Franz Ferdinand

The legacy of Scottish arts institutions ECA and GSA

An examination as degree shows and 2011 Turner Prize approach

27 May 2011

When David Shrigley spoke in 2010 about how the arts institutions in Glasgow were crucial to his creative development, he may have been bemoaning the impending threat of arts cuts, but his intervention nonetheless speaks volumes about where art…

All Tomorrow's Parties: Bowlie 2 - Butlin’s Minehead, Somerset, Fri 10-Sun 12 Dec

Ten year anniversary of pioneering chalet-based holiday camp festival

11 Jan 2011

Ten years after pioneering the chalet-based holiday camp festival with their Bowlie Weekender, Belle & Sebastian have returned to the scene (not literally, because it’s now in Somerset) of one of their greatest creations with this decade-on celebration…

Franz Ferdinand rumoured for All Tomorrow's Parties

Music Gossip

24 Nov 2010

Franz Ferdinand are rumoured to be preparing for a live return to the UK in December. Fans are hoping the band will be surprise guests at the All Tomorrow's Parties (ATP) Bowlie 2 Weekender - curated by their friends, fellow Scottish group Belle and…

Edwyn Collins tours UK to remote recent Coals To Newcastle box set

Recent Losing Sleep album features The Cribs and Franz Ferdinand

2 Nov 2010

The legendary Edinburgh pop-rocker has defied the odds and made a comeback after suffering a stroke in 2005. Since then, he’s completed 2007 album Home Again (begun at the end of 2004, then suspended due to his illness), and released the critically…

Five pop songs influenced by world music

7 Jul 2010

Arabic Gorillaz – ‘White Flag’ Damon Albarn has long foraged global sounds – his Chinese opera, his Malian album – but ‘White Flag’ was revelatory. Betwixt cameos from Kano and Bashy blazed the real stars of Plastic Beach: the Lebanese National…

Franz Ferdinand's secret songs

Music Gossip

21 May 2010

Franz Ferdinand are determined to keep their new album a secret. The Scottish rockers are currently working on the follow-up to 2009's 'Tonight: Franz Ferdinand' but frontman Alex Kapranos is concerned he will "spoil" the record for fans if he talks…

The Yummy Fur

7 Jan 2010

‘There’s no rhyme or reason to this,’ says Jackie McKeown of his first notable band’s forthcoming reunion. ‘There’s no tie-in or media event window we’re trying to sneak into. We’re getting back together for a week, it’s purely for our own amusement and…

Best of a decade: Franz Ferdinand release their debut album

2 Dec 2009

Setting the template for art-rock, and showcasing their ineffable cool in the process, Franz Ferdinand’s self-titled debut was a turning point for Scottish music. Claire Sawers asks Malcolm Ross of highly influential bands including Josef K and Orange…

Best of a decade: Music

2 Dec 2009

Arcade Fire – Funeral, The Knife – Silent Shout, Radiohead – Kid A, Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago, The White Stripes – White Blood Cells, Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand, Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion, Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Fever To…

2009 Mercury Music Prize shortlist on show

Regardless of who triumphs, contenders' nomination is gain enough

24 Jul 2009

This past year has seen Elbow prove to all just what a Mercury win can do to a band's career. Though toiling for near 15 years in relative indie obscurity, seemingly destined to never play the arenas their songs merited, their 2008 victory for fourth…

The Amphetameanies

11 Jun 2009

SKA PUNK Cult Glasgow ska punk veterans The Amphetameanies’ line-up, past and present, includes members of Bis, Belle and Sebastian and Franz Ferdinand. Bassist Gordon Davidson refutes the suggestion that it must be frustrating being in all these…

News in Brief

11 Jun 2009

The Scottish Government’s ‘One Scotland’ campaign RoAR (Rock Against Racism) campaign kicks off this fortnight with local lads Franz Ferdinand, who’ll be heading to the Scottish Borders for a special RoAR gig in Selkirk’s Victoria Hall on Wed 17 Jun.

Further T in the Park 2009 tickets released

5 Mar 2009

T in the Park organisers will be releasing further tickets for the music festival. The tickets will go on sale tomorrow morning, Friday 6th March at 10am and will be on sale via Ticketmaster on 08444 999 990 and also online at www.ticketmaster.co.uk

Sound Advice - 10 Best gigs: Scotland (March–May) 

1 Mar 2009

Franz Ferdinand Thu 5 Mar, 7pm, Barrowlands, Glasgow (H5), 0141 552 4601, £20 The cream of Scottish indie play their home town; it doesn’t get much better than this. The Xcerts Sun 8 Mar, 8pm, Kings Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow (E3), 0141 221…

Franz Ferdinand Recommend

1 Mar 2009

The Doublet Bob Hardy: ‘This is what a real pub should be like, with lots of wee nooks you can sit in to hide away and while away the hours.’ 74 Park Road, Glasgow (C1), 0141 334 1982, Tue–Sat 11am–midnight, Sun 12.30pm–11pm, Mon 11am–11pm.

Further additions to T in the Park 2009 line up

25 Feb 2009

The Streets, Florence and The Machine, Ladyhawke and Foals have been announced as further additions to the bill of T In The Park, which takes place on Fri 10, Sat 11 and Sun 12 July 2009 in Balado, with other headliners including Kings of Leon on…

Scotland The Great - Homecoming

22 Jan 2009

Four skinny boys stare up at a mountain. The mountain stares back at them. The hairiest one throws his arms out and roars: ‘Does it not make you proud to be Scottish?’; the prettiest one looks up from his vodka bottle, and hurls back bile. It’s been…

Scotland The Great - Franz Ferdinand

22 Jan 2009

You’ve basically built an entire studio complex in the bowels of this beautiful old building in Govan? Bob Hardy, bass Yeah, its a great place. Nick [McCarthy, guitars and keyboards] found it. David MacKenzie the filmmaker has his office down here.

Singles & Downloads

22 Jan 2009

When is an EP not an EP? When it’s basically a single plus three forgettable remixes, ala Future Loop Foundation ’s ‘The Sea & the Sky EP’ (Just) •• – a decent floaty chill out tune all told, but surrounded by such unnecessary filler tracks as to do a…

Scotland The Great - Alternative Anthems

22 Jan 2009

For a country with such a fine musical heritage and tons of songwriting talent, Scotland has piss-poor candidates for a national anthem. ‘Flower of Scotland’, ‘Scotland the Brave’ and ‘Highland Cathedral’? Really? Even worse, a poll to find an…

Franz Ferdinand - Tonight: Franz Ferdinand

22 Jan 2009

INDIE POP Franz Ferdinand, by their own admission, fluffed their second album, rushing it out to sustain the monstrous momentum of their million selling debut. You Could Have It So Much Better lived up to its name, a fuzzy photostat of the first…

Preview 2009 - Pop Music

8 Jan 2009

‘Pop is back!’, Same Difference exclaim in typically camp fashion on the advert for their not-so-innovatively-titled debut, erm, Pop. Simon Cowell’s karaoke factory might not be the best example of it, but their statement is bang on. Strictly speaking…

Preview 2009 - Albums

8 Jan 2009

The start of ‘09 sees a hip hop war brewing, with new records by some of the genre’s heaviest hitters landing on the streets. First we’ve got to survive January, though, and what more uplifting way than with Bruce Springsteen ’s Working on a Dream?

Pitch perfect

27 Nov 2008

Pitching itself as the ‘Scottish Brits,’ the Tartan Clef Music Awards rocked into town last week in suitable glam style, setting out its stall with some of Scotland’s most celebrated acts and championing the great and good of the country’s music scene.

Franz Ferdinand's bony album

Celebrity Gossip

10 Oct 2008

Franz Ferdinand used human bones as percussion instruments. The Scottish rockers, who were looking for unusual ways of creating sound on their forthcoming third album, decided to work with a human skeleton they had bought in an auction. Frontman…