Franz Ferdinand announced this morning that guitarist Nick McCarthy (pictured left) would not take part in their next album. McCarthy, who played rhythm guitar and keyboard, had been a core member and co-songwriter in the group since its formation in Glasgow in 2002. He left due to family commitments, as the band prepares to embark on a new album and touring cycle. “We’d love to be able to say this is a result of personal or musical differences, but it’s not,” the band wrote on social media. “Those differences are what we formed the band around in the first place.” They added that, while McCarthy will pursue his own projects, he may return to the group in the future. See the full statement below.

Watch the video for “Darts of Pleasure”: