Franz Ferdinand - Do You Want To (Video)

SEP 05 2005 · 12:00

Franz Ferdinand - Do You Want To (Video) (2005) Director: Diane Martel Era: Post-Punk Revival / Mid-2000s Indie Boom (2005) - Peak of the UK art-rock resurgence; Franz Ferdinand riding commercial and critical momentum from their Mercury Prize-winning debut into their second album cycle. High-tier curatorial artifact documenting the apex of the 2000s UK post-punk revival. Directed by the late Diane Martel, a major figure in music video history, the clip fuses performance energy with an art-world satirical concept that directly reflects the band's cultural identity. Its commercial and critical success (Q single of the year, Grammy nomination, MTV2 hourly rotation) makes it essential for any archive of 2000s music video culture and indie rock visual language. Context: Released in August–September 2005, 'Do You Want To' arrived at the crest of the mid-2000s post-punk revival, a moment when Glasgow art-school bands like Franz Ferdinand were refracting 1970s, 80s new wave and art-rock through a contemporary indie lens. The video's art-gallery party setting directly engages with the band's well-documented art-school origins and Glasgow's vibrant visual arts scene, playing the milieu for comic effect. The single reached #4 on the UK chart, was named Q's greatest single of 2005, and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, cementing its status as a defining document of the era's indie-rock mainstream crossover. Director notes: The video for 'Do You Want To' was released on 23 August 2005, ahead of the single's 19 September 2005 commercial release, and was played every hour on MTV2 on its debut day. The concept depicts Franz Ferdinand crashing a gallery art party, performing the song while eating, drinking, and interacting with eccentric art-world characters and models. The band appear in matching slim dark suits throughout. The video was listed on MTV Europe's Top 100 Videos of 2005. Budget for the behind-the-scenes companion piece 'Franz Ferdinand Makes a Video: Do You Want To' was estimated at $60,000 (IMDB). The music video earned significant rotation and helped propel the single to #4 on the UK Singles Chart and #9 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.