Early Beatles thing going?
Alex: Yeah, yeah, yeah. They've got that total Cavern Club, beat feel about them.

That's a total nobility type rock, gentry type rock thing, The Kaisers, Franz Ferdinand. And I was wondering, were you also influenced at all, cause I got a little hypothesis here. Were you influenced by these guys at all? The Thanes from Scotland. [ Nardwuar hands Franz Ferdinand a Thanes Lp ]
Alex: They're another cool band. [ looks at LP cover ] In fact, I've got a guitar like that! Is that an old Harmony? It looks like that. Yeah, they're from Edinburgh.
Paul: Yeah, they used to put on gigs when I started playing in Edinburgh.

Was that Lenny?
Alex: Lenny's the drummer. Lenny drums in The Wildebeasts now doesn't he?

Actually, we can find out, I actually have a Wildebeasts 7" right here. [ Nardwuar hands Franz Ferdinand a Wildebeasts Single ]
Alex: . [laughs] Yeah, we mention The Wildebeasts and there they are. [laughs] These were all bands that were very much playing in Glasgow and Edinburgh. He's a cool guy and they did a lot of stuff. I think generally the history of bands in and Scotland, Glasgow and Edinburgh, their attitudes have shaped the way we are.

It's so cool that you give props to bands like The Thanes and The Kaisers and my theory of that is if you turn over this [ Thanes LP ] on the back, look at what it says: "Distributed by K Records, Olympia, Washington." Of course, K was one of the pioneering labels importing Scottish rock and were fans of Belle And Sebastian and stuff like that.
Alex: Oh, is that right? I didn't know that. Right. Belle And Sebastian, of course, very important for us too.
Paul: That's Calvin Johnson's label isn't it?

Yes it is. Calvin Johnson was importing this Thanes Scottish rock to North America way before this Scottish rock explosion of two thousand and...
Alex : Four. . [laughs]
Paul: We played with Dub Narcotic as well, the last time they were in Glasgow. And Calvin Johnson threw this huge tantrum because we ate all his deluxe caramel logs, which are a Scottish delicacy. And he picked up the box and went "Fuck me! There was a whole box of these!" [laughter]

You ate his box of candy?
Paul: Yeah. I didn't realize it was his. He was a bit put out. He was looking forward to taking 'em home with him, I think.

Did he come out to see you in Seattle at all? Were there any K-rockers that came out?
Paul: Eh, um, no.

I think it's great that you know who K Records are. That you're associated with it. Like, I'm linked to you guys through K Records, through Calvin.
Alex: Oh wow, how's that?

Well, just because I bought their records.
Alex: Oh right. [laughs]

Franz Ferdinand, you seem to be able to answer everything and maybe you could help me just a bit more. Winding up here Franz Ferdinand, what do you know about The Poets, Scotland's number one group from the '60s, The Poets?
Alex: Well, yeah. They were a beat group around about the same time The Rolling Stones were coming out, also managed by Andrew Loog Oldham.

Scotland's number one group.
Alex: I'm sure they were at some point. I guess they were. They were at the heart of that sort of independent, beat combo sort of attitude which was I guess the beginning of where we ended up. Funny, Andrew Loog Oldham, another connection there.

He lives in...
Alex: Peru or something?

He lives in Vancouver now!
Alex: No! [laughs]

Yes! He's gonna be at your gig tonight I bet.
Alex: No way, really? Cause Andrew Loog Oldham also produced our friend's band, which is V-Twin, and one of the guys that was in V-Twin was in the original line-up of Franz Ferdinand.
Bob: ...And they produced their album in Vancouver.
Alex: Oh, did they?
Bob: Yeah, Michael and Joyce mixed it in Vancouver with Andrew Loog Oldham.
Alex: We've got a lot of connections with Canada!