Franz Ferdinand (band)

Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand performing live in 2014. Visible in the image are (L–R) McCarthy, Thomson, and Kapranos, with Hardy out-of-frame.
Background information
Origin	Glasgow, Scotland
Genres	Indie rock post-punk revival dance-punk dance-rock art rock
Years active	2002–present
Labels	Domino Epic Sony
Associated acts	FFS The Karelia The Yummy Fur Correcto Box Codax Sparks LCD Soundsystem La Roux Embryo
Website	www.franzferdinand.com
Members	Alex Kapranos Bob Hardy Paul Thomson
Past members	Nick McCarthy

Franz Ferdinand are a Scottish rock band, formed in 2002 and based in Glasgow. The band's original lineup was composed of Alex Kapranos (lead vocals and guitar, keyboard), Nick McCarthy (rhythm guitar, keyboards and backing vocals), Bob Hardy (bass guitar), and Paul Thomson (drums, percussion and backing vocals). The band has been known for being one of the most popular post-punk revival bands, garnering multiple UK top 20 hits and selling over 3 million albums worldwide, as of late 2009. They have been nominated for several Grammy Awards and have received two Brit Awards—winning one for Best British Group, as well as one NME Award.

The band began by releasing their debut extended play, Darts of Pleasure, in 2003, under Domino Records. The band gained recognition in the United Kingdom after the EP's title track peaked at number 44 on UK Singles Chart. In January 2004, the band released the song "Take Me Out". The song went on to achieve global recognition, charting in several countries, and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. It has since been noted as the band's signature song and has received critical acclaim from critics. The band subsequently released their eponymous debut studio album on 9 February 2004 to critical acclaim. The album won the 2004 Mercury Prize and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Album.