Music: Milli Vanilli Documentary

[Stylizer1]

Also its not uncommon for singers with dance routines to lip sync.

At the end you can hear just how low his actual vocals were.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Ice Cube refused an invatation to be on Soul Train because they told him he had to lip sync.

I thought the Icecube thing had more to do with him not using some lyrics. He did appear as a presenter on the show twice I think

 

[Mike C]

Also its not uncommon for singers with dance routines to lip sync.

At the end you can hear just how low his actual vocals were.

I saw Queen in their heyday and Freddy lip synched half the show while running around the stage in his boxers

It's garbage. Never saw Dylan, Plant, Jagger or anyone legit do that

 

[Osprey]

The issue wasn't simply the lip synching. It was that the vocals that they lip synced to weren't even theirs. If they had just sung every song on the album and then lip synced to those recordings on stage and in music videos, like so many other artists have done, it wouldn't have been the scandal that it was.

 

[Stylizer1]

I thought the Icecube thing had more to do with him not using some lyrics. He did appear as a presenter on the show twice I think

He did present at the award shows but when his first album came out is when he was asked. I saw an interview where he stated it.

 

[Jumptheshark]

He did present at the award shows but when his first album came out is when he was asked. I saw an interview where he stated it.

There was a language issue. I believe they wanted him to sing the "clean" version of a song but he said "You can trust me, let me do it live"..they did not believe him

 

[VMBM]

Which one was Milli and which one Vanilli?

 

[Lshap]

The issue wasn't simply the lip synching. It was that the vocals that they lip synced to weren't even theirs. If they had just sung every song on the album and then lip synced to those recordings on stage and in music videos, like so many other artists have done, it wouldn't have been the scandal that it was.

True. An artist lip-syncing to their own voice is disappointing; an artist lip-syncing to someone else's voice is dishonest.

I give Michael Jackson a pass for occasionally lip-syncing, because it's almost impossible to maintain a strong, steady singing voice with his level of insane choreography. For most others, it's done to compensate for lack of skill.

 

[Osprey]

True. An artist lip-syncing to their own voice is disappointing; an artist lip-syncing to someone else's voice is dishonest.

That's a good way to put it. This crossed the line for most people from disappointing to dishonest. It may not have been the first time that it happened, but these were international stars at the height of their fame and fresh off of a Grammy win for Best New Artist, so it was going to be a big scandal.

The closest comparable may be The Monkees. They were similarly on top of the world for a few years in the late 60s. The actors from the show did sing the songs that were credited to them, but didn't actually play the instruments. Once that got out, they disbanded.

People are often willing to give artists a pass or the benefit of the doubt, but no one likes posers.

 

[Moose Head]

That's a good way to put it. This crossed the line for most people from disappointing to dishonest. It may not have been the first time that it happened, but these were international stars at the height of their fame and fresh off of a Grammy win for Best New Artist, so it was going to be a big scandal.

The closest comparable may be The Monkees. They were similarly on top of the world for a few years in the late 60s. The actors from the show did sing the songs that were credited to them, but didn't actually play the instruments. Once that got out, they disbanded.

People are often willing to give artists a pass or the benefit of the doubt, but no one likes posers.

Funny thing is, I think the Monkees actually knew how to play their instruments. They were actually upset the network wouldn’t let them play and write their own songs.

 

[Osprey]

Funny thing is, I think the Monkees actually knew how to play their instruments. They were actually upset the network wouldn’t let them play and write their own songs.

My guess is that they may not have been able to play them when they were cast in the show and may've taken it upon themselves to learn them as they went along. Either way, they may not have been good enough for the network and label, which is similar to Milli Vanilli. Apparently, MV did go into the studio and sing their songs, but their manager didn't think that they were good enough and had them replaced. They weren't happy about it and insisted that they actually sing on their next album, which they did (but too late).

 

[Osprey]

I'm listening to Milli Vanilli's debut album right now and it's a little bit scary that I recognize every track on it. They couldn't have all been on the radio, so I must've had a tape of it (likely a copy of a friend's, since I never bought it, myself). I went from thinking that I wasn't a fan and being able to name only one song of theirs a few days ago to realizing that maybe I was a minor fan and listened to their whole first album enough to remember it over 30 years later.

I shouldn't really be embarrassed, though, because it's a surprisingly strong and enjoyable album with a bunch of hits (five Billboard top-5 hits, including three #1s) and several other catchy songs. The album is no joke, even if "Milli Vanilli" became one.

 

[Stylizer1]

There was a language issue. I believe they wanted him to sing the "clean" version of a song but he said "You can trust me, let me do it live"..they did not believe him

Every body who performed on soul train lip synced though. It was standard practice.

Ice T performed New Jack Hustler on Soul Train and lip synced the clean version.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

People don’t like being made fools of, so when you put them in position to feel like one, there will be anger and severe backlash.

Obviously they hit on something massive and sold millions of records, Fab and Rob’s faces/dancing paired with the voices of Howell and Davis.

Maybe they could have been like the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and just had Fab and Rob dancing but I get it was the whole illusion of the pretty faces with the beautiful voices that sold so many albums.

 

[JMCx4]

The issue wasn't simply the lip synching. It was that the vocals that they lip synced to weren't even theirs. If they had just sung every song on the album and then lip synced to those recordings on stage and in music videos, like so many other artists have done, it wouldn't have been the scandal that it was.

BINGO!

 

[JMCx4]

Which one was Milli and which one Vanilli?

Yes.

 

[Royale With Cheese]

 

[Jumptheshark]

Funny thing is, I think the Monkees actually knew how to play their instruments. They were actually upset the network wouldn’t let them play and write their own songs.

Only 2/4 of the guys were musicians at the time. Tork and Nesmith. Nesmith wrote for other people because the producers wouldn't allow him to do some of his own stuff. Most famous song from that era is Different Drummer made famous by Linda Ronstadt

 

[Stylizer1]

Same thing happened with the groups Black Box and C&C Music factory. Martha Walsh was the actual singer.

 

[Mike C]

Only 2/4 of the guys were musicians at the time. Tork and Nesmith. Nesmith wrote for other people because the producers wouldn't allow him to do some of his own stuff. Most famous song from that era is Different Drummer made famous by Linda Ronstadt

Bar Trivia-- Mike Nesmith's mother invented the the typing correction liquid "White Out"

 

[Jumptheshark]

Bar Trivia-- Mike Nesmith's mother invented the the typing correction liquid "White Out"

He did commercials for it I'm the 80s. When does past he got all her estate

 

[Osprey]

He did commercials for it I'm the 80s. When does past he got all her estate

Speaking of typing correction, you post from your phone a lot, don't you?

 

[Jumptheshark]

Speaking of typing correction, you post from your phone a lot, don't you?

Yep

 

[Hippasus]

They're probably making so much money off me. I go through so much white-out tape for writing with a pen.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Bar Trivia-- Mike Nesmith's mother invented the the typing correction liquid "White Out"

I found out about this when I was like 11-12, because kids were sniffing wite-out and a few had OD'd on it.

There was a big story on the "wite-out sniffing" epidemic and it mentioned Nesmith inheriting his mom's fortune.

Think he got like 50m... in blood money!