Personalities | Franz Ferdinand | Twenty-First Century | Rock
(Vocal/instrumental group, 2002–present)
Glasgow’s Franz Ferdinand – Alex Kapranos (vocals), Robert Hardy (bass), Nicholas McCarthy (guitar) and Paul Thomson (drums) – formed from the scene around the city’s college of art, but only drummer Thomson actually attended. Many wrongly consider their tightly suggestive brand of ‘art rock’ to be a result of years spent studying the visual arts, but it more likely stems from their obsession with music’s history.
Fans of bands such as The Gang Of Four and Fire Engines (even going so far as to release a split single with the latter), the band added in their own twist via slants on the showmen of rock – bands like Queen and Roxy Music. Their winning melodies took them to mainstream acclaim, with their eponymous debut winning the Mercury Music award in 2004 and follow-ups You Could Have It So Much Better (2005) and Tonight: Franz Ferdinand (2009) peaking at Nos. 1 and 2 in the UK, respectively.
Styles & Forms | Twenty-First Century | Rock
Personalities | The Fray | Twenty-First Century | Rock
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