Music: Milli Vanilli Documentary

[Mike C]

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!

those were just the poor kids who couldn't afford magic markers and model airplanes

 

[Jumptheshark]

I have one problem with this doc. It paints the producer as the devil. Here is the thing, he never intended them to become what they became.

While it plays up his hijinks(he did some stupid stuff), it down plays just what the US guys did. None of the original European releases named rob and Fab as singers--it was only after the US guys got involved that it started happening. They really just sort of glance over that

 

[Chili]

I mentioned that earlier, as well as Bony M and a lot of songs from the 60's.

It was not new and it was an open secret that no one ever talked about. I think a Doc about just how it got to the level it did will be interesting while using the historical context of it not being so unusual for this to happen.

There was a documentary out a few years ago that I came across when I was researching the Wrecking crew and it was interesting when I found the documentary and it is was all about how many mostly female singers, while they sang hit songs on the road, they did not actual sing the original song in the studio but it was released under their name and no one cared

Just watched a well done documentary you may have seen 20 Feet From Stardom about background singers. One of the legends, Darlene Love, tells the story of cutting a record back in the 1960's and a while later hearing it released under someone else's name, then seeing them lip sync it. Seems clear the practice was in the industry well before MV.

 

[Xelebes]

The reality is that it is actually very difficult to find triple threats: someone who can sing, dance, and act. This was always a problem for Broadway. That's why you have Rex Harrison who could act and dance, but rather prattled whenever he had to sing in his movies. He was too good to be cut out of those musical movies and he probably sucked at lip-syncing so that was a no-go. So prattle he did.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Just watched a well done documentary you may have seen 20 Feet From Stardom about background singers. One of the legends, Darlene Love, tells the story of cutting a record back in the 1960's and a while later hearing it released under someone else's name, then seeing them lip sync it. Seems clear the practice was in the industry well before MV.

Yep... I love 20 feet from Stardom and earlier I posted about it.

My one problem with the doc was it down played what US guys did and up plays what the German guy did. The Doc had a clear agenda to make him out to be the demon. I think for the US music guys to be involved it had to be that way,

Only 2 guys really come clean saying they knew about it. The rest play dumb.

But with every Doc--there are always a few things to remember

1) Everyone has an agenda
2) Everyone will lie to a point about just what they knew or did
3) Look who financed any Doc--that will give you an idea about 1
4) Many times people will try to rewrite history. A few year ago I worked on a Doc about the moody blues and all members were involved with it. But about 6 months into the project the moodies (or their people) revoked all participation in the doc and we were no longer allowed to use their music. So they killed the doc (but the guys making the doc lost no money after an agreement was made to reimburse them for most of their expenses. What happened? We talked to Mike Pinder and Pat Moraz and the moodies have gone to great lengths to prevent anything official being released where they comment on their time in the moodies and why they were fired.

 

[Chili]

Yep... I love 20 feet from Stardom and earlier I posted about it.

My one problem with the doc was it down played what US guys did and up plays what the German guy did. The Doc had a clear agenda to make him out to be the demon. I think for the US music guys to be involved it had to be that way,

Only 2 guys really come clean saying they knew about it. The rest play dumb.

But with every Doc--there are always a few things to remember

1) Everyone has an agenda
2) Everyone will lie to a point about just what they knew or did
3) Look who financed any Doc--that will give you an idea about 1
4) Many times people will try to rewrite history. A few year ago I worked on a Doc about the moody blues and all members were involved with it. But about 6 months into the project the moodies (or their people) revoked all participation in the doc and we were no longer allowed to use their music. So they killed the doc (but the guys making the doc lost no money after an agreement was made to reimburse them for most of their expenses. What happened? We talked to Mike Pinder and Pat Moraz and the moodies have gone to great lengths to prevent anything official being released where they comment on their time in the moodies and why they were fired.

Love the Moodies that would have been an interesting film. A few years ago was trying to find a good book on them without luck. Sometimes it takes someone else telling their story to inspire their own book (like Marlon Brando, Bobby Orr and probably many others writing their autobiography/memoirs).

 

[Jumptheshark]

Love the Moodies that would have been an interesting film. A few years ago was trying to find a good book on them without luck. Sometimes it takes someone else telling their story to inspire their own book (like Marlon Brando, Bobby Orr and probably many others writing their autobiography/memoirs).

After they found out that a crew has been sent to LA to talk to Pinder and the guy who replaced him (at different time) all participation by the moodies ended and without being able to use their music? The project was dead, Sadly I was not part of the interviewing process but research

 

[SenzZen]

I don't blame MV. I Blame It on the Rain.

Gotta blame it on somethin'

 

[HolyGhost]

Milli Vanilli and Boney M Founder Frank Farian Dead at 82

Frank Farian, the founder of the iconic groups Boney M. and Milli Vanilli, has passed away.

www.tmz.com

devil gets his due