Franz Ferdinand [Archive] - cocteautwinsforums.com

mmmender

Jun-18-04, 5:52 PM

http://nme.com/media/images/franz_190104_M.jpg

FRANZ FERDINAND have hit the jackpot after shipping their millionth album worldwide.

The band, who have been out on the road in the US, found out the news last week. Industry insiders predict this is just the start of their success with a string of high-profile festival appearances planned this summer bound to make them even bigger.

A source close to the band told NME: "Reaching a million is such a milestone, it just has such a great ring to it. It's so well deserved - the band haven't stopped since the start of the year.

"There's still so much to do, the band are just about to start their second US tour of the year, only this time they'll be playing much bigger venues and they've yet to go to Japan, so who knows how many they'll have sold in six months."

mmmender

Jun-25-04, 11:50 AM

FRANZ FERDINAND’s ALEX KAPRANOS has told NME.COM he’s determined to make up for his first ever GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL, when he had an experience to be forgotten.

Speaking backstage to NME.COM today, the singer said that his first festival in 1993 was great, apart from the fact he wrote off a car belonging to his girlfriend’s dad.

He said: “I first came here when I was about 18. It was about ten years ago and The Velvet Underground were playing. I came down with some friends at the time and my girlfriend at the time, and managed to convince her parents to lend us their car. I wrote it off on the motorway on the way back, just outside Lockerbie. So my memories of Glastonbury are good, tinged with a little bit of sadness. I never came back again. Maybe I can write off two cars this time!”

Alex said that in actual fact, the band are enjoying the sunshine at this year’s festival, although they won’t be on site for long before jetting off to Germany for another festival.

He continued: “It’s going to be amazing. The atmosphere and the people, it’s just fantastic. Everyone’s really relaxed and having a fantastic time. The sun’s shining, you couldn’t really ask for any more. There’s some great bands playing as well this year.”

Franz Ferdinand play the Other Stage today at 7.20pm.

mattadore

Jun-25-04, 11:51 AM

I want you to take me out.

dprid

Jun-25-04, 1:20 PM

Originally posted by mmmender

FRANZ FERDINAND have been remixed by DAFT PUNK.

The duo have reworked ‘Take Me Out’. The song will be only released in France and on 12" vinyl only on July 5.

There are no current plans to release the single in the UK although it will be handed out to a number of DJs to be played in British clubs.

I heard the Headman remix of Matinee last night on the radio - very good and worth checking out if you can find it :)

mmmender

Jun-25-04, 5:48 PM

i split this thread, the resulting thread cheeky (http://www.cocteautwinsforums.com/showthread.php?threadid=5438) has been moved to the café.

Dewayne

Jun-29-04, 5:37 PM

One of my good friends let me borrow the new Franz cd. I abosolutely adore that music! I'm so glad they're having success with it too. They deserve it. That record is truly a work of art.

dynamine

Jun-30-04, 12:48 AM

heard the name,not the music.

mattadore

Jun-30-04, 9:53 PM

You should hear the music. It makes me want to dance with cute indie rock chicks.

Symphony

Jun-30-04, 11:19 PM

rlz!

mmmender

Jul-5-04, 12:02 PM

some franz ferdinand news on nme.com:

http://nme.com/news/109050.htm

dynamine

Jul-5-04, 12:06 PM

Originally posted by mattadore
You should hear the music. It makes me want to dance with cute indie rock chicks.
interesting.

mmmender

Jul-8-04, 6:14 PM

The early music career of FRANZ FERDINAND singer ALEX KAPRANOS is set to be revealed with the re-release of THE KARELIA's 'DIVORCE AT HIGH NOON'.

The 1997 album will come out on August 30 through Roadrunner Records and shows Kapranos' first stab at fame before he found success with Franz.

Taking their name from a Greek brand of cigarettes smoked by drummer Tassos Bombos, The Karelia enlisted The Monochrome Set's Bid's to produce the album.

At the time, Kapranos was going by the name Alex Huntley and was joined by Bombos, bassist Glen Thomson and Allan Wylie on trumpet.

The new version of 'Divorce At High Noon' will also feature two bonus tracks.

As previously reported on NME.COM, Franz Ferdinand are to release their next single 'Michael' on August 16.

The single will come out on two CDs and 7" vinyl, and is to include 'Missing You', a track recorded in Germany in May of this year, live favourite 'Love And Destroy' and 'Don't Start', recorded during the band's album sessions in Malmo with Tor Johannsen.

The single will also feature a new version of 'Tell Her Tonight', on which drummer Paul Thomson sings vocals in German.

mattadore

Jul-12-04, 1:57 PM

Originally posted by mmmender
FRANZ FERDINAND have been remixed by DAFT PUNK.

This PWNZ J00. Listening to it right now. :music:

mattadore

Jul-12-04, 2:03 PM

The Naum Gabo Remix is stellar also, incidentally. Would go down nice slipped into a DJ set with some Goldfrapp, Miss Kitten, and Ladytron.

mmmender

Jul-14-04, 11:12 AM

FRANZ FERDINAND stole the show at their ‘homecoming’ at T IN THE PARK this afternoon (July 11) – and then told NME.COM they’d like to curate their own event.

The band, who have Scottish roots, played to one of the biggest daytime crowds of the weekend on the Main Stage this afternoon.

Dressed in snappy black suits singer Alex Kapranos often looked overwhelmed at the audience reaction, particularly during single ’Take Me Out’, which is a contender for anthem of T so far.

The bulk of the band’s set was comprised of their hugely successful debut album. They opened with ’Cheating On You’, before playing a touching version of ’Come On Home’. From there ’Tell Her Tonight’, ’40 Feet’, ’This Fire’ and ’Darts Of Pleasure’ were all lapped up by the flag waving crowd. Some at the front looked to be at the point of tears.

Speaking backstage after the set, singer Alex Kapranos said playing T had been “a total homecoming”.

He said: “It was a really strong welcome back to Scotland. I could see millions of hands, millions of Scottish flags, a spiderman, a girl with her tits out, a guy with his tits out, and thousands and thousands of people dancing. It was perfect.”

Alex told NME.COM the next step for the band would be to put together their own festival, with Franz choosing the bands on the bill.

He said: “In the past we have dabbled into more unusual events and I think it’s something we’d like to look to in the future, particularly when we’ve got a little bit more time to think about ways to make it a bit more special. Scotland would be the first place we’d go. It’s that lateral thought that keeps the music scene exciting and interesting.”

One idea would be to hold a festival in a city such as Glasgow, with each member of the band putting together their own unique bill at a different venue.

Alex continued: “There’s thousands of good bands coming out of Glasgow and Scotland.”

The band said they’ve also been working on songs for their second album, and would like to collaborate with Dan The Automator as a producer at some point in the future.

mmmender

Jul-18-04, 11:07 AM

FRANZ FERDINAND frontman ALEX KAPRANOS insists the band's forthcoming single 'MICHAEL' is not about a gay relationship, but about a debauched warehouse party the band once attended in GLASGOW.

The track includes references to "beautiful boys on a beautiful dancefloor" and "stubble on my sticky lips", but Kapranos says it's a more general tale regarding the whole evening.

Kapranos told gay lifestyle magazine Boyz that the Michael in question was proud of the namecheck. But he refused to name the other man involved, because his girlfriend was "jealous".

He added: "It was one night when me and the band were out with friends from Glasgow, and we went to this warehouse dance party thing called Disco X.

"It was a very debauched night and these two friends got it together in a very sexy way."

'Michael' is released on August 16. Franz Ferdinand are currently winging their way round the summer festivals, and they play the Carling Weekend: Reading And Leeds over the weekend of August 27-29.

mmmender

Jul-22-04, 11:49 AM

FRANZ FERDINAND would like their second album to be recorded at home - and are looking for DAN THE AUTOMATOR, who worked with GORILLAZ, to twiddle the knobs.

The group have been writing new songs while touring their current debut album across the world. Singer Alex Kapranos said that while in the US they had met Dan The Automator, whose DIY ethic they liked. As a result, Kapranos has contributed vocals to a track on the new album by Dan's hip-hop project Handsome Boy Modelling School, and he's on the list to produce the next Franz album.

Kapranos said: "He was working from the spare room in his house, which is the way we started off. All the early recordings we did were in the kitchen of our flat so maybe we're going to go back in that direction.

"Sometimes you come up with the most original stuff if you're sitting in an environment that's most comfortable for you, rather than going into the £300,000 a day recording studio in the middle of the countryside."

As well as hip hop projects like Dr Octagon and Del Thee Funkee Homosapien, Dan The Automator has also worked with Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, amongst many others.

Ketamine

Jul-23-04, 3:02 AM

They have that Glasgow sound of the 80's, bit like the Fire Engines.

Baba O'Reilly

Jul-23-04, 7:25 AM

Originally posted by Ketamine
They have that Glasgow sound of the 80's, bit like the Fire Engines.

Well noted Ket, but to these ears I prefer the Fire Engines.

Ketamine

Jul-23-04, 7:26 PM

all together now....'CANDYSKIN OH CANDYSKIN...'

mmmender

Jul-31-04, 10:10 AM

WOOOHOO I JUST PICKED UP TICKETS FOR THE TORONTO SHOW!!

FRANZ FERDINAND are heading off on their third North American tour of the year.

Fresh from taking Australia and Japan this month, the band are hoping to build on their US success, with another trek. Their album is currently number 39 in the Billboard 200 album chart, having sold over 349,000 copies, according to MTV.

The dates are:

New York Roseland Ballroom (September 9)
Philadelphia Electric Factory (10)
Carrboro Cat's Cradle (11)
Atlanta Masquerade Music Park (12)
Dallas Gypsy Tea Room (14)
Houston Verizon Wireless Theatre (15)
Austin Zilker Park (17)
San Francisco Concourse Exhibition Centre (22)
Portland Crystal Ballroom (24)
Auburn White River Amphitheatre (25)
Vancouver Commodore Ballroom (26)
Minneapolis Quest (29)
Chicago Riviera Theatre (30)
Toronto The Docks (October 1)
Montreal Metropolis (2)

mmmender

Aug-5-04, 2:57 PM

i have 4 tix for the franz show in toronto on oct 1 and only have 3 takers......anyone here wanna come along?

mmmender

Aug-6-04, 10:40 AM

guess i've got no takers for my spare ticket, ah well...this from today's NME....

FRANZ FERDINAND have spoken to NME.COM about their recent visit to Australia – and how they almost got busted crossing the border!

The band’s international assault has reached the Pacific, with the band storming through Australia and Japan on their first ever tour where they were greeted like gods.

The band played two nights at Sydney Metro (July 22-23) before visiting Auckland's Splendour In The Grass Festival (24). They closed their Australian tour with one final night at Melbourne Palace (27). The following day they headed to Japan to play the legendary Fuji Rock festival.

Singer Alex Kapranos was characteristically delighted. In an exclusive interview with NME.COM, he said: "The whole thing's been pretty euphoric! We're basically on the other side of the planet here and people are still totally going for it. The audience reactions have been the most fantastic thing. It was out of control mayhem, totally heaving. You can feel the floor juddering underneath their feet as they're dancing."

Auckland saw the band achieve yet another ambition, being taken up in a helicopter.

"It's not what I was expecting," said Alex. "I've never been on a helicopter before. It was a competition and the first prize was to ride around the sky above Auckland in a helicopter with Franz Ferdinand! But I think we were behaving as if we were the prize winners as much as the prize winners were."

On entering New Zealand, the band were fined $200 for trying to smuggle an orange into the country after one of the crew left it in his luggage. Alex laughed: "They're very particular about taking any kind of foodstuffs across the borders and things, they were going crazy and the X Ray machines were flashing and going nuts, and we thought (jokes) 'Oh my god they’ve found the stash of cocaine!' But it wasn’t, it was the orange. They didn't give a damn about the hard drugs, it was the fact that we were smuggling and orange into the country. No citrus fruits!"

Tomorrow morning (August 7), the band put tickets on sale for their biggest ever UK and Irish tour.

The October dates are:

Belfast Ulster Hall (October 11)
Dublin Olympia (12-13)
Glasgow Barrowlands (15-16)
Wolverhampton Civic Hall (17)
Newcastle Northumbria University (19)
Exeter University (20)
Bradford St George's Hall (21)
Portsmouth Guildhall (23)
Leicester DeMontfort Hall (24)
Manchester Apollo (25)
London Brixton Academy (28-29)

mmmender

Aug-9-04, 10:19 AM

FRANZ FERDINAND have announced a one off matinee show for their younger fans.

The Glasgow post-punk heroes, who have just completed a triumphant show at Benicassim, have decided to perform a late afternoon gig for their under 18 audience at the Glasgow Barrowland on October 16.

The band have already sold out two late evening shows at the venue on October 15-16.

Tickets for the gig, which are limited to a maximum of four people, went on sale at 9.30am this morning (August 9).

In addition, other shows have been added to the tour. A third London Brixton Academy date on October 30 is now confirmed, as is a second Manchester Apollo on Tuesday October 26.

mmmender

Aug-9-04, 4:31 PM

FRANZ FERDINAND debuted another new song tonight (August 8) at BENICASSIM.

The Glasgow post-punk heroes have been playing new track ‘Can’t Stop Feeling’ across Australia and Japan.

While that was absent from the set, they gave the first airing to an uptempo, trademark Franz song called ‘This Boy’. It was so new that singer Alex Kapranos only finished writing the lyrics half an hour before taking the stage.

Spain has clearly fallen victim to worldwide Ferdinand fever, with their set attracting one of the biggest crowds of the night, with the following now-classic setlist:

’Cheating On You’
’40 Ft’
’Tell Her Tonight’
’Come On Home’
’Take Me Out’
’Auf Ausche’
’Jacqueline’
’This Boy’
’Matinee’
’Shopping For Blood’
’Michael’
’Darts Of Pleasure’
’This Fire’

dynamine

Aug-10-04, 1:10 PM

i keep seeing a video on the tube,it's kinda catchy,but just
doesn't do it for me.

mmmender

Aug-18-04, 1:02 PM

FRANZ FERDINAND have had to change the format of their single after it became chart ineligible.

The band released their latest single ’Michael’ yesterday (August 16), but have been forced to take one of the B-sides off the single.

A statement explains why. It reads: "Due to a rather silly schoolboy error, we neglected to realise that the inclusion of three tracks on both CD single formats would mean that ‘Michael’ CD2 would become ‘chart-ineligible’. "

The statement continues: "Victims of ours and Franz’s own generosity (lavishing five new B-sides on their fans across all the formats), we would like to apologise in advance as CD2 will now be re-packaged and released without the ‘offending’ third track, ‘Tell Her Tonight (Paul Sings)’."

The song is now being offered as a download via the band’s official and Domino websites, as of today. They can be found at franzzferdinand.co.uk and dominorecordco.com.

dprid

Aug-18-04, 1:51 PM

Originally posted by mmmender
The statement continues: "Victims of ours and Franz’s own generosity (lavishing five new B-sides on their fans across all the formats), we would like to apologise in advance as CD2 will now be re-packaged and released without the ‘offending’ third track, ‘Tell Her Tonight (Paul Sings)’."

So chart position is more important than the fans. Nice to know where they stand :)

Just to clear up the 'chart ineligable' bit - back in the early to mid eighties it got to the point where people were giving away huge numbers of freebies with singles in order to get them into the charts - t-shirts, free singles, videos, 7 different formats, all sorts of stuff. The chart compilers in their wisdom decided that this was distorting the charts so passed all sorts of rules regarding what could or couldn't be counted for the charts. I'm not totally up-to-date on the current rules, but it used to be no more than 3 formats (ie CD1, CD2 + 12") and there was a limit on how much music could be included as you were getting singles with 30+ minutes of music on them.

mmmender

Sep-8-04, 12:58 AM

FRANZ FERDINAND have won the MERCURY MUSIC PRIZE 2004.

A panel of judges drawn from the music industry have chosen their 12 ‘albums of the year’, with the overall winner announced this evening (September 7) at a ceremony in central London.

Throughout the week Franz Ferdinand’s self-titled debut had been secured as the bookmakers favourite to win the prize, with The Streets’ ’A Grand Don’t Come For Free’ also tipped.

Following a rush of last minute betting, The Zutons’ ‘Who Killed...The Zutons’ was also fancied by music fans and bookmakers alike.

However, it was Franz’s album which won out, taking the £20,000 prize.

On picking up the award the band looked shocked, and said they hadn't prepared for actually winning. Singer Alex Kapranos said the band were "very chuffed and very honoured" to receive the prize.

johncool

Sep-8-04, 7:53 AM

Their music is great! I stumbled across "Michael" videoclip on the TV last week... The next day I was listenning to the whole album.

paulr

Sep-15-04, 8:19 AM

personally cant see what the fuss is all about - they kind of remind me of the stuff people like Suede were doing 10-12 years ago

mmmender

Sep-16-04, 9:31 AM

FRANZ FERDINAND are just one more hit from breaking America off the back of their victory at the MERCURY MUSIC PRIZE last week.

The band went straight from last week's London ceremony (September 7) to the airport, and the following morning were on a plane to New York to tour the US with The Futureheads. The gigs are setting the scene for Franz Ferdinand – already selling well out there – to go supernova the same way Coldplay did last year.

As well as playing their biggest venues to date, Franz have been booked to play on 'The David Letterman Show' – one of the highest profile entertainment shows on US TV. They were also the only British band to pick up an award at last month’s MTV VMA Awards in Miami, ‘Take Me Out’ winning Breakthrough Video.

Now experts in the US say that it’s the perfect time for the band to succeed in the US, just as they have over here.

Andy Greenwald is a Senior Contributing Writer at the influential Spin magazine. They’ve just put Franz on the cover and are confident of the band’s future prospects.

"The hard work of laying a foundation has been done," he told NME.COM. "Now it's up to them to keep touring, release a second single and video, and build on the really shocking success that they've achieved."

However, singer Alex Kapranos is typically humble about the prospect, despite the opening night of their tour at New York’'s Roseland Ballroom being sold out weeks in advance.

"We’ll have to wait and see [about America]," he told NME.COM. "Things seem really good in America anyway, and it seems particularly good because it’s coming from a word of mouth level. I’m glad that that’s happened beforehand, I’m glad that people are getting into the band because of the music rather than think ‘Oh they won a prize in the UK, maybe we should check them out’. We’re going over to play shows that people wanted to come to because they’d heard the songs, and that’s more important at the end of the day."

petroldarling

Sep-16-04, 2:07 PM

http://whatsupnyc.com/weblog/pictures/2004/MAR/franz_ferdinand/7.jpg

some live franz ferdinand pix in this directory... lots of other bands too, interpol, ec

http://whatsupnyc.com/weblog/pictures/2004/MAR/franz_ferdinand/
http://mediaeater.com/pictures/

mmmender

Sep-22-04, 9:24 AM

FRANZ FERDINAND played their last scheduled LOS ANGELES tour stop this year Tuesday night (September 21), but told NME.COM they’ll be back.

The band have just nine dates left on their North American tour, which wraps up at New York’s Roseland Ballroom on October 3, but speaking after the show, bassist Bob Hardy said the group will return stateside before year’s end. "I think we’re doing some radio things at Christmas," he said.

Franz Ferdinand’s show saw the Scottish quartet playing to a packed house at the city’s Wiltern Theatre, which they managed to sell out despite only announcing the event’s details on Sunday morning. In addition to filling every one of the venue’s 2,200 capacity seats, the band managed to draw members of Eighties early proto-new wavers Sparks, as well as Regina Spektor.

The band performed for over an hour, dropping in ‘Take Me Out’, ‘Jacqueline’, and ‘The Dark of the Matinee’, alongside new song ‘Your Diary’, which singer Alex Kapranos dedicated to an unnamed female fan that gave the group shirts and ties before the show.

"People are going really mental," Kapranos told NME.COM on Saturday. "[At] some of the gigs, it feels a bit like total mania. The shows here, they seem to be getting more and more intense every time we come back."

mmmender

Oct-1-04, 4:35 PM

i'm off to see franz ferdinand in concert tonight - can't wait!!

paulr

Oct-1-04, 8:03 PM

one of them looks real weird on TV - is he the same live ??

are they really from glasgow ?? - the singer sounds Eng***h when he talks

on a side issue - the last time I heard Liz speaking a few years ago, she too suffered from the affliction of sounding Eng***h !!!!

mmmender

Oct-2-04, 12:23 PM

so the show was pretty good....they're pretty incredible in a live setting. my only complaint is that they seem to have attracted a huge college/jock type following. so much of the night was spent with people pushing and shoving and giving each other high fives while spilling beer on those around them....not good.

overall though, they're remarkable live.

fredofla

Oct-2-04, 1:15 PM

ah, mmmender

sometimes i almost get the impression you'd have made a formidable punk rocker in another life......

ever find yerself in a mosh pit, hon?

or were you one of those "Adam Ant" New Romantic types?

yeah, that holds a slightly greater probability.

dynamine

Oct-2-04, 1:34 PM

Originally posted by fredofla
or were you one of those New Romantic types?

"i know this much is true"

mmmender

Oct-2-04, 4:39 PM

Originally posted by fredofla
ah, mmmender

sometimes i almost get the impression you'd have made a formidable punk rocker in another life......

ever find yerself in a mosh pit, hon?

or were you one of those "Adam Ant" New Romantic types?

yeah, that holds a slightly greater probability.

fred, i spent many nights lost and squished in sweaty mosh pits listening to ska and punk.....last nights franz ferdinand gig was not the same experience. this was more ignornant fools bent on tossing beer at people and pushing for the sake of pushing. there was no bond of like minded anarchists per se, it was simply kids night out. i'm far from a prude with these matters and thankfully i'm still able to tell the difference between a good fiesty crowd and a bored fool. elbowing someone in the back to cause them pain for the fuck of it just isn't my idea of fun.

Baddy2shoos

Oct-2-04, 5:02 PM

I got crushed on the floor at a stereophonics concert after the first song, thankfully I developed a thing called taste

dprid

Oct-2-04, 6:26 PM

Originally posted by mmmender
fred, i spent many nights lost and squished in sweaty mosh pits listening to ska and punk.....last nights franz ferdinand gig was not the same experience. this was more ignornant fools bent on tossing beer at people and pushing for the sake of pushing. there was no bond of like minded anarchists per se, it was simply kids night out. i'm far from a prude with these matters and thankfully i'm still able to tell the difference between a good fiesty crowd and a bored fool. elbowing someone in the back to cause them pain for the fuck of it just isn't my idea of fun.

At the risk of losing my gonads should we ever meet leesa, I think I recognise the symptoms - middle age is setting in :D
Been there, done that, got the bruises.

fredofla

Oct-2-04, 9:58 PM

speakin from personal experience,

i could never handle those pushy, crowded, beer spillin crowds at most any age.

paulr

Oct-4-04, 4:43 AM

Originally posted by dprid

Been there, done that, got the bruises.

Did this include The Smiths at Guilford Civic Hall ??? - that was a real shovy, pushy crowd that night - like being on the terraces (RIP) again !!

mmmender

Nov-30-04, 2:56 AM

FRANZ FERDINAND bassist BOB HARDY has been hospitalised in Japan – leaving the group to play acoustic.

The group are currently out in the Far East playing shows on their year-long tour in support of their debut album.

At the show at the Nagoya Diamond Hall (November 28), following support from The Beat Up, singer Alex Kapranos and guitarist Nick McCarthy came onto the stage with a translator to explain that Bob was ill.

One fan told NME.COM: “When we turned up we were told Bob the bassist was sick and they weren't sure if they would play. The doors opened an hour late and everyone shuffled in. We were given a note when we got inside explaining that if we weren't satisfied with the performance we could get a refund of 2500 yen (almost half of the ticket cost).

”After support band The Beat Up, Alex and Nick came on with an interpreter to explain that they were going to do something they've never done before. The show was split into two halves, the first being an acoustic set and then a plugged-in set with Dino from The Beat Up on bass.”

The group played a number of new songs in the acoustic set, while the full band set featured hits including ‘Michael’, ‘Tell Her Tonight’ and ‘Take Me Out’.

Another fan at the gig said: “Dino could not have had long to learn the songs, and the band were joking they wanted him to cut his hair. Alex said at their first gig they only knew four songs, and found themselves in the same situation, so they played ‘Michael’ again, only this time joined by everyone from the The Beat Up.

"The band obviously really cared about the Nagoya crowd and tried the hardest to put on a special show which they certainly did. I haven't sweated so much since Faith No More at Brixton Academy in 1990!”

A statement issued to NME.COM reads: “Franz Ferdinand bassist Bob Hardy was hospitalised on Saturday 27th November following a show at Osaka’s Mother Hall in Japan. He was diagnosed with a severe case of gastro-enteritis.

”Bob had started to feel ill on the Friday night during the journey to Osaka. He completed the show at the Mother Hall the following evening, Saturday, in considerable pain and for the most part seated. He was then taken to hospital in Osaka that evening where he was diagnosed and admitted for the night. He was then transferred to a Tokyo hospital on Sunday 28th November.

”The band performed at Nagoya’s Diamond Hall on the 28th November with the help of stand in bassist Dino from support act The Beat Up.

"The band performed four songs with Dino - 'Michael', 'Take Me Out', 'Cheating On You' and 'Tell Her Tonight'. The remaining eight songs of the set were performed acoustically without a bassist and included two new songs 'Walk Away' and 'Jeremy Fraser'.”

Bob is set to return and play the show tonight, at Tokyo’s Shibuya Ax venue. He will then return to hospital where he is scheduled to remain until December 2 when he will fly to New York and join the band on their US tour.

He will miss the band’s first two dates of their US tour, Detroit (December 1) and Philadelphia (2). He is expected to play in New Jersey (December 3). He will be replaced by Fiery Furnaces bassist Toshi Yano for the first two U.S. shows.

mmmender

Jan-7-05, 12:36 PM

FRANZ FERDINAND bass player BOB HARDY is set to sing on the band’s forthcoming album.

The group will begin recording in March, and aim to release the follow-up to last year’s self-titled debut at the end of the summer.

Singer Alex Kapranos said: "We start recording in March and that shouldn't take more than two weeks. It should be released maybe late summer or early autumn."

The star has also revealed that one new track has been written for Hardy to sing, called ’I’ve Got Ten Pounds’.

He told The Guardian: "I used to really love it on the old Beatles records where you had a track that was like, Ringo sings! But he's been refusing to have anything to do with this really stupid idea of mine, so it probably won't make the record."

"It's exciting to be at this stage, where you've established a certain sound and a particular attitude, but you plan to do something a bit different and move on," Kapranos explained. "I don't understand why more bands don't rise to that challenge. It's not as if people are afraid of bands developing. I don't imagine many Beatles fans complained because ’Revolver’ sounded different from ‘With The Beatles'."

floatboat

Jan-7-05, 2:54 PM

Been there, done that, got the bruises.[/QUOTE]

the worst i experienced was the pogues at hammersmith palais - feckin' scary

mmmender

Jun-29-05, 7:40 PM

FRANZ FERDINAND have given NME.COM the exclusive comeback interview for their second record, revealing the inside story of making the follow-up to one of the most successful British debut albums in years.

The second record, due in September, will not have a title and will only be recognisable from the band’s debut by a change in colour scheme. Instead of dark brown, orange and cream, the second album will have a black, red and pale green cover.

Singer Alex Kapranos explained: “The whole point is that the album doesn’t have a title. We decided quite a while ago that we didn’t want to give any of the albums titles, they were just going to be called ‘Franz Ferdinand’.”

He added: “The albums are going to be identified by their colour schemes rather than a title. The contrast of different colours creates a different mood. We experimented with different combinations of colours and this one stuck. At one level they looked good together, and they capture the mood of this record quite well.”

The album has been recorded in a studio located Alex Kapranos’ home in rural Scotland, and was mixed at Avatar Studios in New York. The band are now finalising the tracklisting, and are choosing from 16 songs.

Songs played live like ‘Your Diary’ and ‘I’m Your Villain’ are competing for space against self-proclaimed “knockout punches” Franz have been saving like ‘Turn It On’ and ‘Do You Want To?’ – both potential comeback singles.

Other tracks expected to appear on the album include ’Outsiders’, ‘Walk Away’, ‘Eleanor, Put Your Boots Back On’, ‘You Could Have It So Much Better’, ‘What You Meant’, ‘Well, That Was Easy’ and ‘Evil And A Heathen’.

For the full interview with Franz Ferdinand about their new record, an exclusive look into the band’s studio and Kapranos talking about his favourite tracks from the LP, get this week’s NME - out nationwide today (June 29).

mmmender

Jul-11-05, 5:39 PM

FRANZ FERDINAND will return to North America for a tour beginning on September 20 in CHICAGO.

The sixteen-date trek will find the Scottish four-piece out in support of their second self-titled album, which will be released in the US on October 4.

As previously reported on NME.COM, the album was recorded in Scotland and mixed in New York.

The American tour will call at:

Chicago Aragon Ballroom (September 20)
Minneapolis Target Center (21)
Kansas City Uptown Theatre (22)
St. Louis The Pageant (23)
Austin City Limits Festival (25)
Denver Fillmore Auditorium (27)
Magna Great Salt Air (28)
Seattle Paramount Theatre (October 1, 2)
Portland Rose Garden Arena (3)
Vancouver Orpheum (4)
San Francisco Bill Graham Civic Auditorium (6)
Los Angeles Greek Theatre (7)
San Diego SDSU Open Air Theatre (9)
Las Vegas The Joint (11)
New York The Theatre at MSG (17)
Toronto Ricoh Centre (18)

Fritter

Jul-12-05, 7:36 AM

Been there, done that, got the bruises.

the worst i experienced was the pogues at hammersmith palais - feckin' scary[/QUOTE]

God, New Model Army gigs used to be terrifying with their hardcore fans stage-diving in giant wooden-soled pitboots! Recently I've been to a few 'scary' metal gigs (Slayer/Slipknot, Fantomas, Meshuggah) and have been amazed at how considerate everyone is: no elbows above chest height, stop to help someone up if they slip over and lots of "no, after you" at the bar in the interval! Whereas my nephew, who went to the recent Oasis show in Southampton, said their fans are just displaced football hooligans and there was very little love in the house - I reckon that the Smiths suffered the same in their later years when it seemed their shows got overrun by repressed thugs.

Incidentally, in a recent poll, 5% of Britons said what they're looking forward to most on their foreign holiday is a fight. Hilarious and scary.

mmmender

Jul-14-05, 4:24 PM

FRANZ FERDINAND have cited BOB DYLAN as a influence on their forthcoming second album.

The band plan to release a similarly eponymous follow-up to their debut album, and frontman Alex Kapranos has admitted that the American troubadour has affected his way of songwriting.

"I was reading (Dylan's memoir) ’Chronicles’, and he was talking about when he first came to the Bleecker Street scene in the early 60s, and how they would go through newspapers and pick a character and base a song upon that character and represent him as a hero," Kapranos told Rolling Stone. "'The Ballad Of Billy the Kid' is very much like that – In reality, Billy The Kid just stole, but in the song, he steals from the rich and gives to the poor. That's fantastic."

Inspired by Dylan’s approach, Kapranos said he used the same tactics on new track ’The Fallen’ to immortalise a friend in song.

"He did a few things that caused him to be almost a social outcast -- he'd fallen from grace,” said the Franzsinger. “He's a very enigmatic character."

Kapranos added that the band had enjoyed recording parts of the new album at home in Scotland.

"When I went back to Glasgow, it was almost like I hadn't been away," he explained. "I was going out to parties with pretty much the same set of people I was hanging out with before we went on tour, before the album came out, and they talked to me exactly the same way. It's not as if we decided to abandon our whole lives for some facile celebrity lifestyle."

mmmender

Jul-21-05, 2:05 AM

franz ferdinand news at NME

http://nme.com/news/113066.htm

naker

Jul-21-05, 12:28 PM

..they remind me a bit of the "the monochrome set" ....cept "the monochrome set" were funny and talented.

who can forget "jet set junta"??? :crazy: :crazy: :crazy:

mmmender

Jul-27-05, 6:36 PM

FRANZ FERDINAND drummer PAUL THOMSON is to start playing guitar during the band’s live shows.

Despite tabloid rumours that he has hung up his sticks for good, Thomson will still get behind the kit for the band, but he has also taken on a new position as third guitarist for the group on some of the band’s new songs, NME.COM has learnt.

During these tracks, the drumstool will be filled by Franz drum tech Andy Knowles, who also plays with The Fiery Furnaces.

mmmender

Aug-3-05, 5:00 PM

FRANZ FERDINAND have renamed their second album.

The band had originally planned to not name any of their albums, and throughout the recording process had said the album would be simply titled ’Franz Ferdinand’.

However, the album is now called ’You Could Have It So Much Better…With Franz Ferdinand’ and is released on October 3.

A single, ’Do You Want To’, precedes the record on September 19.

Tinspur

Aug-4-05, 7:03 AM

[QUOTE=Fritter]God, New Model Army gigs used to be terrifying.......QUOTE]

Fritt, you were brave enough to attend a new model army concert? Yikes....well, I guess I was scared off by all those rumours about fans at the shows eating their young and chanting incantations in reverence of the Aztec fire gods. Oh well.....

As for Franz Ferdinand, their first album has it's moments, I bought the one with the bonus disc that includes 5 extra studio tracks, including a remake of "this fire".

Fritter

Aug-4-05, 2:23 PM

[QUOTE=Fritter]God, New Model Army gigs used to be terrifying.......QUOTE]

Fritt, you were brave enough to attend a new model army concert? Yikes....well, I guess I was scared off by all those rumours about fans at the shows eating their young and chanting incantations in reverence of the Aztec fire gods. Oh well.....

It's all true, violent but good-natured. Mind you, I stayed towards the back.

Naker: Monochrome Set - fantastic, "Jacob's Ladder" is a classic and I bet the Ferdinands love it too :)

mmmender

Aug-19-05, 5:13 PM

FRANZ FERDINAND have announced details of their biggest UK tour to date.

The shows in November and December will be in support of their second album, ’You Could Have It So Much Better…With Franz Ferdinand’, which is out on October 3.

The tour visits:

Cardiff Arena (November 14)
Brighton Centre (15)
Birmingham NEC (16)
Aberdeen AECC (21)
Glasgow SECC (22)
Hull Ice Arena (25)
Manchester MEN Arena (26)
Newcastle Arena (27)
Nottingham Arena (28)
London Alexandra Palace (30-December 1)

Tickets are priced £21.50 except London, where they will be £23.50. Tickets go on sale at 9am on August 24.

Support on all dates will come from Editors and The Rakes.

mmmender

Sep-2-05, 4:40 PM

FRANZ FERDINAND have extended their UK tour due to demand.

The band had already announced shows in November and December in support of their second album, ’You Could Have It So Much Better…With Franz Ferdinand’, which is out on October 3.

Now a second night at Glasgow SECC has been added on November 23, after the previous night’s show sold out.

Tickets for the new show go onsale tomorrow (September 2) at 9am.

mmmender

Oct-5-05, 1:40 AM

The band fear they have destroyed Scottish music!

Franz Ferdinand have revealed that they are afraid their success has destroyed the Glasgow music scene.

The band, who released their second album 'You Could Have It So Much Better' yesterday (October 3), formed and developed their sound in their Scottish base, but now fear that the spotlight is on the city which could affect the progress of new groups.

Guitarist Nick McCarthy said: "I don't know if it's a good or a bad thing that people are watching Glasgow a bit more closely. To be honest, it might destroy it."

He added: "If you're in London you get picked up and you're the next big thing before you've even any songs. In Glasgow there was no attention and we had a year to write our songs and progress and find our identity. Then it suddenly exploded."

Singer Alex Kapranos said that despite Glasgow's new recognition, Franz Ferdinand were always going to return home to record the follow-up to last year's self-titled debut.

He told The Daily Record: "After having been on the road for over a year we really wanted to come back to Scotland and just be somewhere we called home and was comfortable."

"We wanted to do it at home because we felt studios are not the most relaxed of environments - they're not the best places for being creative," Kapranos explained. "When we first got the band together we used to go round to each others' houses and get a bottle of wine, have a bit of a chat, play some records and play some of our own tunes. That's what we wanted to do this time around."

fredofla

Oct-5-05, 2:23 AM

i saw them perform a bit on a local LA news show.

what's all the fuss, i wondered.

to me, they sounded just like every other pop "band" around nowadays.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

kaini

Oct-5-05, 2:25 AM

i saw them perform a bit on a local LA news show.

what's all the fuss, i wondered.

to me, they sounded just like every other pop "band" around nowadays.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Couldn't agree more. In two years time they'll be completly forgotten and everybody will be crazy about a new sensation.

naker

Oct-5-05, 4:45 AM

i do wish these ferdinand people would just fuck off....is it wrong to want to see them pumped??? :)

E-Lo

Oct-5-05, 2:18 PM

I liked FF better when they were called Gang of Four. They seem like they might put on a fun live show though

fredofla

Oct-5-05, 2:35 PM

I liked FF better when they were called Gang of Four. They seem like they might put on a fun live show though

oh....is that who they were?

gee, i used to like Gang Of Four.

now they're just Gang Of Bore.

they have not aged well at all.

ballerina

postlibyan

Oct-5-05, 4:02 PM

oh....is that who they were?
gee, i used to like Gang Of Four.
now they're just Gang Of Bore.
they have not aged well at all.
Gang of Bore! good one Fred.

but seriously -- Gang of Four are touring the US right now. i am seeing them on Saturday. i can't wait....

PJK

mmmender

Jul-20-06, 2:04 AM

FF feature on a new kids album:
http://www.nme.com/news/franz-ferdinand/23643

mmmender

Nov-16-06, 4:04 AM

FF track to feature in film
http://www.nme.com/news/franz-ferdinand/25079

frarn

Nov-16-06, 7:09 AM

oh, god! I thought they'd finally decided to split!

Baddy2shoos

Nov-16-06, 7:10 AM

He can't sing for toffee.

ArnoldZiffel

Nov-16-06, 7:13 AM

Does a pretend Gavrilo Princip come on and shoot the band at the end of the show?

sglavas

Nov-19-06, 6:04 AM

Franz Ferdinand suck. Poor bastards.

mmmender

Jan-8-07, 11:58 PM

Franz Ferdinand and The Cribs team up

Alex Kapranos gets in the production seat

Franz Ferdinand (http://www.nme.com/artists/franz-ferdinand) frontman Alex Kapranos is producing The Cribs (http://www.nme.com/artists/the-cribs)' new album.

Kapranos is working on the band's follow-up to 2005's 'The New Fellas' in Vancouver.

Work on the album, which has the provisiopnal title of 'Man's Needs, Woman's Needs, Whatever' began in November after The Cribs (http://www.nme.com/artists/the-cribs) supported Franz Ferdinand (http://www.nme.com/artists/franz-ferdinand) on their US tour.

Speaking to NME.COM, bassist Gary Jarman explained: "Alex watched us every night and told us he was interested in helping us. So we went back to Wakefield to work on it and it was when he came to visit us that we were like, 'If he's willing to come to this fucking place then he's definitely doing the record'."

For his part Kapranos said that he admired the atmosphere the band creates. He said: "The Cribs (http://www.nme.com/artists/the-cribs) have that raw energy and attitude punk should have, but they also have one of the greatest senses of melody among any band around."

Diane65

Jan-10-07, 9:42 PM

I just listened to an interview with Franz Ferdinand on National Public Radio www.npr.org on January 8th, 2007 (monday). He was promoting a book called "Sound Bites". Look under Programs and Schedules/Fresh Air with Terry Gross. There are links to a few archived interviews with him as well.... While you are at it, listen to the Gary Larson (The Far Side) interview-FUNNY!

mmmender

Jan-15-07, 3:45 AM

Franz Ferdinand speak about Sparks collaboration

Alex Kapranos says band would "love" to

Franz Ferdinand (http://www.nme.com/artists/franz-ferdinand) had spoken about a possible collaboration with Sparks (http://www.nme.com/artists/sparks).

Alex Kapranos expressed his admiration for the electro duo in a BBC Radio 2 documentary 'This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us - The Story Of Sparks' which is due to be broadcast on January 20 at 8pm.

In it Kapranos said: "We'd love to do a collaboration with Sparks (http://www.nme.com/artists/sparks) at some point. We're huge fans of their albums...they had a really oblique, dangerous attitude and they are eccentric about it."

As previously reported, Kapranos is currently producing The Cribs (http://www.nme.com/artists/the-cribs) new album, which is to be titled 'Man's Needs, Woman's Needs, Whatever'.

mmmender

Feb-2-07, 5:01 AM

Franz Ferdinand man launches book in New York

Alex Kapranos's famous friends come out to support

Franz Ferdinand (http://www.nme.com/artists/franz-ferdinand) frontman Alex Kapranos hosted a party to officially launch his book 'Sound Bites' in New York last night (January 30).

Kapranos welcomed guests to a reception at the Laight Gallery in Tribeca, while Fiery Furnaces (http://www.nme.com/artists/fiery-furnaces) percussionist Michael Goodman and Franz Ferdinand (http://www.nme.com/artists/franz-ferdinand) bassist Bob Hardy performed DJ duties.

Many musician friends of Kapranos came out to show their support, including Interpol (http://www.nme.com/artists/interpol)'s Daniel Kessler and Paul Banks, We Are Scientists (http://www.nme.com/artists/we-are-scientists)' Keith Murray and Chris Cain, and Ryan, Gary and Ross Jarman of The Cribs (http://www.nme.com/artists/the-cribs), whose album Kapranos is currently producing.

'Sound Bites' is a collection of newspaper columns by the singer, and documents Kapranos' experiences eating around the globe while on tour with Franz Ferdinand (http://www.nme.com/artists/franz-ferdinand).

Meanwhile, the band have posted a brand new song on their Myspace page (myspace.com/franzferdinand (http://www.myspace.com/franzferdinand)). The track, 'Hallam Foe, Dandelion Blow', was written as a theme for a Scottish film, 'Hallam Foe', due for release later this year.

As previously reported, the soundtrack features tracks from fellow Domino artists Psapp and Sons & Daughters (http://www.nme.com/artists/sons-and-daughters).

Mr. ED

Feb-2-07, 1:35 PM

halation

Feb-2-07, 9:43 PM

I like the second album. So boo for me.

mmmender

Feb-8-07, 3:58 AM

http://www.uncut.co.uk/media/images/Franzferdinand_091006_W.jpg
A new Franz Ferdinand track, “Dandelion Blow” has been posted on the band’s Myspace page.

Franz front man Alex Kapranos explains on the site that the new song was written as a theme for forthcoming Scottish film “Hallam Foe.”

Kapranos says that the film’s themes of “Sexual tension, voyeurism, dark humour, Scotland and death” were the perfect “ingredients for a song by the Ferdinand.”

Kapranos co-wrote “Dandelion Blow" with band member Nick McCarthy after he attended script meetings and early screening edits at Glasgow Film Theatre.

The soundtrack to “Hallam Foe” also includes contributions from Franz's fellow Domino label artists; Psapp, Unpoc and Sons & Daughters.

“Hallam Foe” is due to screen in competition at the Berlin Film Festival which starts tomorrow (February 8). It will be released in the UK in 2007.

Check out the new Franz track by clicking here now (http://www.myspace.com/franzferdinand)
http://www.myspace.com/franzferdinand

mmmender

Nov-26-07, 1:00 AM

Franz Ferdinand the musical?

Alex Kapranos wants to be next Andrew Lloyd Webber

22.Nov.07 2:50pm
Franz Ferdinand (http://www.nme.com/artists/franz-ferdinand) are considering writing their own musical.

Following the band's contribution to the recent 'Hallam Foe' soundtrack, frontman Alex Kapranos has revealed he is interesting in taking on a bigger project.

"After we've finished this album, we're definitely going to look more at doing some other things," he told the Daily Record. "Writing for 'Hallam Foe' was a lot of fun. We hear Belle & Sebastian (http://www.nme.com/artists/belle-and-sebastian) were working on a musical film and possibly I'd like to write a musical too. Who knows? Maybe I'll write one for the stage rather than for film."

The singer added that in the meantime, the band were continuing work on their third album.

"We've been recording a couple of songs in the last two weeks. Two down, one more to go," he said. "We'll keep on recording until Christmas and will have the album out in the new year."

The singer added the new record will have some interesting sounds.

"The strangest instrument we've been using is an old Russian synthesiser built from spare parts in the Cold War," explained Kapranos. "This guy couldn't get synthesisers in Russia but heard about them and decided to build one from what he heard they were like. He used whatever components he could get hold of. It sounds like a normal synthesiser, only a lot weirder."