Franz Ferdinand drummer Paul Thomson quits band
Thomson has played for Franz Ferdinand since their formation in 2002
By Grace Almond
After 19 years, Franz Ferdinand have announced the departure of their drummer, Paul Thomson.
The band announced Thomson’s departure online, sharing a statement: “Hello world. Paul is leaving the band. It was a bit of a shocker for us when we found out, so it probably will be for some of you too. Paul has been our friend for over twenty five years & we’re looking forward to at least another twenty five. He’s a funny, smart, sensitive guy.”
The statement continued, in a series of tweets: “Not a bad drummer either. You don’t spend 20 years touring the world with someone without them becoming like family and that isn’t going to change anytime soon. We’re glad we shared those adventures and experiences together and look forward to hearing what he gets up to next.”
Franz Ferdinand have confirmed that Thomson, who joined the group in 2002, will be replaced by Audrey Tait. In their statement, they referred to Tait as “one of the other best drummers in the world”, calling their new group dynamic “totally natural” and described her as “a great laugh”.
The Scottish rock band are known for their tracks ‘Take Me Out’, ‘Do You Want To’ and ‘No You Girls’. Their self-titled debut album won the 2004 Mercury Prize, and their track ‘Take Me Out’ was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 2005.
Thomson is a founding member of the band who formed in Glasgow in 2002. Tait joined the band at a Balmain fashion show in France in September, where they performed together.
Thomson ended the Twitter thread by thanking their fans: “Franz Ferdinand was, is, and always will be family and a huge part of me.”
Recently, Franz Ferdinand bassist Bob Hardy announced a new photography exhibition called ‘Show Days No Show Days’ at the Sogo Arts Gallery in Glasgow. The exhibition will run from October 30 until December 24, and is “a visual exploration of the quiet moments that intercede soundchecks and the live performances that follow them during an otherwise hectic tour timeline”.
Franz Ferdinand released their latest album, ‘Always Ascending’, in 2018.