Milli Vanilli will perform at Spring Fling 1997
BY SUSANNE SACHSMAN
Contributing Reporter


Bbbb, Bbbb, Baby. Don't forget Milli Vanilli.

Even if you want to blame it on the Yale College Council, the reunited Mili Vanilli will perform on Cross Campus for Spring Fling.

While last seen in a self-mocking chewing-gum commercial, lip-synching the Care-Free jingle, Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan are beginning the promotional tour for their newest comeback album Back and in Attack. The group will be in Florida this weekend and will travel up the coast to be in New Haven April 27.

"The entire YCC made the vote unanimously," YCC Spring Fling Chair Kimbie Taylor '99 said. "They're a blast from our childhood, and they've sold ten million albums and scored five 'Top Five' singles, including three 'Number Ones.'"

Since their failed comeback attempt in 1992, Pilatus and Morvan have taken extensive voice training from Mario Bellefonte, lead voice instructor for the Metropolitan Opera Company. The group had also worked with English elocution experts to perfect their pronunciation technique.

"The boys are ready and we're all excited about the stop at Yale," Vanilli's producer and manager Frank Farian '82 said. "I'm thankful for a second chance and a homecoming in New Haven."

Farian took a large portion of the blame during the summer of 1990 when the American music industry revoked Milli Vanilli's "Best New Artist" award. The AMI said the group misrepresented their contributions to their own music after discovering Pilatus and Morvan had not performed any of the vocals on their album.

Actually performers Charles Shaw, John Davis, and Brad Howe originally denied the charges, but then could not refute the evidence.

But last night Howe said he was glad the group was making another comeback attempt.

"They're great guys and they really have a lot of talent," Howe said. "I was sorry that my voice on album helped to bring them down."

Yale President Levin could not be reached for comment on the band choice.

Yale College Dean Brodhead said he worried about the negative attention the band's appearance might bring to the University since Milli Vanilli has yet to fully re-establish their credibility.

"But it's not my choice. The students have the right to make these decisions on their own," he said.

Responding to questions about Milli Vanilli's integrity, YCC president Tyson Bellinger '98 said "Plenty of the greatest music ever made has been created by hacks, slacker, and no-names, who for whatever reasons stumbled onto a little bit of genius."

Most students are pleased with the council's band decision.

"I love Milli Vanilli's Girl, You Know It's True," Bill Burdett '98 said. "I can go on all day long about its neo-soul song craft, its soaring synth-strings, its shimmering percussion."

"I still listen to them all the time," Tara Doyle '98 said. "I've always been extremely attracted to those two braided hunks of muscle."

"I love their slightly off-base charisma, their enormous pecs, and their great hair," Katie Unger '98 said.


Source: http://www.yaledailynews....p?AID=7287

Rob Pilatus died in april 1998.
http://www.crapfromthepas...obdied.htm
[Edited 2/12/06 19:07pm]

ludwig said:

That is a shame about his death, I remember hearing about his death and being in disbelief. I was actually in contact with Fabrice Morvan's current guitar player for awhile, he was really nice - so was Fabrice. (As nice as someone can be via e-mail.) I'm pretty sure this scheduled performance never took place. It would have been cool to see them perform together again. Oh well.

So do you also know the second album "The real Milli Vanilli" ? It's also produced by Frank Farian and all the musicians that were behind "Girl you know It's true". I'm sure that it would've been great without the scandal.
http://www.crapfromthepas...condlp.htm

ludwig said:

Totally own a burned copy, that a diehard sold me for 10$ with cover art like 8 years ago. Love it.

ludwig said:

I saw him about a year before his death at a Me'Shell NdegeOcello show at First Ave. in Mpls.

minneapolisgenius said:

Wow!
Did you talk to him at all? How did he look?

JasonStar said:

Well, he looked like this:



The blond hair and all. No, I didn't talk to him. I think he was with Robyne Robinson, a local newscaster in Minneapolis.

To this day, I can't front on that one song - "Girl You Know It's True".

I always thought Rob Pilatus was gorgeous, what a waste.