Whatever Happened to LFO? Inside Their Split and the Tragic Fate of the Band’s Members

Among the plethora of boy and girl hip-hop and pop bands that emerged in the '90s was LFO (which, by the way, stands for Lyte Funkie Ones). The group formed in 1995 in New Bedford, Mass., and was initially made up of three members: Rich Cronin, Brian “Brizz” Gillis (later replaced by Devin Lima), and Brad Fischetti.

In fact, if you only became a fan of LFO once their songs became radio staples, you might not remember Brian, as Devin had already joined the group to fill his place by 1998.

While LFO’s success didn’t quite reach NSYNC or Backstreet Boys levels, they had some notable hits that any teenage girl at the height of their success could recite back to you, particularly these lyrics from their hit "Summer Girls:" “New Kids On The Block had a bunch of hits / Chinese food makes me sick."

LFO no doubt holds a place in most female millennials’ hearts, but whatever happened to the band? It’s sort of tragic, really.

LFO disbanded in 2002 as the boy band era was nearing its end. The group initially formed in 1995, and during their time together, they dropped several memorable hits. In 1997, they released a cover of the 1990 New Kids on the Block song “Step by Step,” and a year later, Brian left to pursue a solo career.

Then came the song they’ll likely go down in history for, “Summer Girls,” released in 1999. It served as the lead single from their self-titled debut album LFO and went on to chart on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It was also certified platinum by the RIAA.

Their boy band journey continued with tracks like "Girl on TV" and "Baby Be Mine," but a combination of declining record sales and the fading popularity of the late-'90s boy band trend led them to part ways in February 2002.

They did regroup for a reunion tour in 2009, per People, but it didn’t spark the kind of comeback seen by groups like the Backstreet Boys, especially since it happened just before Rich’s untimely death (more on that in a bit).

What’s more, LFO was managed by Lou Pearlman, the same man behind NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys, and allegedly wasn’t paying the group their fair share, at least according to Rich.

Before Rich passed away in 2010, he opened up on The Howard Stern Show about financial exploitation. Despite selling 4 or 5 million records, he said he “only saw pennies,” adding, “I should’ve made, like, at least 2 or 3 million dollars.” He blamed Lou for the situation, calling him “a creepy guy” and admitting he had to “go to therapy” to get over it all.

Still, each LFO member attempted to pursue an independent career, but sadly, many of their lives were cut short.

Aside from the band’s breakup and the fact that they never received their rightful earnings, most of LFO’s members have sadly passed away. Rich died in 2010 at the age of 36 from complications related to graft-versus-host disease, which, according to his obituary, stemmed from a five-year battle with leukemia.

Devin passed away in November 2018 at the age of 41 from cancer, per his obituary. And Brian, who was part of the original lineup before leaving the group in 1998, died in March 2023 at the age of 47, Brad confirmed in an Instagram post.