immediately sparked a great deal of interest, receiving invitations to perform at concerts from all over. The original members of 'Boney M' included singers Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett from Jamaica, who were living in Europe, as well as Maizie Williams and Bobby Farrell from the Lesser Antilles, also residing in Europe. The European success of the new group was phenomenal, although their success in the United States was somewhat more modest.

Aside from 'Boney M', Frank had other notable successes as a producer. He produced 'Eruption', a previously little-known British soul group called 'Silent Eruption'. After intervening in the group's fate, 'Eruption' reached the top of American charts and sold millions of records. Frank also worked with other groups such as 'Far Corporation' in the mid-80s and the highly successful project 'Milli Vanilli' in the late 80s.

'No Mercy', 'La Bouche', 'Ma Belle', and 'Chilli' are also creations of the talented producer Frank Farian. In 2007, he launched a new project called 'Daddy Cool Kids', which was a tribute to 'Boney M'. Throughout his career, Frank Farian sold over 800 million records and is a recipient of numerous music awards. According to the German Press Agency (DPA), Frank Farian is ranked among the top ten most successful producers in the world.

A documentary film titled 'Frank Farian: A Success Story' was released by ZDF television company in 1994, celebrating Frank Farian's 25-year professional career.