Pitchfork

An A-Z of Franz Ferdinand is Helen Chase's searing exposé of the seamy underbelly of the Scottish angle-rockers, a Kitty Kelly-style autobiography that digs up every last speck of dirt on the perpetually scandal-ridden, drug-addled renegades.

Sike! Remember, folks, this is a band whose frontman wrote a book about food. Still, there's plenty to learn about Alex and the lads from the tome. According to NME.com, Chase's A-Z features a series of thematic vignettes and never-before-seen photos, which should school even the biggest Franz Ferdi-fan (yep, went there). Chase conducted a series of lengthy interviews and did extensive research for A-Z, which seeks to serve as a definitive guide to the band's first five years. And beyond, apparently: the author dishes with the dudes about their elusive forthcoming third LP.

The book will be published by Northumbria University Press and will be launched November 18 at Newcastle, England's The Cluny. Bands Modes and Marcheys House are scheduled to play, because standing around looking at a pile of books on a table isn't a very good way to kill an hour. Though there are no concrete plans to release the book outside of the U.K. at the moment, Northumbria Press is currently in talks with an American publisher, with the hope of putting out the book around the time the new Franz disc drops next year.

Franz Ferdinand have no touring plans to speak of, though they do have a tune on that "Saturday Night Live" comp, which is kind of like a Franz Ferdinand concert, only far shorter, and no longer live. Hmmm.