Franz Nicolay is a musician, writer, and prolific collaborator, who has been called "a natural-born star" by Pitchfork, "a punk-tinged raconteur" by The New Yorker, and an "unconventional multi-talent" by Rolling Stone. In addition to records under his own name, he was a member of cabaret-punk orchestra World/Inferno Friendship Society, “world’s best bar band” The Hold Steady, and Balkan-jazz quartet Guignol; cofounded the composer-performer collective Anti-Social Music; and has recorded or performed with dozens of other acts.