FRANZ FERDINAND - GELDOF COULDN'T PERSUADE FRANZ FERDINAND STAR TO POSTPONE HIS WEDDING

FRANZ FERDINAND are unable to play at this weekend's (02JUL05) Live 8 charity event because drummer NICK McCARTHY is getting married the same day - despite organiser SIR BOB GELDOF's best efforts to postpone the nuptials.

Geldof was so desperate to secure the services of the TAKE ME OUT band, he telephoned to try and convince McCarthy to wed at a later date so the band can play at the London concert in Hyde Park.

But Franz Ferdinand turned Geldof down.

Frontman ALEX KAPRANOS says, "Bob was on the phone to our manager saying, 'Can I speak to Nick? Can I speak to his fiancee?' because he hoped to persuade them to change the wedding day.

"For the sake of Bob's safety, we thought it was a better idea for him not to speak to Nick's fiancee and our manager refused. Nick would have been fine but MANUELA wouldn't have been. After all, your wedding is the biggest day off your life.

"Although Live 8 is a wonderful thing and an incredibly important event, personally speaking, it is not as important as your wedding.

"I'm disappointed but there is no way I would even begin to negotiate with Nick about changing his wedding. I couldn't."