Back with a brand-new album, two members of Franc Moody tell Notion their musical firsts: from writing an early ode to boiled eggs, to owning their first oboe.

Franc Moody are a band who have come a long way from their origins in the Tottenham Warehouse scene. Following the huge success of their debut album, ‘Dance Moves’, which saw them sell out the likes of Shepherd’s Bush Empire, the group are back with a brand new album ‘Into The Ether’.

 

Franc Moody came together in the early 2010s, when Ned Franc and Jon Moody were sharing a living space in a North London warehouse, hosting parties and playing in various band. Teaming up, they worked on a sound that combines soul, funk and ‘cosmic disco’, alongside modern electronica. Evolving as the years went by, by the end of 2017 the group had become a six-piece live band, known for their energetic and enthralling live shows.

 

If their last album is anything to go by – surpassing 50 million stream and earning co-signs from Skream and Nile Rodgers – new album ‘Into the Ether’ is Franc Moody’s most ambitious project yet. Having faced touring obstacles during the pandemic, Franc Moody threw themselves into social projects like the Music Venues Trust fundraiser, a fully sustainable merch line and hosted online parties with their fans, alongside releasing the lockdown EP, ‘House Of FM’. All the while working on ‘Into The Ether’, the LP finished LP has come to draw-on themes like searching and striving for a promised land.

 

We chatted to Ned Franc and Jon Moody to discover their musical firsts, from writing an early ode to boiled eggs, to owning their first oboe.

NED FRANC

First song you ever made?

Not 100% sure about this as when I first started playing guitar at around 12 I was quite a prolific writer of appalling songs (some would argue I still am)…but either a tune called “Boiled Egg” which was an ode to Boiled Eggs or a song called “Bogget Ball”. Salad days.

First song you released officially?

Me and Jon had a 9 piece funk n soul group called Fat Relic and released two tunes on Spotify. Sadly we never paid the distributor to keep the songs up there so they’ve since disappeared.

First CD or record you owned?

The first CD I owned of real note (more of a box compilation) was the Peter Green-era “Fleetwood Mac Complete Blue Horizon sessions 1967-1969”. I was given it by my then girlfriend, I was 15 and it totally changed my world. I was completely obsessed with Green, Kirwan and Spencer’s guitar playing and Peter Green’s voice. Honestly it is seared in my mind forever.

 

I remember my mum and dad buying me a 50’s rock n roll compilation cd from a petrol station when I was about 6 or 7. Tunes by people like Fats Domino, Dion and The Belmonts, The Coasters, Danny & The Juniors, Chuck Berry etc. I cherished that cd. That was the beginning for me. I’d sit and fantasise that it was me playing the guitar and singing whilst gorging on chicken nuggets.

First time you realised you wanted to be an artist?

I mean from the moment I started listening to fifties Rock n Roll from those compilation cd’s we’d buy at petrol stations I knew I wanted to be in a band. So really, really early, around 6 or 7.

First gig and first festival you went to?

I think the first gig I ever went to was most likely some pub rock band in my local. First ever festival I went to was Bestival, Amy Winehouse was playing and wasn’t in a good way. It rained and rained and my tent was semi submerged for the duration of the weekend, I’m pretty sure I got trench foot too. Joyous.

First time you faced an obstacle in your career?

Have faced many obstacles in my career but I think Jon and I are both of the same mindset regarding this. That persistence is the key. If you want to do it, give it everything you’ve got and stick at it no matter what.

First instrument you owned?

I think it was probably a recorder. I remember learning a tune called “Little Fly”. It required zero skill whatsoever. You didn’t even need to cover any of the holes. Needless to say I struggled greatly with mastering it.
First time you felt like giving up?

Honestly never really. I love making music, I’d still do it even if it wasn’t my job. Even during lockdown when it all looked pretty bleak and we weren’t entirely sure live music would return we still wanted to create.

First time you felt starstruck?

Meeting and working with Nile Rodgers was pretty damn amazing. But for me, meeting Ronnie O’Sullivan at Cairo Airport on our way to a festival on the Red Sea tops it all. True legend.

First time you ticked off a bucket list goal?
Playing in the US was a big one. Releasing our own music has to be up there too!

JON MOODY

First song you ever made?

School band days of playing to 5 people in a pub on Christmas Eve at 1000db with long shaggy hair covering up our faces. We were all set for world domination with our debut tune ‘Anderson Council’, a 7 minute psychedelic battering.

First song you released officially?

Ned and I used to play in a big, raucous, r&b and soul band called ‘Fat Relic’. We played the UK festival circuit and the London party circuit for a few years and in that time a couple of tunes I think were released. Although sadly they’re not online anymore for some reason. The first FM release was an instrumental called ’T’s & C’s’, a meandering funk nugget.

First CD or record you owned?

I honestly can’t remember what the exact album was but I remember being obsessed with a random collection of CDs including James Browns greatest hits, The Stokes ‘Room On Fire’ and Limp Bizkit’s ‘Chocolate Starfish and the Hotdog Flavoured Water’ amongst others haha. I clearly had very eclectic taste back then! The James Brown record was the one that stuck though. I remember being mesmerised by the liquid grooves and the way the band ebbed and flowed together, insisting it was on repeat in my dads car at any given opportunity. I still listen to these tunes every week and they don’t get old.

First time you realized you wanted to be an artist?

I think must have been around the time I went to secondary school and I was introduced to rock and blues music. I realised I could probably blag my way into a few bands with some very basic keyboard skills and a little persuasion. Never looked back!

First gig and first festival you went to?

My first proper festival experience was Glastonbury 2007. I think there were a few small day things here and there before that but that was definitely the experience where I realised what all the fuss was about! First gig, again hazy memories but probably some West Country cider festival thing with ‘The Wurzals’ headlining I imagine.

First time you faced an obstacle in your career?

Meeting Ned. Only joking! There have been way to many to keep count but I think its testament to the FM team that we’ve always managed to figure them out and persevere.

First instrument you owned?

My oboe when I was 8 years old. Well, it was a different one back then but still. Had an upgrade since, you would have hoped it would make my playing sound better but there ya go!

First time you felt like giving up?

I was on a classical oboe playing course at a music conservatoire in London, and as much as I look back now and think there were some great experiences I had in that time, playing in orchestras and chamber ensembles etc, I desperately wanted to follow my dreams of playing in bands and writing music. I nearly packed the course in half way through but that would have felt like giving up on the challenge so decided to stick it out. Well 3 out of 4 years of it anyway.

First time you felt starstruck?

We had the honour of meeting and working with Nile Rodgers once which was pretty cool. We all got on so well and had some awesome sessions together. I also did a brief stint playing with Bryan Ferry from Roxy Music and I remember at the audition thinking I was playing it cool but no doubt coming across like a total fan boy. I remember going out to buy a brand new shirt for the first show, but then getting asked to change just before we went on – clearly wasn’t impressed by my taste!

First time you ticked off a bucket list goal?

Releasing our first full album ‘Dream In Colour’ was definitely a massive one for me. Going back to Glastonbury with the band was another biggy, also our first show on US soil.

Stream 'Into The Ether' below:

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