Far Corporation is a band created by record producer

Record producer

A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...

 Frank Farian

Frank Farian

Frank Farian , is a German record producer and songwriter. He started out as a trained cook before moving into the music industry...

, who created the bands Boney M. and Milli Vanilli

Milli Vanilli

Milli Vanilli was a pop/dance music project formed by Frank Farian in Germany in 1988, visually fronted by Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus. The group's debut album achieved international success and earned them a Grammy Award for Best New Artist on Feb. 21, 1990. Milli Vanilli became one of the most...

. The name was shortened from "Frank Farian Corporation", which was originally put together to record a cover of the Paul Simon

Paul Simon

Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...

 piece "Mother and Child Reunion

Mother and Child Reunion

"Mother and Child Reunion" is a song by Paul Simon on his album, Paul Simon , his first solo album after Bridge Over Troubled Water. It was released as a single on February 5, 1972, reaching #4 on the U.S...

" as a charity record and reached the top 10 in several European countries. That group's lineup included members of Barclay James Harvest

Barclay James Harvest

Barclay James Harvest are an English progressive rock band. They were founded in Saddleworth, Lancashire, in September 1966 by John Lees, Les Holroyd, Stuart "Woolly" Wolstenholme , and Mel Pritchard .-History:...

, Toto

Toto (band)

Toto is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1977. The group currently consists of Joseph Williams , David Paich , Steve Porcaro , Steve Lukather , Mike Porcaro , and Simon Phillips . Toto is known for a musical style that combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, progressive rock, hard...

, Boney M

Boney M

Boney M. is a Eurodisco group created by German record producer Frank Farian. Originally based in Germany, the four original members of the group's official line-up were Jamaicans Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett, Maizie Williams from Montserrat and Bobby Farrell from Aruba...

 and Force Majeure

Force Majeure (Band)

Force Majeure was an English new wave group, formed in 1983 in Bristol. The band was formed from the German based group, The Agents, and mixed post-punk, electronic dance with an original line-up of two singers and two keyboard players. The line-up consisted of Agent members Richard Snow , Dave...

.

Far Corporation's primary claim to fame is their cover of "Stairway to Heaven

Stairway to Heaven

"Stairway to Heaven" is a song by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, released in late 1971. It was composed by guitarist Jimmy Page and vocalist Robert Plant for the band's untitled fourth studio album . The song, running eight minutes and two seconds, is composed of several sections, which...

". Contrary to public perception, Far Corporation was actually the first group to make the singles charts with this song as Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...

 had never released it as a single. Some of the musicians Farian assembled include vocalist Robin McAuley

Robin McAuley

Robin McAuley is an Irish rock vocalist known mostly for his work in McAuley Schenker Group and before that Grand Prix recording 2 albums...

, drummer Simon Phillips

Simon Phillips

Simon Phillips is an English jazz, pop and rock drummer.-Career:Phillips began to play professionally at the age of twelve in his father's Dixieland band for four years. He was then offered the chance to play in the musical Jesus Christ Superstar...

, ex-Saga

Saga (band)

Saga is a progressive rock quintet, formed in Oakville, Ontario, Canada. Jim Crichton and Welsh-born vocalist Michael Sadler have been the principal songwriters for Saga. Ian Crichton is the band's guitarist; apart from his work with Saga, he has recorded several solo albums as well as sessions...

 drummer Curt Cress, and three members of Toto

Toto (band)

Toto is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1977. The group currently consists of Joseph Williams , David Paich , Steve Porcaro , Steve Lukather , Mike Porcaro , and Simon Phillips . Toto is known for a musical style that combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, progressive rock, hard...

: vocalist Bobby Kimball

Bobby Kimball

Robert Troy "Bobby" Kimball is an American singer, best known as the longtime frontman of the rock band Toto.- Early life:...

, keyboardist David Paich

David Paich

David Frank Paich is a session musician, keyboard player, recording producer, arranger, vocalist and main composer of the Los Angeles-based rock/pop band Toto. David is the son of the late jazz composer, musician, and arranger Marty Paich...

, and guitarist Steve Lukather

Steve Lukather

Steve "Luke" Lukather is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer best known for his work with the rock band Toto. Lukather has played with many artists, released several solo albums, and worked as a composer, arranger, and session guitarist on more than 1,500 albums...

. Far Corporation released its first album Division One in 1985 on IMP/ATCO Records and their cover of "Stairway to Heaven" reached #8 on the UK Singles Chart

UK Singles Chart

The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...

. Also included on the album was a cover of Free

Free (band)

Free were an English rock band, formed in London in 1968, best known for their 1970 signature song "All Right Now". They disbanded in 1973 and lead singer Paul Rodgers went on to become a frontman of the band Bad Company along with Simon Kirke on drums; lead guitarist Paul Kossoff died from a...

's "Fire and Water" (their second single).

A second album Advantage was completed for a 1987 release, heralded by the new single "One by One". Both this as well as the second single - a cover of Cockney Rebel

Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel

Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel are an English rock band from the early 1970s. Their music covers a range of styles from pop to progressive rock. Over the years they have had five albums in the UK Albums Chart and twelve singles in the UK Singles Chart.-Career:...

's "Sebastian" - failed to reach the charts, and the album was eventually scrapped. Two of the lost recordings, "Make Believe" and "Big Brother", surfaced as Bobby Kimball duets on Farian artist Jayne (Collins)'s Ambush in the Night album (1989) and Milli Vanilli

Milli Vanilli

Milli Vanilli was a pop/dance music project formed by Frank Farian in Germany in 1988, visually fronted by Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus. The group's debut album achieved international success and earned them a Grammy Award for Best New Artist on Feb. 21, 1990. Milli Vanilli became one of the most...

's second album The Moment of Truth (1991). The rest was recycled along a few new recordings on the group's second release, 1994's Solitude on MCI-BMG

BMG

Bertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...

. This time they were joined by former Thin Lizzy

Thin Lizzy

Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Two of the founding members, drummer Brian Downey and bass guitarist/vocalist Phil Lynott met while still in school. Lynott assumed the role of frontman and led them throughout their recording career of thirteen studio albums...

 guitarist Scott Gorham

Scott Gorham

Scott Gorham is an American guitarist and songwriter who rose to international recognition as one of the "twin lead guitarists" of the Irish-formed rock band, Thin Lizzy...

. Mostly assembled in honour of Farian's 25 years anniversary as a producer, the album failed to repeat the success of "Stairway to Heaven".

Discography

Division One (1985)

1. "Stairway to Heaven" – 9:33
2. "You Are the Woman" – 4:33
3. "One of Your Lovers" – 3:44
4. "Live Inside Your Dreams" – 3:32
5. "Johnny, Don't Go the Distance" – 6:34
6. "Fire and Water" – 3:55
7. "If You Could See You Through My Eyes" – 3:48
8. "No One Else Will Do" – 3:30
9. "Rock 'N' Roll Connection" – 3:36

Advantage (1987) - Unreleased album

1. "One by One" 4:24
2. "Sebastian" 6:03
3. "You Never Have to Say You Love Me" 3:40
4. "Make Believe"
5. "Big Brother"

a.o.

Solitude (1994)

1. "Rainy Days" – 4:40
2. "She's Back Again" – 4:18
3. "Solitude" – 4:52
4. "You Never Have to Say You Love Me" – 3:21
5. "Full Moon" – 4:05
6. "Rikki, Don't Lose that Number
   Rikki Don't Lose That Number
   "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" is a single released in 1974 by rock/pop/jazz group Steely Dan and the opening track of their third album Pretzel Logic. The record became the group's highest charted album, peaking at #4 on "Billboard" in the summer of 1974....
   
   " – 4:10
7. "Just a Wish" – 4:15
8. "Hole in the Air" – 3:38
9. "Sebastian" – 6:03
10. "You Change My Life" – 3:55
11. "(Bonus Track) One of Your Lovers [Remix '94]" – 3:49
12. "(Bonus Track) Stairway to Heaven [Remix '94]" – 8:46

External links

• Far Corporation @ MusicMight