| Author | Message | ||
     Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 948 Registered: 04-2005 |
I don't recall a whole lot of discussion about FF, at least not for awhile. Given how much they echo a number of bands that are board favorites, do most people rate Franz Ferdinand, or consider them dilettantes who've managed to recycle edgier sounds from the past into commercial success? Personally, I think they're good but not particularly special. I'd certainly rather listen to them than the Strokes or White Stripes, though. I enjoy FF's albums, but think they've been overrated by fans and critics. However, maybe we owe them a bit of gratitude because they've been vocal about their influences and seem to have been a factor in the Domino reissues of Josef K, Orange Juice, and Fire Engines. | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 1212 Registered: 03-2006 |
I'm probably not hip enough to perceive the reasons why they're not cool or why I shouldn't like them, but I think FF are great. I would much rather listen to them than any of the crop of current bands that seem influenced by earlier (read better) bands like Wire and Gang of Four. They seem much more original to my ears and, based on live clips I've seen, have tons more charisma, than the others. Btw, for me, the White Stripes and Strokes have their moments, but I think the Killers and Interpol are awful and shamefully derivative. | ||
| andreas Member Username: Andreas Post Number: 337 Registered: 04-2006 |
Franz Ferdinand get totally out of my cosmos after the release of their second album. It didn't catched me, so I didn't bought it. Maybe I am wrong, because their first album was a stroke like The Strokes first stroke. It was an album you can get enthusiastic about. But sometimes those albums you are very crazy, are the ones that fades away very fast. I stil can hear them, but rather on the radio. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1193 Registered: 05-2005 |
FF are not the worst band in the world, but I wish they had made the first album and split up. I'm also always suspicious of guys in bands who are anonymous till the age of 30 or so - sounds to me like Kapranos made crap music in previous bands till he stumbled on a winning(rehashed)formula with FF Got to disagree with Kurt, I would rather listen to The Strokes and White Stripes than FF, however I wouldnt go out of my way to listen to any of them. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 952 Registered: 04-2005 |
That's an interesting point, Kevin, and I think there's some truth to it--there are some musicians who are "journeymen," jumping around between bands and styles until they find something that's right for the commercial zeitgeist (I love typing that word) of the time. Not knowing much about Kapranos's background, I can't say for sure that's the case with him. Another example of that is Art Alexakis of Everclear (not a band I rate, by the way). They got pretty big in the States as a post-Nirvana band. But I had seen him in a crappy club a few years before playing in a cowpunk band called the Easy Hoes that was most notable for doing a country-rockin' cover of "You Shook Me All Night Long." I can't say if Nirvanaesque grunge was what he wanted to do all along or if he was just the right guy with the right songs to cash in on Nirvana's success. No crime in it--but it's not as "authentic" as a young band that hits on the winning formula the first time around. Such as (like 'em or not) the Arctic Monkeys. | ||
| Lawrence Mikkelsen Member Username: Simplythrilledhoney Post Number: 36 Registered: 03-2006 |
I was sitting on the fench with Franz for a long time. I bought "Darts Of Pleasure" when it first came out and no one had heard of them, because someone on the OJ mailing list had said they sounded a lot like Josef K. I really liked the first few singles but wasn't convinced about the debut album until I saw them live. When they played Auckland in 2004 they were SO GOOD they have the entire crowd eating out of their hands. They were polished and charismatic, with lots of jumping around the scissor kicks and the whole thing worked so brilliantly. They made a lifelong, diehard fan out of me that night. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 954 Registered: 04-2005 |
I haven't actually seen them live, but I saw them playing live on TV a couple of times and understand what you're talking about, Lawrence. They seem to know how to present themselves in an exciting way live. That's when I kind of switched over from indifference to liking them a bit. So, bonus question: Bloc Party. Franz Ferdinand imitators? I actually find their best stuff a little more exciting than FF. | ||
| Lawrence Mikkelsen Member Username: Simplythrilledhoney Post Number: 37 Registered: 03-2006 |
again, I like Bloc Party. Without wanting to come across all David Brent, I think the fact the singer is black makes them a little more interesting than the standard white-boy indie band. Dunno. Lyrically he's a bit more angry and there's a bit of an outsiders perspective which, say, The Kaiser Chiefs will never have. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 446 Registered: 10-2004 |
i'm so quick to dismiss new bands that i haven't really heard franz ferdinand. i've only heard a few snippets, which honestly sounded to these ears like scrappy, lo-fi Blur with disco beats. it didn't particularly move me. maybe i need to listen more closely. interestingly, i was playing a josef k mix i made for myself in the car the other day, when my girlfriend (having not heard josef k before) said, "hey, this sounds A LOT like franz ferdinand, or should i say, franz ferdinands sound a lot like this." she likes franz ferdinand, so that was a compliment. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1019 Registered: 05-2005 |
They're nice guys, I like what they do. They are far and away different from Josef K though. They are much more like The Monochrome Set, Talking Heads or roxy music even, just coz they have scratchy geetars! don't mean they rely on the K!! Plenty o groups have scrathy geetars. They know how to groove raw and they do it with a professional style. Nels Cline in Wilco sounds more like Josef K. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 917 Registered: 05-2005 |
I like them. Thought the second album was great but have not played it in ages. Must do so again soon. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1198 Registered: 05-2005 |
Josef K had an "edge". FF do not. My 9 year old likes FF, she doesnt like Josef K. That tells me more than anything we might write here. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1020 Registered: 05-2005 |
Kev, quite! My Grace one of my twins was caught legging it into the kitchen to avoid the sounds of fun n frenzy by the K but then was caught attempting to dance and shake her hips to Heaven Sent!! | ||
| John B. Member Username: John_b Post Number: 63 Registered: 10-2006 |
Thank god that my daughter is just four.... :-) I didn't like FF at first but gave them a second chance in April or May. Now I like them a lot. But I don't think that they will be some sort of reference point in 10 years time. Good band, nothing more, nothing less. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1033 Registered: 05-2005 |
I wonder what provoked the thread in the first place? The more I think about it the more I think - why? why this thread??????? | ||
| John B. Member Username: John_b Post Number: 64 Registered: 10-2006 |
Why not, Spence? nobody really hates them. But it somewhat reminds me of the "does music still matter" issue. by the way, the German edition of Rolling Stone shamelessly stole the Observer discussion with Jarvis, Nick Cave etc and put it into the latest edition. No word that it had been published elsewhere. That's truely disgusting. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1034 Registered: 05-2005 |
Its like people are having a problem with FF!, Why, coz they're jealous?Coz they're loaded, why don't we have a thread for The Editors etc etc, FFal always seem to get it in the neck (as if they would care anyway) Its not as if they are a direct facsimile of anyone IMHO, its like, what do we think of Joe Dolce, who cares what we think, I don't understand, I need to calm down!!!!! Take me out!!!!!!!! | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1202 Registered: 05-2005 |
Spence - you need to sleep  Have you been to bed yet? I thought myself and our OZ and Yank friends were the only ones normally burning the midnight oil(even if I am normally working!!). You seem to be lucky enough to just be able to see FF solely for the music, which is not bad actually in the grand sheme of things. Unfortunately, cynical people like me think they are a bunch of opportunistic chancers. As usual M E Smith puts it best. Q: How much would it take to get you to listen to a Franz Ferdinand album? A: Me? All the way through? About $100,000. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 970 Registered: 04-2005 |
Why this thread, Spence? I mostly wanted to hear your opinion of FF, because they are so openly influenced by Josef K, Orange Juice, and other bands I know you like and witnessed the first time around. Does it bother you that they're recycling and getting rich off of sounds that other people innovated 20+ years ago and never profited much from? This because (for example) I'm very bitter that the Ramones never had a hit single in the United States. Green Day had many hits. There's a major injustice there. Also, I'm trying to get to 1,000 posts, and sometimes you have to start lame threads to do it. Future threads to look forward to in my "drive to 1,000": What do we think of Loggins & Messina? 16LL Re-re-re-revisted Steely Dan vs. The Beatles Mark E. Smith: Should He Be Declared King of the Universe? Please remind us, Lindy: on which albums were you replaced by a drum machine?* *Yes, I know she wasn't replaced by a drum machine; she programmed the drums. It's a joke! | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1036 Registered: 05-2005 |
Kurt sorry mate, no offence. I like ff, but they don't really mean that much to me music wise, they will be gone tomorrow. Recycling is everywhere I guess, music art you name it, its all been done before. No, it doesn't bother me these connections to things I hold dear to my heart, but I don't see the similarity with Josef K at all. Its a media thing, they have latched on to it for years. Its a ref point I guess, like Joy Division/television are a ref point for Interpol, though how close to sounding like Mr Curtis can you get!? I like Interpol, but that's plagarism gone mad. No, I get annoyed these days by McFly if you know them, now they really fuckin annoy me!. Then again, I tend to lose the initial frustration, having kids I think does the trick. The reason I feel passionate about music was the bands I loved and still adore are what made me in many respects, so I suppose the feeling from a lot of people about these new kids on the block is that they have it easy?. The thing abou the way people looked years ago was born out of being skint and they made music coz they wre skint and had no real future. It does sicken me somewhat to see a young dude with a Fender jaguar all gleaming with a fuck off Marshall stack behind him, all ponced up0 to the nies in his crappu 'indie' looking clothes and all the effect pedals in the world, who trys to write and perform because he thinks music owes him a living, he heasn't worked for it, his ma and pa bought him the gear, he wants to be on the cover of the mag, he's not in it for the true spirit of being creative and valuing artistic integrity over here today gone tomorrow pap. Hope I am making some kinda sense, the Scottish in me means I shoot off at all angles. Sorry. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 972 Registered: 04-2005 |
Spence, as someone once said, "apology accepted." Except there's no need to apologize! As for your last post--great points and well put. Keep shooting off at all angles, my friend! | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 796 Registered: 03-2005 |
Spence, you talking about the Strokes? | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 974 Registered: 04-2005 |
Ha! Good one, Randy. Isn't the daddy of one of the Strokes a big record company exec or something? | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1037 Registered: 05-2005 |
I suppose so, I am sure we have it here too with Keane and Muse et al, I notice admin hasn't taken exception to expletives! |