Franz Ferdinand Biography

Franz Ferdinand, is the most famous recent Scottisch pop/rock band (from Glasgow), formed by four young and ambitious musicians. The Band derived its name from the Austro-Hungarian Archduke whose murder set the beginning of World War I. The Band's members are Alex Kapranos (20 March 1972, vocals/guitar), Nick McCarthy (13 December 1974 guitar/keyboards/vocals), Bob Hardy (16 August 1980, bass) and Paul Thomson (15 September 1977, drums), coalesced through the Glasgow School of Art where Hardy studied painting and Thomson was employed as a life model.

How Franz Ferdinand started

In late 2001, Kapranos and Hardy had begun working on music together. Here is a part of their conversation about having a music project:

"Do you want to learn to play the bass then, Bob?" "No, I'm an artist, not a musician." "It's the same thing." "OK then."

So Bob learned the bass guitar and they planned a band. It had to be something big. Bob wanted it to be on the level of Field Marshall Haig's tears that fell as he counted the statistics of the men he had sent over the top. Alex wanted to make music that girls could dance to. Then they met McCarthy, a classically trained pianist and double bass player who originally played drums for the group despite no prior experience as a drummer. Alex met Nick in Jo and Celias' kitchen. Nick was dressed like a young Adam Ant and was stealing Alex's Vodka. They were about to batter each others brains in when Alex asked if he could play drums. Nick lied and said that he could. They agreed to meet up in Nick's South Side mansion. Paul Thompson was the best drummer in Glasgow, but he felt like playing guitar instead. When the trio met Thomson and started playing with him, McCarthy and Thomson switched to guitar and drums, and the band switched practice spaces, stumbling upon an abandoned warehouse that they named the Chateau. Chateau became their headquarter. It was a wonderful home. After evicting the pigeons and fixing the windows, they found a sympathetic electrician who managed to wire the building in a way that left the electricity board innocent of the knowledge that they were supplying the power.

Franz Ferdinand signed to Domino

By summer 2002, they recorded an EP's worth of material that they intended to release themselves, but word of mouth about the band spread and Franz Ferdinand signed to Domino in the summer of 2003. Franz Ferdinand have always wanted to do it their way and to do it better. That's why they put records out with Domino. It's a label which continues the tradition of the Great British independents. From Trojan, Postcard and Factory, through Stiff, Rough Trade and Creation: the independents have been the breeding ground for the best innovative pop music. It is pop music too in the tradition of the Beatles, The Smiths, Nirvana, David Bowie, Pulp and Roxy Music.

The first singles - Darts of Pleasure, Take me Out

In the first group's EP Darts of Pleasure, Franz Ferdinand seemed to be influenced by Interpol, and gave them the label "the Scottish Interpol,". After that, the band spent the rest of the year supporting groups such as Hot Hot Heat and Interpol itself. The second Franz Ferdinand's single, Take Me Out - arrived in early 2004 – was a huge success. The band gained great popularity in UK, due to this, second, single. It was just the right moment for their debut album to be recorded.

Franz Ferdinand - The Album

Franz Ferdinand was released in February 2004 in the UK (09/02/04). The album's followed them across the pond; "Take Me Out" became a great modern rock hit. The Video clip of "Take me out" earned the Breakthrough Video award at that year's MTV Music Video Awards. The group's momentum continued with the release of the Michael single (rd single) and their Mercury Prize win over such important artists as the Streets and Keane. The huge success of the band was followed by a very successful mass tour, in 2004/2005.

You Could Have it So Much Better ... with Franz Ferdinand

A great album called "You Could Have it So Much Better ... with Franz Ferdinand" released in fall 2005 (03/10/2005). It seems that "You Could Have it So Much Better ..." isn't as successful as the debut-wonder, but the many fans of the group claim that this is a better album than their debut.

The artistic background of the members (Hardy graduated from the Glasgow School of Art, and Thomson also posed as a life model there), was combined with the Karpanos' expectations for music that girl could dance to and the result was really attractive. Rock n roll/pop/punk/ are mixed to create the unique Franz Ferdinand's sound. Rumours for a new album in 2006, are fed and the millions of fans can't wait..