Alex Kapranos facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alex Kapranos
Kapranos performing with Franz Ferdinand in 2019
Background information
Birth name	Alexander Paul Kapranos Huntley
Also known as	Prince House Rabbit
Born	(1972-03-20) 20 March 1972 (age 53) Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England
Origin	Glasgow, Scotland
Genres	Indie rock post-punk revival dance-punk art rock
Occupation(s)	Musician singer songwriter record producer author
Instruments	Vocals guitar bass guitar keyboards
Years active	1992–present
Labels	Domino
Children	1

Alexander Paul Kapranos (born March 20, 1972) is a Scottish musician, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer and guitarist for the rock band Franz Ferdinand. He has also been a member of the supergroups FFS and BNQT.

Early Life and First Jobs

Alex Kapranos was born in Almondsbury, England, to an English mother and a Greek father. When he was a baby, his family moved to Sunderland, and later to Scotland. He went to Bearsden Academy and then studied at two different universities.

Before becoming a famous musician, Kapranos had many different jobs. He worked as a chef, a bartender, a waiter, and a delivery driver. In the 1990s, he was very involved in the Glasgow music scene. He even ran live music nights at a place called The 13th Note Café.

Music Career

Early Bands

In the late 1990s, Kapranos played in several bands around Glasgow. Some of these bands were The Blisters (later called the Karelia), the Amphetameanies, and the Yummy Fur. He also helped out with recordings for other bands like Urusei Yatsura.

Franz Ferdinand

In 2001, Kapranos decided to form his own band, Franz Ferdinand. He dropped his last name "Huntley" to be known simply as Alex Kapranos. The band included Nick McCarthy on guitar and keyboards, Paul Thomson on drums, and Bob Hardy on bass.

Kapranos performing with Franz Ferdinand in October 2005

The band quickly became successful. Their second single, "Take Me Out", was a huge hit in 2004. It reached number 3 on the UK music charts. Their first album, also called Franz Ferdinand, was released the same year and was also very popular.

The band's success continued. They won the famous Mercury Music Prize in 2004. In 2005, they won two Brit Awards for Best British Group and Best British Rock Act.

Supergroups and Collaborations

A supergroup is a band made up of musicians who are already famous from other bands. In 2015, Franz Ferdinand teamed up with the American band Sparks to form a supergroup called FFS. That same year, Kapranos also joined another supergroup called BNQT.

Kapranos has also worked with other artists. In 2019, he was featured on the song "Heart Attack" by the band All We Are. In 2020, he recorded a cover of the song "Summer Wine" with French singer Clara Luciani.

Working as a Producer

Besides making his own music, Kapranos helps other bands create their albums. This job is called a record producer. In 2007, he produced the third album for the British indie rock band The Cribs, called Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever.

He has also produced music for the British pop singer Little Boots, the indie band Citizens!, and the Scottish guitarist RM Hubbert. In 2019, he produced a single for a band called Los Bitchos. He said their music puts you in a "really good mood."

Other Projects

Writing and Film

Kapranos is also a writer. In 2005, he wrote a weekly column about food for The Guardian newspaper. He wrote about the different foods he ate while on tour with Franz Ferdinand. These columns were later published in a book called Sound Bites: Eating on Tour with Franz Ferdinand.

He has also appeared in documentaries. In 2016, he was in a film called Lost in France, which was about the Glasgow music scene. He was also interviewed for the 2021 documentary The Sparks Brothers, about the band Sparks.

Narration and Radio

Kapranos has used his voice for more than just singing. He has narrated documentaries for the BBC, including one about the singer Edwyn Collins and another about the band Kraftwerk. In 2022, he hosted his own radio show on Absolute Radio called "The Alex Kapranos Show".

Personal Life

Kapranos has a few interesting hobbies. He enjoys making abstract furniture in his own carpentry workshop. He is also a fan of the Sunderland A.F.C. football team.

In 2005, he had a strange experience at an airport in Moscow, Russia. He was stopped by officials because his passport had the last name "Huntley." This name was also used by a former spy. After about an hour, the officials realized they had the wrong person and let him go.

Kapranos is married to the French musician Clara Luciani. They got married in May 2023. They have one son, who was born in September 2023.

Discography

Singles

See also

In Spanish: Alex Kapranos para niños