Bobby Farrell

For other people with the same name, see Robert Farrell.

Bobby Farrell
Bobby Farrell with Boney M in 2006
Born	Roberto Alfonso Farrell (1949-10-06)6 October 1949 San Nicolaas, Aruba
Died	30 December 2010(2010-12-30) (aged 61) Saint Petersburg, Russia
Occupations	Dancer singer DJ
Years active	1975–2010
Spouse	Jasmina Shaban ​ ​ (m. 1981; div. 1995)​
Children	2
Musical career

Roberto Alfonso Farrell (6 October 1949 – 30 December 2010) was an Aruban dancer, visual performer, singer and DJ. He was a member of the 1970s R&B group Boney M.

Biography

Birth and early life

Farrell was born and raised on the Caribbean island of Aruba in the Dutch colony of Curaçao and Dependencies (later known as the Netherlands Antilles). He left after finishing school at age 15 and was a sailor for two years before moving to Norway. He then went to the Netherlands, where he found occasional work as a DJ before moving to Germany for better opportunities.

Years with Boney M.

Farrell, 3rd from the left, performing with Boney M. in 1981

Bobby Farrell in 1991

In Germany, he mostly worked as a DJ, until producer Frank Farian spotted him for his new group, Boney M., and made Farrell the lone male singer in the group. In 1978, however, Farian confirmed existing rumours that Farrell made no vocal contributions to the group's records, and Farian had performed the male parts in the studio. Liz Mitchell said it was true; only she, Marcia Barrett and Farian had sung on the hit recordings, adding that Farrell limited himself vocally to "growling" when performing live in some of the various incarnations of Boney M., including the main 1970s incarnation. After Farrell left the group in 1981, due to clashes with Farian, his voice was genuinely recorded for the first time on the double A-side single We Kill the World/Boonoonoonoos. He was replaced by Reggie Tsiboe, while Farrell attempted a solo career; however, he rejoined in 1984 and continued as a member until the final split in 1986. The group didn't meet its end due to conflicts of any kind. Farian had simply planned Boney M. as a 10-year project. The German TV show "10 Jahre Boney M." (10 Years of Boney M.) marked the end of the group.

Farrell's daughter Zanillya Farrell says Farian deprived Farrell of any legal right to Boney M.'s hits, which caused her father to lose all his income after the band split.

When Dad asked Farian for 100,000 marks he was told to sign some papers. He signed away everything – image rights, royalties, the lot. My father lost everything. We had to move in with my grandmother in the Netherlands and live on welfare. After that, Dad started getting angry a lot. But Mum was very smart, and she realised, if you own the name, you can use it. Farian hadn't registered Boney M. all over the world, so that's why Dad could perform in certain countries.

In 1988, Farrell and the three original women reunited. Two remix albums were released, and they performed on several television shows. In France, one of their singles reached No. 1. Despite this, the reunion did not last more than a year. Soon after, Farrell started to tour with his own group, performing the band's hits under the name Bobby Farrell's Boney M.

He appeared as a dancer in the late-2005 Roger Sanchez music video for "Turn on the Music."

Later years and death

Farrell lived for many years in Amsterdam, in the neighbourhood of Gaasperdam in the borough of Amsterdam-Zuidoost.

In 1981, he married North Macedonian Romani Jasmina Shaban. They had a daughter named Zanillya in 1983, and a son named Zanin. They separated in 1995.

He died on the morning of 30 December 2010, in a hotel room in St. Petersburg, Russia, of heart failure. His agent, John Seine, said Farrell had complained of breathing problems and of a heavier pain in his chest than ever after performing with his band the prior evening. Despite his still present dynamism, he had had health problems for a decade. Farrell's body was discovered by hotel staff after he failed to respond to an alarm call. Coincidentally, he died on the same date and in the same city as Grigori Rasputin, the subject of one of his group's most iconic songs and whom he had dressed as in some live performances. He was buried at Zorgvlied cemetery in Amsterdam.

His daughter, Zanillya Farrell, is a rapper. In December 2011, she won the national music prize Grote Prijs van Nederland in the hip hop category.

In popular culture

In season 6, episode 5 ("Demon 79") of the television series Black Mirror, British actor Paapa Essiedu portrayed Farrell through the character of Gaap, a demon who takes the likeness of Farrell as he appeared on stage in the group Boney M. during a performance of the song "Rasputin".

Discography

Singles

• 1982: "Polizei" / "A Fool in Love"
• 1985: "King of Dancing" / "I See You"
• 1985: "Happy Song"
• 1987: "Hoppa Hoppa" / "Hoppa Hoppa" (instrumental)
• 1991: "Tribute to Josephine Baker"
• 2004: "Aruban Style" (Mixes) - S-Cream featuring Bobby Farrell
• 2006: The Bump EP
• 2010: "Bamboo Song" (Roundhouse Records)

Various compilations

(as "Bobby Farrell's Boney M." / as "Boney M. featuring Bobby Farrell" / "Bobby Farrell featuring Sandy Chambers")

• 2000: The Best of Boney M. (DVMore)
• 2001: Boney M. – I Successi (DVMore)
• 2001: The Best of Boney M. (II)
• 2001: The Best of Boney M. (III)
• 2005: Boney M. – Remix 2005 (featuring Sandy Chambers) (Crisler)
• 2007: Boney M. – Disco Collection

Note: these releases contain re-recordings of Boney M.'s hits, not the original versions.

External links

• Bobby Farrell at Find a Grave