franz ferdinand
Feature: 2.2
Music
FRANZ FERDINAND
wordsby gregg ipp embroideryby becky brisco
Popularity has a way of sucking the passion out of some bands, turning them into jaded artists with nothing to prove, and everything to lose. Walking onto Franz Ferdinand’s tour bus with Nick McCarthy (guitar, keyboard and vocals) and Alex Kapranos (guitar and vocals), I couldn’t help but wonder what to expect. Here was a band that, over the last six months, had gone from playing gigs in an abandoned warehouse in Glasgow, to releasing a single “Take Me Out”, which peaked in the UK Top 5. When Nick offered me a piece of carrot cake, and it became apparent just how relaxed and likeable these guys were, I knew popularity had not fazed them. They seem to have succeeded in a way few bands are able to do: producing music they love, keeping a level of artistic integrity, and letting the fans come to them. With their infectious blend of dance rhythms, angular post-punk guitar attack, and hook-oriented song writing, it’s no surprise that their loyal group of fans continues to grow internationally.
