Franz Ferdinand (band)
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| Franz Ferdinand | |
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 Franz Ferdinand in Lisbon, Portugal in September 2005
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Glasgow, Scotland |
| Genre(s) | Indie rock[1] Post-punk revival[2] Art rock[3] |
| Years active | 2001—present |
| Label(s) | Domino Records (UK and Europe) Epic Records (U.S.) Sony Music (Japan) |
| Associated acts | The Karelia Embryo Yummy Fur |
| Website | www.franzferdinand.co.uk |
| Members | |
| Alex Kapranos Nick McCarthy Bob Hardy Paul Thomson |
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Franz Ferdinand is a British indie rock band that formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 2001. Named after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, the band comprises Alex Kapranos (lead vocals and guitar), Bob Hardy (bass guitar), Nick McCarthy (rhythm guitar, keyboards and backing vocals), and Paul Thomson (drums, percussion and backing vocals).
The band first experienced chart success when their second single "Take Me Out" reached #3 in the UK Charts,[4] followed by their debut album Franz Ferdinand which debuted on the UK album chart at #3.[5] The band went on to win the 2004 Mercury Music Prize and two BRIT Awards in 2005 for Best British Group and Best British Rock Act. NME named Franz Ferdinand as their Album of the Year. From the album, three top-ten singles were released, "Take Me Out", "The Dark of the Matinée", "This Fire". Also, "Michael" peaked at #17.
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[edit] History
[edit] Formation
The members of Franz Ferdinand had played previously in various bands during the 1990s including The Karelia, Yummy Fur, 10p Invaders and Embryo. Alex Kapranos and Paul Thomson had played together in Yummy Fur and subsequently teamed up to write songs. Around the same time Kapranos taught his friend Bob Hardy how to play bass. Kapranos met co-guitarist Nick McCarthy in 2001 who had returned to Scotland after studying jazz bass in Germany.[6]
In May 2003, the band signed to Laurence Bell's independent record label, Domino Records.[7] The band had recorded an EP which they intended to release themselves, instead it was released by Domino as Darts of Pleasure, in the latter part of 2003. The cover art was designed by Thomson. It reached #43 in the UK chart.[citation needed]. The band won the "Phillip Hall Radar Award" at the NME Awards of 2004, announced in late 2003.
On the tour that followed the album release, Franz broke the record for the longest run at the Alexandra Palace, North London, by playing 4 sold out nights during November-December 2005.[citation needed] To support the album, four singles were released. Included in that set is a double A-side single that contained a video-clip only single as well (both the AA-side "L. Wells" and the video-clip "Jeremy Fraser" are not featured on the album, recorded in early 2006 during the band's tour of Australia in support of the album). Also included is another video-clip-only single called "Wine In the Afternoon" which is the B-side to Eleanor Put Your Boots On, and was also not featured on the album, but recorded on tour in Michigan. "Do You Want To" made it to number 4, while "Walk Away" and "The Fallen" / "L. Wells" entered the top 15 of the UK Singles Chart. The 4th and final single from the second album, "Eleanor Put Your Boots On" peaked at number 30.
[edit] Third album
Since late 2007, the band have been recording their third studio album in Glasgow, expected to be released sometime in October 2008.[8]
In an interview with British newspaper The Independent the band stated that the upcoming album would have plenty of African influences. This was revealed at a recent African Express show, an event set up by Damon Albarn, of Blur and Gorillaz fame. This was revealed after the band played a new song, which is unofficially entitled "Can't You Let Me Stay Tonight". When it was played at the event, the song featured Malian ngoni player Bassekou Kouyaté, Senegalese percussionists, and British rapper Kano. It has not yet been confirmed if the stated musicians will appear in an official recorded version.[9]
[edit] Collaborations and Covers
Franz Ferdinand covered the LCD Soundsystem song "All My Friends" which appeared as a B-side on the single, and is also working on an album of Sparks covers, collaborating with the group on the recordings.[10] They have also covered "Sexy Boy" by Air and "It Won't Be Long" by The Beatles, Pulp's popular single "Mis-Shapes", Gwen Stefani's top 5 hit "What You Waiting For?" and David Bowie's song "Sound and Vision", featuring Girls Aloud[11] on backing vocals, for a compilation disc marking the 40th anniversary of BBC Radio One along with other leading artists. Additionally, Franz Ferdinand recorded a cover of The Fire Engines' song "Get Up and Use Me". In return, the Fire Engines recorded a cover of "Jacqueline". The band has had remixes by major electronic artists Daft Punk, Hot Chip, Justice, and Erol Alkan.
As far as collaborations go, Kapranos has announced that on the 22/04/08 he will begin collaborating with an unknown Canadian artist, as well as implying that the band was working with Xenomania on the new album, as Alex is a fan of their work with Girls Aloud.[12] The band also performed, played, and recorded with Jane Birkin, covering the Serge Gainsbourg song "Sorry Angel" for the 2005 album Monsieur Gainsbourg Revisited. In addition, Franz re-recorded the track "Brown Onions" for David Shringley's compilation album Worried Noodles.[13]The band kept instrumentation identical but used lyrics written by Shringley which include the consistent repetition of the word "No" and occasionally "No brains, no teeth, no legs, no eyes...". Hot Chip a band who, it is reported are a favourite of Franz Ferdinand also performed their own version of "No" on the same album.
The band 'met' Gorillaz in December 2005, and interviewed each other for a feature in Observer Music Monthly.[14]
[edit] Name
The name of the band was originally inspired by a racehorse called The Archduke.[15] After seeing the horse run on television the band began to discuss Archduke Franz Ferdinand and thought it would be a good band name because of the sound of the name and the implications of the Archduke's death (his assassination was the most significant of many factors which led to World War I). They discussed it in a very early interview with the Scottish magazine Is This Music?[16]
"Mainly we just liked the way it sounded," says Bob. "We liked the alliteration." "He was an incredible figure as well," continues Alex. "His life, or at least the ending of it, was the catalyst for the complete transformation of the world ... he was a pivot for history. But I don't want to over-intellectualise the name thing. Basically a name should just sound good ... like music." Paul has a much grander notion. "I like the idea that, if we become popular, maybe the words Franz Ferdinand will make people think of the band instead of the historical figure."[17]
The song "Take Me Out", on the band's first album, was the second single to be released by the band. The single release of "Take Me Out" came with the B-side, "All for You Sophia", based on the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and his wife, whose name was Sophie, not Sophia. The band changed the name Sophie to Sophia to give the song a better ring to it.
[edit] Art
The band is notable for its use of Russian avant-garde imagery in album and single covers. Examples include: "You Could Have It So Much Better," which references a 1924 portrait of Lilya Brik by Alexander Rodchenko; "Take Me Out," which references One-Sixth Part of the World, also by Alexander Rodchenko; "This Fire" which references Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge by El Lissitzky; and "Michael", with single art based on A Proun by Lissitzky.
Also, in "Outsiders", the lyrics "In seventeen years will you still be Camille, Lee Miller, Gala or whatever" are a reference to the lovers of the artists Auguste Rodin, Man Ray and Salvador Dalí.
[edit] Videos
Many of the videos to promote the band's singles take inspiration from Russian avant-garde much like their CD sleeves.
The avant-garde music video for "Take Me Out", directed by Jonas Odell, was inspired by Dadaism, Busby Berkeley choreographies and Russian constructivist design.[18] Alex Kapranos explained the many and varied influences behind the '30s-style promo for second single 'Take Me Out'.
"It's kind of two dimensional in a three dimensional style if that makes any sense. It's a montage of images; ourselves, pictures and things taken from other places and put together in a strange, abstract way. That's what gives the video that strange, jerky, style".[19] The video for "This Fire" is similar to "Take Me Out" in style.
The lyrics of "Do You Want To" make reference to parties at the 'trendy' Glasgow art gallery Transmission and the video includes a variety of the work of contemporary artist Vanessa Beecroft, along with a reference to Pink Floyd in the mix.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Studio albums
- Franz Ferdinand (2004)
- You Could Have It So Much Better (2005)
[edit] Awards
| Year | Award | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Mercury Prize | Mercury Prize |
| NME Awards | Philip Hall Radar Award | |
| Q Awards | Best Video (Take Me Out) | |
| 2005 | BRIT Awards | Best Group |
| BRIT Awards | Best British Rock Act | |
| NME Awards | Best Track (Take Me Out) | |
| NME Awards | Best Album (Franz Ferdinand) | |
| 2006 | NME Awards | Best Live Band |
[edit] Music samples
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"The Fallen" From You Could Have It So Much Better (2005) "Eleanor Put Your Boots On" From You Could Have It So Much Better (2005) - Problems playing the files? See media help.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Franz Ferdinand MP3 Downloads - Franz Ferdinand Music Downloads - Franz Ferdinand Music Videos. Mp3.com. Retrieved on 2007-08-22.
- ^ http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:jifixqyaldfe
- ^ Sound of 2004: Franz Ferdinand.
- ^ "Music Charts: "Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out". aCharts.us. Retrieved January 12, 2004.
- ^ "Music Charts: "Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand". aCharts.us. Retrieved January 12, 2004.
- ^ Hiatt, Brian. "Hot Scots", RollingStone.com, 2005-09-22. Retrieved on 2008-01-11.
- ^ http://www.franzferdinand.co.uk/biog.php
- ^ A whole new world for Franz Ferdinand - Features, Music - Independent.co.uk
- ^ A whole new world for Franz Ferdinand - Features, Music - Independent.co.uk
- ^ Franz Plan Heroic Sparks Album.
- ^ "Franz Aloud", Sunday Mail, 2007-09-09. Retrieved on 2007-09-09.
- ^ "Franz Aloud", Sunday Mail, 2007-09-09. Retrieved on 2007-09-09.
- ^ New Cd From David Shrigley, Worried Noodles, 2007
- ^ Franz Ferdinand interview Gorillaz - Observer Music Monthly. Retrieved on 2007-04-01.
- ^ http://www.franzferdinand.co.uk/biog.php
- ^ Is This Music? (link dead), June 2003, SHOOTING STARS: FRANZ FERDINAND MARRY HISTORY AND ART, John Clarke.
- ^ http://www.franzferdinand.co.uk/biog.php
- ^ Franz Ferdinand 'Take Me Out' XFM staff writer
- ^ Franz Ferdinand 'Take Me Out' XFM staff writer
[edit] References
- Hiatt, Brian (2005). "Hot Scots - Franz Ferdinand get rock fans dancing again" Rolling Stone (accessed June 16, 2006)
[edit] External links
- Franz Ferdinand's official website
- Franz Ferdinand at MySpace
- Franz Ferdinand's official website
- Franz Ferdinand interview at musicOMH.com
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