December 11th 2024.
It's hard to believe that it's been 20 years since Scottish rock band Franz Ferdinand first burst onto the scene with their hit single Take Me Out. And what's even more impressive is that even after two decades, they still have a deep love for their early hits. While many 00s artists are reuniting these days, Franz Ferdinand never really went away. Sure, they took some breaks here and there, but the founding trio of Alex Kapranos, Bob Hardy, and Julian Corrie have never officially disbanded.
In a recent interview with Metro, Alex, now 52, opened up about how their continuous presence in the music scene may be the reason why they have never grown tired of performing their classic tracks. "I think if we had split up and then come back and reformed, and we were just playing those old songs, I think I would probably resent them," he confessed. Bob, the 44-year-old bassist, chimed in and added that they have always enjoyed bringing out their biggest hits because they are in the context of their new songs.
"I feel that we are very much a living band," Alex continued. "I still have that feeling of dissatisfaction, which I think you need to have as an artist that's moving forward. That feeling that you haven't done your greatest work yet is very inspiring, and it doesn't mean that I'm dismissing my [older songs]. I love those songs, but I feel like I always want to better them."
When asked if their new album, The Human Fear, would be better than their classic hits like Do You Want To and Walk Away, Alex and Bob shared a laugh. "I love this record, that's all I'm gonna say," Alex replied, adding, "You can't do that." The band originally formed in 2002, and the new album, set to release on January 10, brings back their classic big sound while also focusing on the theme of overcoming fears.
This is the first full studio album the band has released since 2018, but they did drop two singles in conjunction with their Hits to the Head album. "These songs on this record had to compete with, well, it's really the best of the last 20 years," Alex recalled. "It probably had quite an effect on making this record, as they weren't competing with a deep-cut B-side from the third album. They were competing with the songs that everybody knows."
But for Alex, this was a motivation to make the new tracks stand out and hold their own against their iconic hits. "That's a good motivation, isn't it? Competing against yourself," he mused. Bob, on the other hand, had a more light-hearted goal for the band's future. "I want to be the first band on Mars," he chimed in, much to Alex's amusement. "I'm talking away, not saying anything particularly funny, and he stays silent for 15 minutes then comes out with a killer," Alex joked. "Totally upstaged me." But Bob clarified that he was just looking forward to touring and seeing the crowd's response to their new songs.
Speaking of their new album, the band isn't just competing against themselves in terms of name recognizability, as they are famously named after the Archduke Franz Ferdinand. When asked if this has ever felt like a mistake, Alex laughed and shared that the name is ingrained in everyone's psyche and instantly feels familiar. Except for when they're in the US, where people often think it's one of their names. He revealed that they almost called themselves Franz Ferdinand 2000, poking fun at the late '90s new millennium naming trend. But since they formed in 2002, he's relieved they didn't go for the "cheap joke" that could have been a burden for 20 years.
And it seems that Franz Ferdinand isn't planning on going anywhere anytime soon. They have multiple festivals lined up for 2025, along with a UK and Europe tour. When asked about their goals for the future, Bob stoically stated that he wants to be the first band on Mars. "I don't really want to go to Mars," he clarified, saying that he's just excited to tour and see the crowd's reaction to their new songs. "For me, that's the big payoff for making an album. It's the records you've sat and listened to in your headphones, and then you go and see the artist; that's where the real magic takes place."
Alex agreed, adding that he loves "watching the crowd go mental" when they perform their huge hits. As for their new album, he shared, "The album's not about fear so much as overcoming fear. When you overcome fear, it's a remarkably thrilling experience. It makes you feel alive. That's when your heart beats strongest, that's when you feel the blood in your veins. That's why we search out fear; it's knowing you've passed through it that makes you feel alive." The Human Fear is set to release on January 10, 2025, with singles Night or Day and Audacious out now.
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