Alex Kapranos
Encyclopedia
Alexander Paul Kapranos Huntley (born 20 March 1972 in Almondsbury
, Gloucestershire
), commonly known as Alex Kapranos, is a United Kingdom
-based musician who is the lead singer and the guitar
ist of the Glasgow
band Franz Ferdinand
.
, England
to an English mother and Greek father. He moved to the North East
of England when he was three months old, spending his early childhood in Sunderland and South Shields
, his mother's home town, and spent many summer holidays in his father's native Greece
. Huntley is the name his father adopted from his father's aunt. He gets his middle name from Paul McCartney
on whom his mother had a crush.
In 1980, he moved with his family to Edinburgh
then to Glasgow in 1984 where he attended Bearsden Academy. At the age of seventeen, Kapranos attended the University of Aberdeen
to study Theology. After dropping out, he continued his studies at the University of Strathclyde
, eventually gaining a BA
. He worked as a chef
, barman, music promoter, driver
, welder
and lecturer
prior to finding fame with Franz Ferdinand.
music scene, running live nights at the 13th Note, most notably The Kazoo Club. While working as a chef
, bartender
, lecturer in IT at the city's Anniesland College
, and other various jobs, he played in some of Glasgow's popular bands, including The Blisters (later known as The Karelia
), long-standing ska
stalwarts The Amphetameanies, Quinn (now known as A Band Called Quinn
) and The Yummy Fur
. He is also known to have contributed to Urusei Yatsura
and Lungleg recordings.
in 2001. The band comprises Alex Kapranos, Nick McCarthy
(guitar, keyboard, backup vocals), Paul Thomson
(drums, backup vocals, sometimes guitar) and Bob Hardy
(bass). The band saw chart success after their second single "Take Me Out
(released 12 January 2004) reached Number 3 in the UK Charts followed by their debut album Franz Ferdinand
(released 9 February 2004) which debuted on the UK
album chart at Number 3. The band went on to win the 2004 Mercury Music Prize and two BRIT Awards
in 2005 for Best British Group and Best British Rock Act.
, a book of the column and unreleased material illustrated by Andy Knowles
was released in 2006.
Sound Bites: Eating on Tour with Franz Ferdinand was read by Alex Kapranos on BBC Radio 4
's Book of the Week for 4–8 December 2006, described as "his account about what he ate while touring the world."
" - the third album by British indie rock
group The Cribs
in Vancouver BC, released on 14 May 2007. He also produced their single only track, "Don't You Wanna Be Relevant?
", which was featured with "Our Bovine Public" (from Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever
) as a Double A side.
Kapranos makes a cameo appearance
in the video for Our Bovine Public.
His remix of the single, "New in Town
", by British pop singer Little Boots
was featured on various formats of the singles release.
documentary Edwyn Collins: Home Again on the recovery of Orange Juice
singer Edwyn Collins
.
Almondsbury
Almondsbury is a large village near junction 16 of the M5 motorway, in South Gloucestershire, England.-Description:The village is split by a steep hill, part of the escarpment overlooking the Severn floodplain. At the bottom of the hill is Lower Almondsbury where a pub and hotel, The Bowl Inn, is...
, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
), commonly known as Alex Kapranos, is a United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-based musician who is the lead singer and the guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist of the Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
band Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand (band)
Franz Ferdinand are a Scottish post-punk revival band formed in Glasgow in 2002. The band is composed of Alex Kapranos , Bob Hardy , Nick McCarthy , and Paul Thomson .The band first experienced chart success when their second single, "Take Me Out", reached #3 in...
.
Early life
Alex Kapranos was born in Almondsbury, GloucestershireGloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to an English mother and Greek father. He moved to the North East
North East England
North East England is one of the nine official regions of England. It covers Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and Teesside . The only cities in the region are Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland...
of England when he was three months old, spending his early childhood in Sunderland and South Shields
South Shields
South Shields is a coastal town in Tyne and Wear, England, located at the mouth of the River Tyne to Tyne Dock, and about downstream from Newcastle upon Tyne...
, his mother's home town, and spent many summer holidays in his father's native Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Huntley is the name his father adopted from his father's aunt. He gets his middle name from Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
on whom his mother had a crush.
In 1980, he moved with his family to Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
then to Glasgow in 1984 where he attended Bearsden Academy. At the age of seventeen, Kapranos attended the University of Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
to study Theology. After dropping out, he continued his studies at the University of Strathclyde
University of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde , Glasgow, Scotland, is Glasgow's second university by age, founded in 1796, and receiving its Royal Charter in 1964 as the UK's first technological university...
, eventually gaining a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
. He worked as a chef
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
, barman, music promoter, driver
Chauffeur
A chauffeur is a person employed to drive a passenger motor vehicle, especially a luxury vehicle such as a large sedan or limousine.Originally such drivers were always personal servants of the vehicle owner, but now in many cases specialist chauffeur service companies, or individual drivers provide...
, welder
Welder
A welder is a tradesman who specializes in welding materials together. The materials to be joined can be metals or varieties of plastic or polymer...
and lecturer
Lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
prior to finding fame with Franz Ferdinand.
Early musical career
From the early 1990s, he was a fixture of the GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
music scene, running live nights at the 13th Note, most notably The Kazoo Club. While working as a chef
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
, bartender
Bartender
A bartender is a person who serves beverages behind a counter in a bar, pub, tavern, or similar establishment. A bartender, in short, "tends the bar". The term barkeeper may carry a connotation of being the bar's owner...
, lecturer in IT at the city's Anniesland College
Anniesland College
Anniesland College is a small, local further education college in Glasgow, Scotland, established in 1964.Kenny Dalglish, the Scottish international football player was briefly a student, as an apprentice joiner, in the 1970s....
, and other various jobs, he played in some of Glasgow's popular bands, including The Blisters (later known as The Karelia
The Karelia (Band)
The Karelia were a Scottish band formed by current Franz Ferdinand frontman Alex Kapranos, known at the time as Alex Huntley, in 1996.-History:...
), long-standing ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
stalwarts The Amphetameanies, Quinn (now known as A Band Called Quinn
A Band Called Quinn
A Band Called Quinn are an electronic indie rock band from Glasgow, Scotland. Founder members Bal Cooke and Louise Quinn met whilst working for a performance art company in Glasgow. Other long term members are Robert Henderson and Steven Westwater...
) and The Yummy Fur
Yummy Fur
The Yummy Fur were an indie rock band from Glasgow, formed in 1992, and disbanded 1999. The band was centered around lead singer and guitarist John McKeown, with a regularly changing lineup of other musicians. McKeown has since gone on to form the band 1990s...
. He is also known to have contributed to Urusei Yatsura
Urusei Yatsura (band)
Urusei Yatsura were a Glaswegian Alternative rock, Indie rock rock indie band.-History:Founding members Fergus Lawrie and Graham Kemp met in the summer of 1993, whilst attending the University of Glasgow. They recruited Elaine Graham as bassist, and the line-up was completed with the subsequent...
and Lungleg recordings.
Franz Ferdinand
After dropping "Huntley" from his name, he formed Franz FerdinandFranz Ferdinand (band)
Franz Ferdinand are a Scottish post-punk revival band formed in Glasgow in 2002. The band is composed of Alex Kapranos , Bob Hardy , Nick McCarthy , and Paul Thomson .The band first experienced chart success when their second single, "Take Me Out", reached #3 in...
in 2001. The band comprises Alex Kapranos, Nick McCarthy
Nicholas McCarthy
Nick McCarthy is an English musician. He is the guitarist, backing/lead vocalist, and keyboardist of the Glasgow based band Franz Ferdinand as well as a member of the band Box Codax.-Early years:...
(guitar, keyboard, backup vocals), Paul Thomson
Paul Thomson
Paul Thomson is the drummer for the Glasgow based band, Franz Ferdinand....
(drums, backup vocals, sometimes guitar) and Bob Hardy
Robert Hardy (bassist)
Bob Hardy is the bassist for the Glasgow based band, Franz Ferdinand.-Biography:...
(bass). The band saw chart success after their second single "Take Me Out
Take Me Out (song)
"Take Me Out" is a song by the Scottish band Franz Ferdinand. It was released as the second single from their debut album Franz Ferdinand in the United Kingdom on the 12 January 2004 and in the United State on 9 February, both through Domino Records...
(released 12 January 2004) reached Number 3 in the UK Charts followed by their debut album Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand (album)
Franz Ferdinand is the debut album by Scottish indie rock band Franz Ferdinand, released in early 2004. It entered the United Kingdom album charts at number three in February 2004 and contains three UK top ten singles: "Take Me Out", "This Fire" and "The Dark of the Matinée"...
(released 9 February 2004) which debuted on the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
album chart at Number 3. The band went on to win the 2004 Mercury Music Prize and two BRIT Awards
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
in 2005 for Best British Group and Best British Rock Act.
Writing
In September 2005, Kapranos began Soundbites, a weekly food column for G2 in the Guardian newspaper, which detailed his culinary adventures as Franz Ferdinand traversed the globe on their world tour. Sound Bites: Eating on Tour with Franz FerdinandSound Bites: Eating on Tour with Franz Ferdinand
Sound Bites: Eating on Tour with Franz Ferdinand is a book written by Alex Kapranos from the band Franz Ferdinand. It was published on 2 November 2006....
, a book of the column and unreleased material illustrated by Andy Knowles
Andy Knowles
Andy Knowles is an artist and drummer.Knowles started his drumming career with Skuta, and then in 2003 formed the cult group I Love Lucy out of the Glaswegian Art rock scene...
was released in 2006.
Sound Bites: Eating on Tour with Franz Ferdinand was read by Alex Kapranos on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
's Book of the Week for 4–8 December 2006, described as "his account about what he ate while touring the world."
Production
Kapranos produced "Men's Needs, Women's Needs, WhateverMen's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever
Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever is The Cribs' third album, released on 21 May 2007. It reached 13 on the UK Album Charts. Critically acclaimed, it was voted #9 in the annual 'Albums Of The Year' in influential UK music magazine NME, amongst various other end-of-year lists...
" - the third album by British indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
group The Cribs
The Cribs
The Cribs are an English three-piece indie rock band from Wakefield, West Yorkshire. The band consists of twins Gary and Ryan Jarman and their younger brother Ross Jarman. They were subsequently joined by ex-The Smiths and Modest Mouse guitarist Johnny Marr who was made a formal member of the group...
in Vancouver BC, released on 14 May 2007. He also produced their single only track, "Don't You Wanna Be Relevant?
Don't You Wanna Be Relevant? / Our Bovine Public
"Don't You Wanna Be Relevant?"/"Our Bovine Public" is a double A-side single by Wakefield indie rock band The Cribs. The first track is a new non-album cut, while the second is the opening track from the band's third album, Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever...
", which was featured with "Our Bovine Public" (from Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever
Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever
Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever is The Cribs' third album, released on 21 May 2007. It reached 13 on the UK Album Charts. Critically acclaimed, it was voted #9 in the annual 'Albums Of The Year' in influential UK music magazine NME, amongst various other end-of-year lists...
) as a Double A side.
Kapranos makes a cameo appearance
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
in the video for Our Bovine Public.
His remix of the single, "New in Town
New in Town (song)
"New in Town" is a song by English recording artist Little Boots from her debut album, Hands. Written by Boots and Greg Kurstin and produced by Kurstin, the track was released as the album's lead single on 25 May 2009 in the United Kingdom. The song was inspired by the nights Boots spent in Los...
", by British pop singer Little Boots
Little Boots
Victoria Christina Hesketh, also known by her stage name/pseudonym Little Boots, is an English electropop singer-songwriter. Her stage name comes from a nickname given to her by a friend, a reference to her unusually small feet...
was featured on various formats of the singles release.
Hobbies
When not on the road, using his leather "jump rope", recording in the studio, Kapranos spends time in his carpentry workshop, crafting abstract furniture.Narration
Kapranos narrated the 2008 BBC ScotlandBBC Scotland
BBC Scotland is a constituent part of the British Broadcasting Corporation, the publicly-funded broadcaster of the United Kingdom. It is, in effect, the national broadcaster for Scotland, having a considerable amount of autonomy from the BBC's London headquarters, and is run by the BBC Trust, who...
documentary Edwyn Collins: Home Again on the recovery of Orange Juice
Orange Juice
Orange Juice was a Scottish post-punk band founded in the middle class Glasgow suburb of Bearsden as the Nu-Sonics in 1976. Edwyn Collins formed the Nu-Sonics with his school-mate Alan Duncan and was subsequently joined by James Kirk and Steven Daly, who left a band called The Machetes. The band...
singer Edwyn Collins
Edwyn Collins
Edwyn Stephen Collins is an Ivor Novello Award winning Scottish musician, playing mostly electric guitar-driven pop. Collins formed the musical group Nu-Sonics in 1976, which later became Orange Juice...
.
External links
- Franz Ferdinand official website
- Alex Kapranos talks about Sound Bites to stv.tv
- Alex Kapranos interview with World Hum
- Alex Kapranos interview with SPINSpin (magazine)Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...