Another song out, "Collaborations Don't Work"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGAwp5syXyE
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 27 April 2015 15:06 (nine years ago) link
And first video, for "Johnny Delusional"
http://www.vevo.com/watch/GBA321500043
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 20 May 2015 15:12 (nine years ago) link
Fun interview:
http://www.nme.com/features/ffs-interview-franz-ferdinand-and-sparks-on-how-broken-teeth-and-1990s-pop-shaped-their-unexpected-c
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 22 May 2015 21:08 (nine years ago) link
Another new one here:
http://po.st/CallGirl
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 28 May 2015 15:59 (nine years ago) link
For anyone who doesn't want to sit through a minute of redirect error warnings, that is a youtube of audio only of a song, not another new interview
― ( who ALSO my boss and his sister!) (sic), Thursday, 28 May 2015 23:26 (nine years ago) link
Ha, true.
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 29 May 2015 00:47 (nine years ago) link
And a full stream of the album is here
http://www.npr.org/2015/05/31/410046656/first-listen-ffs-ffs
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 1 June 2015 04:22 (nine years ago) link
http://www.ilxor.com/ILX/SiteNewAnswersControllerServlet
http://thetalkhouse.com/music/talks/luke-haines-the-auteurs-black-box-recorder-talks-ffs-ffs/
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 8 June 2015 15:16 (eight years ago) link
this is great so far!
― kurt kobaïan (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 9 June 2015 19:26 (eight years ago) link
Yeah, love it.
― Vaguely Threatening CAPTCHAs, Tuesday, 9 June 2015 19:31 (eight years ago) link
the bonus tracks on the deluxe edition are well worth it as well
― kurt kobaïan (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 9 June 2015 20:46 (eight years ago) link
this record rules
― insufficiently familiar with xgau's work to comment intelligently (BradNelson), Tuesday, 9 June 2015 20:58 (eight years ago) link
It really does rule. So many great tracks on here. "Police Encounters" and "Call Girl" are both so good. My vinyl version is coming today so I'm excited to hear these bonus tracks.
― Non-Stop Erotic Calculus (bmus), Wednesday, 10 June 2015 18:07 (eight years ago) link
so much verve! so much panache!
― kurt kobaïan (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 10 June 2015 20:23 (eight years ago) link
Ok I knew I would like this but "Collaborations Don't Work" is even better than I had hoped
― sleeve, Monday, 29 June 2015 23:17 (eight years ago) link
great Glastonbury set!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkCdHztozzE
― kurt kobaïan (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Monday, 6 July 2015 15:53 (eight years ago) link
Yeah they've been killing it at their performances -- there's a great set from Paris a couple of days before that floating around as well. If a tour doesn't happen here I will be so mightily pissed, I am waiting on an announcement like nothing else.
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 6 July 2015 15:58 (eight years ago) link
Also, extended interview with Billy Sloan:
http://t.co/sNs3fVODsQ
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 6 July 2015 16:01 (eight years ago) link
Russell Mael's voice has held up remarkably, 66 years old! wow
― kurt kobaïan (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Monday, 6 July 2015 16:43 (eight years ago) link
All that clean living!
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 6 July 2015 17:31 (eight years ago) link
American tour happening!
https://twitter.com/ffs_music/status/628617213952569344
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 4 August 2015 19:04 (eight years ago) link
Cannot wait.
― mr.raffles, Tuesday, 4 August 2015 19:32 (eight years ago) link
Annnnd interviewed Russell tonight after interviewing Paul of FF last week. Story'll be in the SF Weekly on October 8.
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 22 September 2015 03:41 (eight years ago) link
As important as Sparks were to me in my teens and 20s, I haven't paid much attention for the past fifteen years (and I know next to nothing about Franz Ferdinand, but I'm really liking the new album.) They're playing here next month and I'm suffering what I call "Fear Of Missing Something." Haven't seen them since the '80s, but also have tentative plans to go out of town that weekend.
― Half as cool as Man Sized Action (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 22 September 2015 16:49 (eight years ago) link
go go go go
― chaki (kurt schwitterz), Tuesday, 22 September 2015 17:00 (eight years ago) link
I haven't paid much attention for the past fifteen years
You've missed one of their most fertile periods btw
― let no-one live rent free in your butt (sic), Tuesday, 22 September 2015 17:14 (eight years ago) link
I was about to say. And you really, really should go.
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 22 September 2015 17:25 (eight years ago) link
Yeah, maybe. I didn't really care for the recent stuff I did hear ("The Rhythm Thief" and "Dick Around" come to mind.) I did like their 2-man set at Coachella, and as I said, this new record really sounds like old times. But mostly I've just been digging into old country and rockabilly; I'm more into Sparkle Moore than Sparks these days.
― Half as cool as Man Sized Action (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 22 September 2015 17:33 (eight years ago) link
Hey, nothing wrong with that at all! But think of it this way -- this is almost certainly the only time this combination is going to be touring America, and go for it for the crazy one-off it is.
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 22 September 2015 17:36 (eight years ago) link
Seeing them in Toronto on Wednesday - and arrived in the city to find it moved to a venue half the size originally booked. Boo for them, yay for me!
Here's a festival set I shan't be watching before the show: http://culturebox.francetvinfo.fr/festivals/festival-rock-en-seine/concerts-2015/franz-ferdinand-sparks-ffs-au-festival-rock-en-seine-225771
― let no-one live rent free in your butt (sic), Saturday, 26 September 2015 16:11 (eight years ago) link
And here's my short interview with Russell and Paul
http://www.sfweekly.com/sanfrancisco/franz-ferdinand-sparks-ffs/Content?oid=4136165
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 8 October 2015 22:42 (eight years ago) link
The show was fantastic btw - they really feel like a whole band, and Alex & Russell interact as co-frontmen throughout. If you have half an interest in either, I strongly recommend going.
― let no-one live rent free in your butt (sic), Friday, 9 October 2015 05:45 (eight years ago) link
First choice Ponderosa Stomp and second choice rockabilly fest road trip didn't work out for me, so I'm going to FFS tonight. Off to listen to "Take Me Out" to see if I even know it. I'm painfully unhip to Franz Ferdinand.
― Half as cool as Man Sized Action (Dan Peterson), Friday, 9 October 2015 16:38 (eight years ago) link
Fuck this tour is so good I command you to see them if there are any remaining dates in your city, most fun I've had at a show for a long time
― Comme Si, Kamasi (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Saturday, 10 October 2015 05:31 (eight years ago) link
Han agrees apparently
https://scontent-fra3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfl1/v/t1.0-9/11954711_10152959856816875_17821622003459695_n.jpg?oh=326cf58f8e15d67e6b02ac8e7dc03a7a&oe=56899AF5
― bonobo voyage (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 10 October 2015 08:36 (eight years ago) link
:-)
― (emphasis mine) (wins), Saturday, 10 October 2015 08:46 (eight years ago) link
Bummed I opted out of seeing them in the end
i didn't get chance but kids spoke v highly
― bonobo voyage (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 10 October 2015 09:02 (eight years ago) link
Yeah, this was so fun, I don't know how I was ever on the fence about going. I could have used a few more vintage Sparks songs, but fantastic night.
― Half as cool as Man Sized Action (Dan Peterson), Saturday, 10 October 2015 21:47 (eight years ago) link
Caught the Boston show at the Orpheum and it was perfect. Very smiley crowd. Everybody just seemed stoked. Loads of young people too. I would've thought even FF fans would skew much older.
Anyway. If you have the opportunity, do what everybody else in this thread is saying, and GO.
― mr.raffles, Sunday, 11 October 2015 00:33 (eight years ago) link
i was at that show too!
― maura, Sunday, 11 October 2015 02:52 (eight years ago) link
Did you notice all that smiliness too?I hope I wasn't just imagining it. haha
― mr.raffles, Sunday, 11 October 2015 03:38 (eight years ago) link
Well last night in Oakland was the end of the tour and they confirmed it was the end of FFS -- at least for now but I think we have to treat it as the glorious one-off it was rather than something that'll happen again. Stellar show of course and it all ended after some appropriate farewell notes (San Francisco was where they finally got the ball formally rolling on this two years ago) with "Collaborations Don't Work."
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 16 October 2015 14:38 (eight years ago) link
yeah you know, I'm okay with that. This was great and this year felt kinda "special" in a way that is hard to replicate. I loved Grinderman (and that 2nd album tour was something else!) too but I was okay with Cave doing away with that quickly too.
― Comme Si, Kamasi (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 16 October 2015 15:30 (eight years ago) link
but yeah an all-time concert for me
not to be a downer but how much has Sparks got left in 'em? they've been around since '68!
― frogbs, Friday, 16 October 2015 16:24 (eight years ago) link
Russell's voice has held up amazingly well and FFS album was great and this tour felt pretty triumphant so seems like an odd time to ask that question.
― Comme Si, Kamasi (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 16 October 2015 16:26 (eight years ago) link
that's why I'm asking. it's almost inhuman.
― frogbs, Friday, 16 October 2015 16:33 (eight years ago) link
Ron just turned 70 a couple of months ago. I suspect they'll outlive us all.
― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 17 October 2015 15:58 (eight years ago) link
Anyway, one last new FFS song, planned for the album but never completed.
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/post/idsa.cecc4b7c-77d6-11e5-adf9-e48966e073bf
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 21 October 2015 18:36 (eight years ago) link
okay now I'm on "The Gambler" and I have to say "Taste Of My Love" may not even have the worst lyrics on the album
― frogbs, Tuesday, 26 January 2021 20:08 (three years ago) link
oh whoops thought this was the Love Beach thread
you know I kinda wonder if I've been getting FP'd for bumping all these old obscure album threads. I don't blame you if you do
― frogbs, Tuesday, 26 January 2021 20:09 (three years ago) link
by the way is there any indication which group wrote what? like "Dictator's Son" & "Piss Off" are clearly Sparks, no one else writes songs like that, but something like "Little Guy From the Suburbs" is probably FF? there aren't any credits in the sleeve.
― frogbs, Tuesday, 2 February 2021 16:24 (three years ago) link
Probably intentional!
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 2 February 2021 16:28 (three years ago) link
There was fan club newsletter around the time the album came out that broke down the writing credits song by song. You're right about these three, if I remember correctly. I think "Suburbs" was the only one that was entirely credited to Alex Kapranos on the album proper, and he also had the bonus track "King of the Song." The other tracks that were entirely Sparks-written were "Johnny Delusional," "Save Me from Myself," "The Power Couple," "So Many Bridges," and "Look at Me." Everything else was collaborative. I remember being surprised that most of my favorites were the true collaborations and just the ones where FF were essentially Sparks' backing band!
― Vaguely Threatening CAPTCHAs, Tuesday, 2 February 2021 17:13 (three years ago) link
when I first heard "Call Girl" my thought was "hmmm this sounds a bit like that 'Do You Want To' song" without realizing the band who wrote it was literally on the record
― frogbs, Tuesday, 2 February 2021 17:29 (three years ago) link