Friends of Franz

Post by **mccutcheon** » Sun Mar 07, 2004 6:50 pm

I'm listening to the new Franz Ferdinand record and it sounds great, it sounds just like the Strokes. This worries me. I have no problem with bands that rip off other band's songs; I love all the British groups who have made whole careers copying the Beatles's Rain. I mean the cliché states that genius steals. But that was stealing from the past. Stone Roses = Great. Northside = Not so great. And if you haven't heard of Northside it proves my point. It's just not right when you try to sound like your contemporaries; the second and third generation of a trend has no original ideas, no soul. Besides if you are trying to sound like people you see in clubs at night you are likely to get beat up. Bands that do the jumping on the bandwagon always suck. Will this Scottish group evolve into their own thing, another album and a year will let us know. I like the remixes so far, so that is a keynote in the right direction. But who knows, it does seem to have more lushness on it. It's just the best bits that sound so much like the Strokes, maybe I should just get over my hang ups and enjoy. I'll go turn it up now.

Post by **Sloth** » Sun Mar 07, 2004 11:37 pm

I just got tickets to see FF at the Crocodile.

That will be a good test of how good they are.

marky · Post by **marky** » Fri Mar 12, 2004 9:54 pm

Well, McC, I haven't done ALL my homework just yet, but I do believe you have a point. Not just about FF but in general. I've been having thoughts lately along the lines that I find it weird that people are expecting the next big thing to be just straight ahead rock and roll, scream, yell, or sneer a few lines, add a few power chords...I mean it just seems like the whole rock and roll thing is so boring and dinosaurish, isn't it? I mean I guess if you are just 16, then some new thing by the Von Bondies sounds like a really genuinely rebellious representation of your teenage feelings, and maybe that's understandable. But for God's sake, it's the same stuff that has been done over and over again for decades now.
I realize some of this may be just my own personal musical mood right now (frankly I'm even tired of punk rock at the moment), but at what point does just straight ahead rock and roll become a cliche? Maybe the fashion just needs to change for awhile. Anyway, that's my opinion. Take it with a grain of salt.

I was actually thinking of you, Sloth because I read about some band that was coming to town that you like...let me get my copy of the Stranger now...oh here it is. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club with the Rapture on April 27 at the Showbox. Anyway, I'll investigate FF a little more to see if I want to go to that. I'm pretty much planning on seeing Cooper Temple Clause for sure at the Croc on March 28.
But that's not the big news: BLONDIE are coming at the end of April to the Showbox. I banged on the table with my fist when I read it, I was so chuffed. Only problem is the new album sucks, but still it will be nice to unite with them in person for awhile.

marky · Post by **marky** » Fri Mar 12, 2004 10:15 pm

One more thing I want to share about Chic that I recently learned and found too interesting. Chic were ALSO responsible for Diana Ross' comeback album "Diana" from 1980, that is the singles "Upside Down" and "I'm Coming Out". So this means Chic, ONE collective of musicians, was responsible not only for "Good Times" and "Le Freak", but also further late 70's 1980 disco/funky hits Sister Sledge "We Are Family" AND Diana Ross "Upside Down" and "I'm Coming Out". That just simply freaks me out that they wrote and played on all those songs.

Post by **Sloth** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 10:23 pm

It's better in the matinee
The dark of the matinee

marky · Post by **marky** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 12:28 am

Woah, Sloth. You're getting poetic on us. Here, have a chair, have a pen.

Tommy Martyn · Post by **Tommy Martyn** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 5:34 am

Anyway I found out last week that this nice little girl with a nice mum at my son's pre school are the offspring and spouse of Chris Ballew from the band the presidents of the united states of america. On Saturday night the school is having a charity auction and one of the items up for grabs is studio time with chris ballew. What a hoot.

marky · Post by **marky** » Fri Mar 19, 2004 9:24 am

I must say the Diana Ross album is cringe-inducingly disappointing. I would sell it in a heartbeat except for the fact that the Chic mix of the album includes about 2 minutes of Edwards bass-playing heaven at the end of the second track that didn't even appear on the album as it was released and sold in stores in 1980. This bit makes me play the Chic mix over and over, looking for whatever may have been lost. Still, it's a far cry from that incredible Chic/Sister Sledge stuff. Poor Diana. It's not her fault. I really liked her in that film she did of Billie Holliday's life, "Lady Sings The Blues" (early 70's?). I'd almost rather have the soundtrack of that than this. I thought she did a great job with the Holliday songs, in fact I liked her voice more than Billie's, you jazz fans will say 'sacrilige!', but I can't help it.

Oh well, at least there's this really obscure LP I've got by some French act called Sheila and B. Devotion that was done by Chic, also from 1980. Chic worked their fingers to the bone from 78-80, didn't they? I heard a little of this Sheila B. and liked it. I just have to hook my turntable back up to my computer so I can burn and listen to it properly. It really will be the last of the best of Chic I can experience, and then it will be over. The best of Chic will be past me. Don't bother buying those Chic albums past 1980. I'm checking out the Nile Rodgers solo albums, and maybe the Debbie Harry album, and then that's it. No more Chic, that's it. The best has been and gone, except for potentially, the Sheila and B. Devotion.

Also, just so we understand, Chic influenced Duran Duran, Queen's "Another One Bites The Dust" and Blur's "Girls and Boys" and many other UK bands.

Also, Sloth, believe it or not, main Chic dude Nile Rodgers plays on Dandy Warhols "Welcome To The Monkey House".
I gave the album a try, but just decided against it in the end. Not because I felt it was horrible, but because I have been through this off-and-on thing with the 'Warhols, where I bought their first record, sold it, bought their second record, sold it, bought their third record, sold it...I'll like them for awhile, but they never quite stick for me. This time I've just got other things more appealing to listen to.

Like, this Sheila and B. Devotion record. Only Chic album I've heard so far where they never ever try the slow love ballad, just keep dancing throughout the entire record. A few of the tracks sound like they could have been recorded 5 or 8 years later. Incredible. No, it's not on CD either. Only problem is, it has a really really dodgy sleeve. The white French woman singer with long hair in a red flight suit, with straps around her arms and legs as though she's hanging out of an airplane or helicopter, and she's got the sunset behind her and teradactyls (yes, dinosaur birds not even regular birds) flying next to her. Got to be the worst LP sleeve I've ever seen.

Post by **Sloth** » Fri Mar 19, 2004 3:56 pm

The new Warhols does nothing for me either.

I HAVE 2 EXTRA TIX TO FRANZ FERDINAND IF ANYONE WANTS TO BUY THEM! $13

marky · Post by **marky** » Fri Mar 19, 2004 5:43 pm

Ah sure, what the hell. It just happens to be right after my last and most difficult final exam on Tuesday night and I don't have to go anywhere on Wednesday. And such a cheap ticket price! Thanks, Sloth. I've decided against even seeing Blondie. I'm sick of the high ticket prices. I simply can't afford $50 for one night of entertainment, and that doesn't even pay for drinks.

blimpieboy · Post by **blimpieboy** » Sat Mar 20, 2004 6:03 am

All i's got's to say is...

"it's always better on holiday,
it's so much better on holiday,
that's why we only work when,
we need the money"

FF kicks some serious ass. I love the Strokes, but I fail to see the similarities. Seriously, I love both bands tremendously and the after hearing both albums 50 times, I never thought they sounded alike. Call me crazy. They both have rockin'guitar licks, so if it rocks, then it's all rock and roll. Besides all the dudes in FF sing and they're guitars sound surfy. The Strokes have one singer and they're guitars sound like television, not that there's anything wrong with that.

I just saw the Strokes last week. I saw them twice before and never saw Jules so into the crowd. During the set he said "they were criticized for Room on Fire sounding too much like the their first ablum". I'm thinkin', fuck yeah, they both rock. He seemed upset about it.

This band sounds like that band... flippety floo!

That's what music is, taking your influences and making them into something of your own. Rock and roll is three fucking chords for christ sakes.

Enjoy it for what it's worth, I say. I DO think the dandy warhols new album kicks ass as well. "When Michael Jackson dies, we're covering blackbird". Come on, that's a cool lyric. Those guys are cool and they have a hot chick keyboard singer, not to mention I did lines with them once.

I read this BB once in a while and try to be a silent observer, but I think I gotta intervene on this one. must be the wine talkin'. If I could see FF for $13 in my city, I'd be there in a heartbeat. But they didnae come around, this time.

Post by **Sloth** » Sat Mar 20, 2004 4:53 pm

I agree with you blimpieboy, I can't see the similarities between Strokes and FF. FF is more like Space without the secret longing to be Tom Jones.

Post by **mccutcheon** » Sun Mar 21, 2004 7:22 pm

Space has a new single out and it's Tom Jones' bollocks. Best band from Liverpool, ever. La.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Mar 22, 2004 7:55 pm

I was listening to KEXP and they are sponsoring the FF concert.

The ad goes like this:

"Come see Franz Ferdinand... they are art-rockers in the tradition of Joy Division and Talking Heads".

Why do people always compare bands to other band?

I don't see any comparisons between Joy Division and Franz Ferdinand AT ALL.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Mar 22, 2004 7:57 pm

Space is the best Liverpudlian band ever?

Heresy... blasphemy... Wrong...

Beat The Meatles.

"I Me Mine" is the best Beatles song. Go George-y.