The Sponge

Behind the Scenes Photos: Spring/Summer 2011 London Fashion Week, Pt. 3

2012-01-03T00:46:00.000-08:00

This final part of my Behind-the-scenes London FW photo trilogy includes photos I took after the Topshop fashion show, right outside the old warehouse building. Lots of fashionable people were walking about and it was really fun to photograph them. I also took lots of pictures of the Sartorialist and Facehunter taking photos of two girls. Sartorialist took so many photos of his girl for so long. That was interesting because there were so many different people there- I was impressed that he just dove in on one that caught his eye and spent all of the time on taking the perfect shot of her, with many different backgrounds. I always assumed he took sort of spur-of-the-moment photos, but if this was any indication he sepnds a lot of time on them and directs his subjects into all kinds of different poses and places. So when they look like they just happen to be walking about or gazing in some direction, don't be fooled too much because Sartorialist put them in that position. Still, it shows what an art it is for him and explains why all of his photos are so beautiful and interesting.

Behind the Scenes Photos: Spring/Summer 2011 London Fashion Week, Pt. 2

2012-01-03T00:20:00.000-08:00

Part 2 of my London Fashion Week photo collection is from a different point of view entirely- this time as an "insider." I was lucky enough to get a ticket for a show sponsored by Topshop, featuring up-and-coming designers. It was at an old warehouse in the financial district, and at first I didn't know what to expect- but it turned out I scored a seat at a damn hip event. Everyone there was even more ahead-of-the-curve fashion-wise than those around the Somerset House tent, and I spotted none other than the Sartorialist there! I had watched a video about him a few days before so I recognized him immediately, but otherwise I probably would have never noticed him. I later sort of camera-stalked him post-show and took pics of him taking pics of a stylish girl, which you will see in part 3 of this photo collection. But for now, the fashion show itself (which included not one but three great young designers):

Behind the Scenes Photos: Spring/Summer 2011 London Fashion Week, Pt 1

2012-01-02T23:34:00.000-08:00

I studied abroad in London last year and went to King's College, literally next door to the beautiful Somerset House- where London Fashion Week takes place twice a year. I geeked out when it was going on and stood there like a fangirl taking pictures of anything that moved. I also learned some interesting lessons, the biggest of which was: Most street style photographers/bloggers mostly take pictures of each other, and also just kind of hang around kinda sorta pathetically waiting to pounce on anyone stylish...These pictures are from outside the tent, near the entrance of Somerset House, and then a tiny peak from behind the tent from a café window. I later ate in that area really behind the scenes with all the fashion people milling around, but I didn't want to give myself away as an outsider spy so I just sat and watched with my camera safely hidden away...

A Victim's Pilgrimage: The Killers Fan's Guide to Fabulous Las Vegas

2011-10-22T01:03:00.000-07:00

I've been searching all over the Internet and I can't find a single guide for what a Killers fan should do in Las Vegas. What?! This band has been around for seven years and we Victims can't gather up a guide for our fellow fans, who just want to see more than Sam's Town? For shame! Alright I GUESS I can create the guide myself, since I've already enlightened fans about such important issues as, where Brandon bought his purple tiger hoodie, and, who has copied his feather epaulettes. Yes. You're welcome. Moving on-

THE VICTIM'S GUIDE TO FABULOUS LAS VEGAS, NEVADA!!!

First, some required knowledge before you DARE SET FOOT THERE-

-you must think of LV as "the Killers fan's Mecca." Because that's essentially what it is. And you are just a lowly commoner Victim making a pilgrimage to the holy land, essentially. This is a replenishing, soul-fulfilling experience you are about to embark on. Are you even ready? I'm talking Magdalena levels of pilgramage!

-It is hot as fuck there in the summer. It's DRY and HOT and the SUN is so intense, you will practically melt. I know Brandon makes it seem like it's heaven on earth, but really you're going to be sweating like a pig if you go in the summer.

-You have to memorize TK's version of the state song "Home Means Nevada" before you set foot there. Get to practicing.

-The moment you get out of your car, or airport, and step outside on the city of Las Vegas's land, you have to fall to the floor and bow three times to its holiness. Say "(while kneeling, with your hand on your heart) I have come to the land of Brandon, Ronnie, Mark, and Dave- this is THE Fabulous Las Vegas- (this is when you start bowing on the ground three times:) I AM NOT WORTHY. I AM NOT WORTHY. I AM NOT WORTHY."

Now, the guide itself includes three levels. The BASIC FAN level, which is for half-assed fans who have a life. Whatever, they'll have the cliché pictures, but they won't have the true experience. The next level is the LEGIT STAN level, which is awesome and allows you to pat yourself on the back because, congratulations, you are a TRUE Killers fan! Phew, you must be relieved. Finally, the third and final level is the CRAZY MOTHERFUCKER, which means you are at an epic level of creepiness and is, quite frankly, more shameful than anything. Look at your life, look at your choices.

BASIC FAN

-Sam's Town sign picture- "When you walk around Liverpool, you think of The Beatles, or you go to Manchester and you think of The Smiths or Oasis. I want you to come to Las Vegas and think of Sam's Town. And I think we've started to capture that, which is a truer version of The Killers, 'cause that's where we're from.... I used to live across the street from Sam's Town. Maybe it'll be like our Abbey Road where people go to take pictures.... I wouldn't mind it. [2006 when Sam's Town came out]

-go to hard Rock Hotel and take a picture with the Bones skeletons

-(for BFlo basic fans) visit the Flamingo hotel, because his album is named after it

-stare at and bask in the ~beautiful Las Vegas sunset~ that Brandon jizzes himself over in every interview

-lyric connetions- listen to certain songs while at certain places
-drive in the LV desert with all of thw windows open all the way, blasting WYWY/Crossfire/WTFLV/This River is Wild/Bling

-Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign

LEGIT VICTIM

-Luv-It frozen custard, "the best frozen custard in Vegas"- and you must say all of these phrases on the way and when you get there: "Dude, we should get custard! Oh man, he's never had custard, for hell's sake!" --"Flowers suggests dessert: "Dude, we should get custard!" "Custard," Vannucii seconds. "Do you like Custard?" Flowers asks me. "I've never had it." "Oh, man. He's never had custard, for hell's sake! We gotta go to Luv Its. It's the best frozen custard in Vegas." Our driver navigates down East Oakley Boulevard toward a wood-paneled shack almost hidden from the main drag. "I'm so happy! I can't believe we're here," Flowers says, smiling. So we're eating custard, eggy and rich

-deep-fried Twinkies at Mermaid's casino

- Go to the buffet at the Mirage, because according to one of Brandon's quotes in an interview with Zane Lowe at T in the Park- "We've seen James, and Arcade Fire... it's better than a buffet at the Mirage!"

-Aladdin Hotel, where all of TK worked. Find the guy who works there, who told Brandon "good luck with your 80's thing" and laugh in his face; Before forming, all four Killers worked in the Aladdin Resort at the same time. They remember eyeballing each other but never spoke.

-Sam's Town- explore inside and watch the colorful fountain show
-take a picture with a Sam's Town animatronic animal

-On Brandon's order, DON'T eat at a cheap hotel buffet. Or maybe go, to understand why he's so averse to it- "I had suggested we attempt gluttony at one of those cheap all-you-can-eat buffets that the casinos offer. Somewhere like Circus Circus. Plastic rolls. Frozen butter. Surf and turf in amber. "That means we'd have to, like, eat that stuff," Flowers had protested."

-the Neon Boneyard- lots of Killers photoshoots have taken place there. It's also where ATTTID video was filmed. Also where this famous exchange happened- "Brandon Flowers, the Killers' enigmatic and svelte vocalist, is not a happy pop star. In a windy parking lot just outside Vegas' spooky Neon Graveyard, he's cold and he's tired and, much to his chagrin, guitarist Dave Keuning won't let him in his car. "Fucking asshole." "I'm out of here," Keuning tells him, which frankly does little to help his mood. "But I don't have a car," Flowers snaps back."

-The Peppermill, an all-night restaurant on the strip- "Flowers and Keuning head for lunch at the peppermill,an all night restaurant on the strip. It opened in the seventies,and it's just the kind of place the killers dig a bit weird and seemingly immune from vacationing midwesterners."We hate big crowds,"keuning says."you can always just pop in and get a bite here.It's a cool place."Eating their salads and runny egg specials,keuning and flowers stick out among the peppermill patrons,most of whom are dressed in tees and tank tops.Flowers wears a cream colored,fake alligator skin jacket he got in london:keuning is in a shiny grayvest and dior aviators.but no one bothers them or even seens to recognize them,and you sense that's one reason they like places like the peppermill.especially flowers.

-Find the trailer park where ATTTID was shot (hint, it's apparently near the Stratosphere tower)

-Little Chapel of Flowers where Ronnie used to take pictures- tell owner Dave Foote that his hair isn't that cool- "The pressure led to a rift with Vannucci's boss, chapel owner Dave Foote. Or maybe it was just the hair. "He was my archenemy. He was a really bad dude," Vannucci says. "We were locked in a power struggle of cool. He thought he had much cooler hair, but he just had cooler hair."

-Go to Gold Coast hotel where Brandon was a bellboy (Bell MAN, sorry (quote)). As the bellman to deliver condoms.- "I was working there when we were signed."
-Clark High School (where Ronnie originally went) and Western High School (where he moved)
- Go to Binion's Horse Shoe casino and order grilled cheese and corn bread for $3.75 for lunch from the snack bar, and then go to the secret east wing downstairs to find the ultra secret poker place - "i meet up with vannucci at binion's horse shoe,a casino in fremont square,near old vegas.it's an unpretentious,middle class joint with loads of button down,seedy charm.built in the forties and greatly expanded since,it's one of the oldest remaining casinos in vegas,a stark contrast to posh mega dens like the bellagio.the decor is all about floral print carpet, cowboy memorablilia and pictures of famous poker players like red winn,puggy pearson and wild bill hickok. Vannucci grabs lunch at the snack bar,which serves specialties like hobo stew an ugly meat and potatoes mishmash to patrons seated at a long oak counter."I like this place because it's real old school,"vannucci says."my parents have been coming here forever.I just had a grilled cheese and corn bread for $3.75.that's a reasonable price,man." Growing up,vannucci was a binion's regular with his dad-a friends family used to own the place vannucci navigates like a tour guide."here i'll show you the really old part of this place,"he says,walking toward the original,unalterd portion of the hotel."not many people know about this."we climb up a hidden staircase in what's now the binion's east end,sparsely outfitted with rustic oak furnishing and tiny hallways.After passing through a couple of unmarked doors we're back downstairs,in front of the poker tables."for true poker players,thisis still the place,vannucci says "i have pictures of me as akid next to the million dollars in cash meant for tournament winners.but it's funny I don't even knwo how to play."

-Visit Beauty Bar, where Ryan Pardey (The Captain/Santa!) had worked for a long time and TK hung out a lot- "the killers have a post show party at beauty bar and want to steal a few precious moments at home."

-Go to the Palms and try to find/get into (lol good luck) the fancy recording studio where Sam's Town was recorded. TK were the FIRST to record there, and since then about a million other legends have.
-Go to an Elton John show and pretend you are going to have dinner with him after like TK- You know, he does this show in Vegas now, so whenever we're home and he's doing his show, he gets bored because he's cooped up in a hotel and he wants to go do something. So we'll go off to his show – we've done it a few times – and we'll eat dinner with him afterwards. And it's a nice change of pace for him.
-Go to where Celine Dion's show is (obviously don't see it, duh. Although I won't disrespect you that much because this video is hilarious) and mourn the fact that it was in the place where Brandon's favorite movie theater was demolished.
-Sushi Roku- if you'll spot the boys (especially Brandon) anywhere, it's here- Even family man Brandon Flowers has to eat. Thus we have him being spotted enjoying lunch at Sushi Roku inside the Forum Shops at Caesars today with family in tow. Reportedly, the singer is a frequent visitor of the acclaimed restaurant.
-Visit the Hard Rock arena where Brandon saw Oasis and when he heard Don't Look Back in Anger, he decided to start a GUITAR rock band- ''That show changed my life,'' he recalls. ''I wasn't even a fan of Oasis, but I walked in for the last three songs, heard 'Don't Look Back In Anger' with people screaming along to it, and that was it.''
-Visit the shimmer room at the Hilton where TK performed, and Brandon got to use the same dressing room as Elvis. Maybe you can go into the dressing room? Doubt it...
-Visit Dior Homme at the Bellagio (?) because BFlo loves that shiz
-visit Precious Slut, where Brandon got his ear pierced although it probably got new owners because that's a terrible name. If you're ever going to get anything pierced, maybe you should do it there- "I got my ear pierced there. It wasn't called Precious Slut then."
-visit Buffalo Exchange on Flamingo Road because that's where Brandon and Tana first met! Wear a neon pink coat and chat up a cute shy boy, you might just meet your future BFlo. "he met while shopping in a Vegas thrift store. She was wearing a bootleg Joy Division T-shirt with Mickey Mouse on it. She thought he was cute and they began dating the next day."

-Find a street sign for Flamingo Road because that's an ~ultra important road~ for bflo

-Go to henderson, drive around. idk wtf you should do there but you'll be in Henderson, haiii!
-Go to Chaparrall high school where Brandon went.
-go to UNLV to the practice room where Ronnie used to sneak TK in the middle of the night- The band broke into the music room at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, for late-night rehearsals. "If you pull on the doors hard enough, they just open," Vannucci confesses. "They make this big crack."
-visit Chapalas, Brandon's favorite Mexican restaurant- We convene at his favourite Mexican Restaurant, Chapalas, 20 minutes from downtown, but while the conversation between band members is free-flowing, Flowers is silent, smoking copiously while shooting me nervous looks. Often, for no particular reason, he will issue a fake, serpentine laugh - "Ss-ss-ss" - that comes cloaked in Boy George-strength irony.

-order a huge steak and coke at the Palm in Cesars Palace.- It is only after two full days in his company that he begins to mellow, and when we meet for dinner two evenings later, at Palms, a chi-chi restaurant within the towering arcade of kitsch that is Caeser's Palace casino, he is, at last, relaxed. He orders a huge steak and a coca-cola, and convinces the waiter, a Killers fan, to allow him to light up in our non-smoking section. AND _be ready to be grossed out...)- Mitt Romney and Brandon Flowers had lunch at the Palm at The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. This was reported elsewhere Wednesday morning and confirmed that afternoon by Jen Appel, PR rep for Flowers and The Killers. It was a private lunch, she said in an e-mail, so Flowers has nothing to say to the media about it. (From Feb '11) Maybe he personally asked Brandon to do that Mormon video? lol.

-Meet an Elvis Presley impersonator! -At this point, we are interrupted in our conversation by Elvis Presley. He smiles his false teeth at us, shakes Flowers by the hand, and tells him that his son is a huge fan. As Presley retreats, back to the restaurant toilet where he works as an attendant, Flowers lights up another cigarette. "It's nice being recognised," he says.
-go bowling at Sam's Town- asked the band why they named their album after the Sam's Town casino, and what would one expect if they were to visit there. Their reply "A great bowling alley," Flowers said. "It's got nothing on the Belaggio, but I used to work across from Sam's Town and live across from Sam's Town, and you just have to see this place."
-get the view of Sam's Town Brandon was always talking about, from the freeway- When I was younger I grew up in a place called Henderson and there were no freeways to get to Las Vegas from Henderson. You basically had to come down this highway called Boulder Highway - that was how you got to Arizona; that was how you progressed away from Las Vegas. So to get to Las Vegas, that was also the same Boulder Highway. Now it's grown so much and there are freeways all over the place connecting you. Whenever we would go to Las Vegas it was very exciting, even though we were almost in Las Vegas - you could see it if you're high enough in Henderson. It was still an exciting thing because you'd have family in town and you would probably be going to the Mirage (hotel), or if your mum was going shopping, the movies - anything like that; that all existed in Las Vegas. So the only way to get there was down Boulder Highway, and you could see Sam's Town on the right - that always solidified it for me that we were actually getting somewhere because you were then in Las Vegas when you got to Sam's Town. It's this local place that's western-themed. So anyway, for me, that's what this album feels like; we're getting somewhere exciting now. We've started something with "Hot Fuss" but now we're moving on down the road."

-do the penny slots at a small casino- Night: I like playing penny slots, which is probably a Las Vegas thing. There are lots of small casinos around which we go to.
-give a local band and a club some support! "A club will open up and close just as quickly because it doesn't have the funding. You've got to remember, places like the House of Blues and the joint at the Hard Rock are funded by the hotel and casino industries, so even when there aren't any shows, they can still stay afloat. It doesn't work that way with other clubs, so a lot of them only last for a few months--and the bands seem to follow that same trend. Everybody gives it a good six months or so and then quits because nothing's happening for them. It's kind of sad, because I know of some great musicians and good songwriters there. But nothing's really come out of Vegas to put the place on the map."
-something involving frank sinatra- But he was fascinated with old-school Las Vegas - 'with Frank Sinatra and the glamour and having a Cadillac'
-get a salad with some mysterious special dressing, pizza, and nuclear fries at Metro Pizza- "This place has the best salad dressing ever," says Flowers. "I don't know what they put in it," We're at Metro Pizza on East Tropicana Avenue. Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra hits play on the P.A., as they do everywhere in this town."Try these nuclear fries," he demands. "Nuclear" fries, by the way, are irradiated with the same spicy red pepper that covers the chicken fingers, which come next. Then there are individual pizzas, chicken parmigiana, bread, pasta. We may have hit the carb jackpot, but it doesn't feel particularly sinful.

-Visit the Liberace museum on Tropicana, look at the Rolls-Royce, Lasagna suit, grand piano, prayer room (OBV READ IT BC BRANDON DID), and then go to the gift shop, try on a sequin jacket, and make a Zoolander face-- I should probably mention that we're staring at our fragmented reflections in Liberace's mirror-covered 1962 Phantom Five Rolls-Royce while pondering envy. We've visited the Liberace Museum on Tropicana to see if there's anything to covet. There is much. "He was the first. Before Elton John. Before Björk," Flowers says. "I first came here when I was five." We pass the "Lasagna Suit," a red-and-gold ensemble in which the maestro used to cook. "I need to see the grand piano," Flowers announces... We find the Baldwin grand mounted on a riser in the middle of the main floor. Seven feet long and covered with Austrian rhinestones, it's the centerpiece of the entire exhibit. "Are you feeling envious?" I prod. Flowers nods and laughs. There are signs that politely ask visitors to refrain from touching anything, even though almost everything here, especially the keys on the famous instrument, beckons to be tinkled...The re-creation of Liberace's prayer room is preserved behind glass in the hallway that leads to the master bedroom. It's gilded but somehow less ostentatious than the rest of the collection. A Bible is permanently open to Proverbs. Flowers leans in and reads, "Better is the poor man walking in his simplicity than in his rich and crooked ways." He shakes his head. "Liberace had his lover surgically altered to look like him." He'll repeat this three times as we move toward the café and gift shop. "That's bad, when you wanna have sex with yourself." There's little envy for the extremity of Liberace's conflicted psyche: the piety versus the screaming ego. Safe from such choices for now, Flowers browses the gift shop. He tries on a sequined vest, making a Zoolander face, but decides not to purchase it.

CRAZY FUCKING STAN

-steal a cup from Spago. It won't be Morissey's, but close enough. Also Brandon frequents that place a lot. But it's expensive as hell! - Brandon Flowers of The Killers, spotted at Spago (Forum Shops at Caesars) on Sunday.

-Find the Banana Republic where Dave worked when TK started (Probably Forum Shops, but not a sure thing.)- It was just a shitty job. I was always in back folding clothes. I always dreamt about getting out of there. The only good part was listening to music back there. Radio, CDs, I made my own mix tapes with The Cure, Elton John and so on, to keep my mood up. One day my manager came and wouldnt allow me to listen to music in the back anymore. After 1 1/2 years. I wanted to kill him." and ""I'm the only guy that works in my store who's ventured into the dressing room with a client on more than one occasion."
-Find the hospital where Mark delivered blood
-go to sam boyd race track
-Skyline restaurant ["I eat in a restaurant called the Skyline hotel and casino"
-Horizon Street- where Brandon grew up [ "I grew up on a street called Horizon"]
-go to the Cosmpoloitan because Brandon performed there and it's new and stuff.
-order raspberry mojitos at L'Atelier at the MGM- the killers aren't completely averse to the occaional hot spot like L'Atelier,where keuning takes me just before saturday nights gig.It's a pricey french resturant inside the MGM Grand with crushed velvet chairs and candlelit tables.Keuning discovered the place while milling around before a rolling stones show at the MGM.he keeps coming back because it has,he says,"the worlds best mojitos."we order raspberry versions and kick back.

-Visit The Joint because the Killers christianed it
-find Joseph the tailor! "Earlier, I met with my tailor here, Joseph, for about an hour. People in Las Vegas can’t really get their heads around how tight I want something to be— it blows their minds. But Joseph, he understands me."
-do a photoshoot an hour from LV in the desert sun- It is midday, and this afternoon's shoot is to take place in the Nevada desert, an hour from downtown Las Vegas, and under an unforgiving sun. Ordinarily, photo shoots are the bane of every band's life, and few endure one without a grumble, but Brandon Flowers considers them of vital importance. This is a man who knows just how to play the media, which explains why he is currently dressed like a metrosexual Reservoir Dog ready to throw a series of Vogue-friendly poses till nightfall.
"It's important to look good, " he says earnestly. "Great music is great music, but image is priceless. I'm not saying I'm in this position because I'm good-looking, but it certainly helps."
-visit Anthropology- supposedly Tana shops there! If you wanna get ur own bflo you better get to dressing the part, mmkay.
- Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House- Brandon Flowers from The Killers enjoyed a quiet dinner with his wife at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House in his hometown of Las Vegas
-Visit treasure Island hotel- BFlo's dad was a bellman there where Flowers's father still works as a bellman at the Treasure Island hotel, their faith remained undimmed.
-drive aroud with friends, stoned, and imagine that helicopter search lights are looking for you
-FInd a desert sheep horn thing -As well as a desert bighorn sheep - the Nevada state animal
-find "the thai place" near Dave's house- I don't really leave my house too much though, I go to the Thai place down the street then go back to my house. That's it.
-wake up and immediately read USA Today and listen to Nick Cave if you want to be like BFlo a la 2005- Morning: I start the day with USA Today, my favourite newspaper. It's got it all covered. There's the serious news, which is usually bad, then there's the fun movie star stuff which lightens it up. I'll also stick on a CD. Nick Cave's last single, There She Goes, My Beautiful World, knocked me off my feet. It's so good - it's like Elvis-style gospel.
-go to the Ice House lounge where tk played before they were famous. it's closed now, but there must be something new there now, no? http://www.yelp.com/biz/icehouse-lounge-las-vegas
-watch a Le Rêve show at the Wynn, where Only the Young video was filmed
-go to the golf course where maybe brandon used to play
-Celebrity club, where they performed- It's a Wednesday night in late August with the Las Vegas heat pushing 100 degrees, and we're backstage at Celebrity, a mid-size club miles from the Strip. Brandon Flowers, the Killers' baby-faced lead singer, is nervous. The Killers are about to play their first show since February,
-random 24 hour diners- They love the unnatural scenery too, especially the city's lesser-known [?] twenty-four-hour diners, the places [with?] more than a touch of Old Vegas.
-We're sitting in Trattoria del Lupo, a swank restaurant in the Mandalay Bay, the tropical-themed hotel and casino on the Vegas Strip. [where the interview for Spin's '7 deadly sins' cover story early 2005

-go to an Urban Outfitters at some mall (?) because Tana used to work there- Flower's fiancée, a wholesome-looking blonde named Tana, works at Urban Outfitters in the nearby mall. We duck in to say hello and show off his new $75 do.
-Mandalay Bay lobby Macaws - "This feels a bit like Bon Jovi revisiting the old neighborhood in New Jersey," Vannucci quips. It's early afternoon. We have convened in the Mandalay Bay lobby in front of the caged macaws wheezing from secondhand smoke, and are piling into the back of a black limo. (Spin feb 05)
-limo tour- "The Hilton sign is the city's biggest free-standing sign. One day it fell down. That's the motel where they traced Mohammed Atta's credit card," Vannucci says as we cruise downtown. "They'd been staying there, planning 9/11. That's where the guy from Suddenly Susan hung himself. That's where we played a gig once. A guy got shot there.""That strip club has men and women," Flowers chimes in. Then he points to a tattoo parlor. "I got my ear pierced there. It wasn't called Precious Slut then."
-Get haircuts at the Mandalay Bay like Brandon and Ronnie- haircuts at the Mandalay Bay's posh salon. I'm a little surprised when I make the reservation and the receptionist says, "Oh, Brandon. He's been here before." (Brandon's cut was $75)

-Go to "Kiehl’s Since 1851" body moisturizer-and-such shop at the Forum because apparently Brandon was spotted there, according to the Forum's official Facebook page.
-go to the Fleur de lys lounge- We wander instead to the Fleur De Lys lounge, a candlelit bar with velvet curtains and soft couches festooned with the kind of bead-stuffed pillows that rave kids used to fondle. They certainly invite sloth. We stretch out. Smoke. Drink.

Next time... The Killers fan's guide to England!

Edit: Awesome TK fans who ~get it~ (send me a link to your proof and I might just post yours as well...):

- Imaginary Men: https://imaginarymen.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/sleep-not-included/ + http://imaginarymen.wordpress.com/2011/05/20/flowers-friday-big-ass-belt-buckle-edition/ + http://imaginarymen.wordpress.com/2011/05/10/i-see-sams-town-and-sams-town-sees-you/
(I swear I wrote that LV = Mecca before I found your posts! Great minds... great obsessions...)

-Oliveramber http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-photo/oliveramber/usa_2007/1183836600/16-.jpg/tpod.html

-Ankh Vintage http://ankhvintage.blogspot.com/2011/04/vegas-killers-way.html

-Prof Thump http://forums.klipsch.com/blogs/markb/archive/2010/03/31/the-killers.aspx

Proof that Drudge Report is Racist and Bigotted

2011-08-09T19:41:00.000-07:00

I'll just keep adding more as I spot them- seems like Drudge is getting more emboldened and hellbent on firing up a race panic in America every day... he could at least be more subtle, some of these aren't even subliminal. Eesh.

^(from Huffington Post article)

Brandon Flowers' Style Outline, Part 2: Glam Diva Brandon, Hot Fuss 2005

2011-07-31T11:03:00.000-07:00

[this post is in the very early stages of construction so just admire the pretty pics for now :) ]

What do famous people think about the Killers?

2011-04-26T14:56:00.000-07:00

I'm turning this into such a crazy stan blog, but I'll compile mind-boggling amounts of quotes in one post if I want to, right? Right.

So there is this thread on TKC titled "What Are Other Artists Saying About the Killers?" which was started in January 2005 and is still going strong, now with over 250 pages of quotes from other musicians and famous people. It's probably one of my favorite threads on the forum (A forum I have frequented since 2005 and one that is probably the reason I am such a hardcore TK/Bflo stan. Blame that one destiny-changing night when I searched some tiny unknown band called The Killers on Google and stumbled upon this then-unofficial forum, which used to not be all private and membership-only... and the rest is history).

Anyway, it's one of my favorites because I see TK as something like my little child, which is strange, I know. I am like a proud momma. And when I see other respected artists praising TK, I get this glowing feeling inside that must be how mothers feel when their children get praised by their teachers, you know? Luckily, I've experienced this a lot since everyone and their grandma has pretty much mentioned TK at some point. On the other end of the spectrum, when people criticize or bash TK, I feel my insides burn furiously and I make a mental note, on something that must be brain stone because that shit never leaves, that I will not give that person (usually musician) the time of day again. I also have come to the conclusion that anyone who bashes TK immediately falls out of fame and fortune. It's like a lovely curse. Proof: Where are the Bravery? The Stills, anyone? Patrick Wolf, what is he up to now? Klaxons? Heloooo there? Anyone??? Exactly. (I'm on the fence about Klaxons because I did like their first album, but their singer's comment embittered me big time. I can't help it! It's not even controllable, I swear...)

So, basically, I'm going to copy almost all of the quotes compiled in the thread to this post. At least that's my goal, we'll see if I go through with it all the way. So, yes, I'm basically raping a thread from TKC and putting it on my own blog. But, I have noble reasoning! 1. I've become increasingly aware that there is a whole TK fan base outside of TKC and they're not aware of the things that are only visible to members there, so I'm here to share the wealth. 2. I'm on a never-ending (really, why the fuck has it not ended yet?) mission to raise the status of TK against all the stupid ass critics and indie snobs who try to hold them down, so a nice slice of reality with all of their favorite musicians praising TK will be a sting to those people that I can relish with all my heart. 3. I added a lot of the quotes in that thread myself in the days when I obsessively Google News'd TK multiple times a day, 'err day (no joke) so I'm not a total outsider leeching. [Also, major props to TKC member Stace who added most of these. Thanks girl!] 4. I forgot a lot of the quotes and this is a good way to look at them again!

Classic legendary rock stars

-David Bowie attended a TK show in NY Oct. '04
-Elton John in Interview Magazine, when asked what new bands he liked: "Another is the Killers. Their album, Hot Fuss [Island], is already gold, but I think it's only the beginning. They're absolutely brilliant, and their lead singer is one of the sexiest men on the planet. I think they're America's most attractive-sounding rock band." + Also in Contactmusic he was quoted from Teen People best artists of '05 as saying, "I always thought pop music was supposed to be about glamour. When The Beatles and The Rolling Stones first started, it was all about the music and their look. Me, I could never go onstage in a T-shirt and jeans. Recently, the glamour thing had kind of taken a dive - until The Killers came along. They're one of a very small number of bands that put effort into their stage performance and they way they look. You're always interested to see what Brandon Flowers is wearing: he's a bit of a fashion icon, and everything looks good on him. He just oozes star quality! And these guys are great songwriters. A lot of artists come and go very quickly. The Killers just aren't that kind of band."

-Bono said Somebody Told Me was the best pop song of 2004. Also in a Nov '04 interview he said predicted TK could be the next biggest/best band in the world.

- Bono of U2, paraphrase of radio interview on Jo Wiley: "They are just Wow...well what can i say, their name The Killers basically says it all...Killer melodies, Killer hooks and style." Also, in a Q magazine article he said he would give the Pope a copy of Hot Fuss to demonstrate that rock music is not evil. 2005

More obscure or less obviously classic but still classic musicians
-Alice Cooper on T4 said he loved TK and Kaiser Chiefs, and when asked to choose one of the two, chose TK.2005
-Rick Ocasek of the Cars, asked to mention one of the "million new bands out there that are phenomenal" he mentions: "I mentioned Devendra Banhart, and the Killers are good. Oh, I've always loved Interpol, and I produced a great band called Hong Kong." (And Brandon thought he didn't like them! Wat.) 2005
-Morrissey of the Smiths (and just general legend, and Brandon's hero) chose Jenny Was a Friend of Mine for a June '04 compilation CD he called "Songs to Save Your Life."

-Paul Anka: a Province article quoted a Rolling Stone article that mentioned BFlo if there was no Paul Anka, there would be no TK, and that he tracked him down to a Greek restaurant but Anka didn't know who he was... "Anka says he bloody well did too know who the Killers were. They're one of his faves, he insists." 2005

-Supposedly New Order scrapped their new album because it sounded too much like TK. Brandon mentioned during an Oct '04 NME article that he heard this. Stephen Morris, drummer of New Order, later said it was just a rumor started by TK. Ha. 2005

- Stephen Morris, again drummer of New Order, in NME on TK getting their name from their music video for "Crystal": "From the shelter of his Audi, Stephen jokes that The Killers are 'our Frankensteinian creation. The trouble we had with names and they get a name and design concept straight out of the bag! We should consult our legal representatives... No, I couldn't be arsed, good luck to them.'" Bernard Sumner, the singer of the band, said on VH1 Classic that of all the bands they have influenced, TK were their favorite. 2005

Older not-so-classic Musicians
-Bon Jovi's Richie Sambora and David Bryan in St. Petersburg Times: "I think you'll probably find more new bands making a dent in the touring business," he says. "There's a bunch of young new bands that are coming out with great new stuff now. They're great songwriters. And the music is a bit more powerful, it's a bit more aggressive."Sambora and Bryan mention New Wave throwbacks the Killers and glam-rockers Louis XIV as potential young saviors; both of those acts play loud, hook-based anthems, perfect for flicking your Bic. 2005
-Jon Bon Jovi, when asked by Interview mag what he was listening to: "I'm wide open to what's going on in rock right now-I remember somebody saying a year ago that rock music was dead, but I think things have really turned around with acts like The Killers and Jet and Damien Rice. I think there's another generation that's coming along to keep the genre moving." 2005
-Nick Rhodes, keyboardist of Duran Duran, included Hot Fuss in his top 10 albums of 2004. Also, later in the year when asked about shows like X factor: "Good luck to the kids on the shows. They're only trying to get a break and, from that point of view, I'm not so critical. What I don't like is the cynical marketing of everything and shoving it down people's throats. These acts are clogging up the charts and don't inspire anything. But I'm happy now to see bands like Franz Ferdinand, the Scissor Sisters and The Killers coming out. They are a bit more edgy, have actually got something to say and have got a vibe about them." 2005
-Jim Kerr of Simple Minds credited TK with inspiring them to release album after three year hiatus: "New wave is big again with bands like the Killers. " 2005
Near-classic bands from the previous generation
-Alleged- TKC poster said they read that Dave Grohl, singer of Foo Fighters and Nirvana drummer, didn't like TK at all and joked about Brandon's girly name. And still laughing at him 5 years later! lololol. + ALSO in a Kerrang magazine article about Foo Fighter at Oxegen Festival... "Just as Grohl ends his final interview of the day, The Killers take the stage. "Man, that band gets the loudest singalongs," he says. "Our dressing room was right behind the stage last night (at T in the Park) and all you could hear was the crowd singing along to every word - not just the choruses, they even sang the verses. I'm glad we didn't have to go on after them."+ In addition, German magazine MusicExpress alleged that he refused to do a photoshoot with TK because he thought Brandon was arrogant (he did do one with Kaiser Chiefs). 2005

- Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day, according to a TKC member who had a personal interaction with him: "Who the fuck is Brandon Flowers?" I told him, from the Killers. And he was just like, "ohh, good band!" [LOL he def got to know who BFlo was after the whole American Idiot anti-american controversy nonsense]. 2005
-Oasis on 102.1 The Edge interview, when asked what good music they were listening to: "We just really like the Killers...they're great!" (Bflo and Ronnie were shocked and hurt when this quote was read to them in MuchMusic, apparently. They have always loved Arcade Fire). 2005
-Liam Gallagher of Oasis, when asked how he felt about bands like TK citing them as an influence: "I don't ever listen to the Killers. I suppose it's nice that people say nice things about you instead of saying bad things. But I wish they'd pay a little bit more attention." 2005
-Noel Gallagher of Oasis said in NME that TK were one of his favorite bands of the moment. Supposedly he asked TK to open some tour spots for them but they couldn't because of scheduling conflicts. 2005
-Mike McCready, guitarist of Pearl Jam: "I think rock 'n' roll is still kicking with bands like Social Distortion, Death Cab for Cutie, Sleater-Kinney, Supersuckers, Queens of the Stone Age, The Killers, The Strokes and others. I believe it goes through cycles every 10 years or so." 2005

-Rivers Cuomo of Weezer when asked by AOL if any young bands were catching his ear: "I've been hearing that Killers song a lot [Mr. Brightside]. I think it's incredible." AOL: it's super catchy, right? RC:"Super emotional too, if you ask me." 2005

Celebs in the music world- presenters, journalists, reviewers, and such

-Edith Bowman (Radio 1 host) was [and still is] a big fan, her favorite song of 2004 was Mr. Brightside. 2005
-Famous photographer Mick Rock: "He makes collage photo-art, and still takes a lot of band photos, most recently of terminally hip noiseniks The Killers, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Kaiser Chiefs and the 22-20s, among others. "There's a surprising lack of degenerates. They're all pretty clean-living kids compared to people in my young days." 2005

Bands from the same indie era

-Win Butler, singer of Arcade Fire, in EW article: "I don't envy a band like the Killers. If we were still touring behind this record a year from now, I think we'd break up and fucking kill ourselves." 2005
-The Bravery (that's right, yee haw!) on the TK feud, singer Sam Endicott told cduk.com: "He [Brandon] started it... Well, when someone is insulting you and trying to crush you - which is what he's trying to do - you're not going to sit there. You have to stand up for yourself." Guitarist Michael Zakarin added, "We're better than them anyway." Also in an earlier NME article Michael joked about being a TK cover band in the future. Also in MOD he said something like "They're not a real band." 2005

-The The Dandy Warhols' Courtney Taylor-Taylor (what a name) in Metro Times: As it is with the Warhols, each new direction becomes a fashionable template for later acts, in this case, the Killers. "It's so flattering, and they're so good at it," Taylor-Taylor says. “That's sort of what we've always done. Two years later, whatever we've done last gets co-opted." (um lol, no). 2005
-Nick McCarthy, guitarist of Franz Ferdinand, wasn't a fan of their music. 2005
-Franz Ferdinand's drummer Paul Thomson and his wife chose to play TK at an after-show party in Russia, according to Q. 2005

-Johnny Borrell, singer of Razorlight, was a fan, but said that Mr. Brightside was the "same song" as Bowie's "Queen Bitch," so basically a rip-off. Also in concert said something along the lines of, "We're not another band like the Killers. We don't wear eyeliner." (the bands became friends later-almost collab'd on a Beatles cover song Brandon wished he wrote the song "America"). 2005

-Paul Banks of Interpol sidestage comment on new TK song 'All the Pretty Faces' to Ultragrrrl (Sarah Lewitinn): "On tuesday night I was watching the band with Paul Banks and he turned to me saying 'is this a new one? it's really good.'" 2005
-From a TK article: When it's time for their set, Interpol singer, Paul Banks, spends the entirety watching from the side of the stage, smoking, ignoring the girls who are backstage oogling him. When Banks hears their new song, "All The Pretty Faces," he asks about it and then says "This song is really good, it's going to be huge." He admires Flowers' charisma, and speaks highly of him, which Flowers refuses to believe possible. (so this is prob the same as the Ultragrrrl incident but from the journalist's POV) 2005
-Keane: a TKC member said they got their sig at the signing tent and "one of them, not sure which one" lol commented on their TK shirt: "Oh I just bumped into the drummer of the Killers. He's a nice guy. Really nice. The nicest drummer in rock." Also singer Tom Chaplin asked the crowd at concert Music Midtown if they were looking forward to TK, playing after them, and when everyone cheered he said: "Of course! How could you not be?" 2005
-Carl Barat of The Libertines said in GQ that Brandon was the sexiest man in pop. 2005

-Brian Karscig, guitarist of Louis XIV, on opening for TK: "Everyone in the world wanted that Killers tour...We hit it off really well. They gave us the opportunity of a lifetime. I don't think most of us in the band even want to ask them why they took us out. Brandon did tell me, 'The second I heard that song (Louis XIV), I knew I loved your band." 2005

-The Stills and Secret Machines (Q article) hated them. Lol oh the (g)olden days.
-In an NME article from Dec 2004, an article about The Strokes mentioned that "Hot Fuss was one of many CD's lying around in their studio. It didn't specifically say that the Strokes were fans though." (TKC member's quote). 2005
-Nick Valensi of The Strokes in Filter mag: From Valensi's perspective, the music world is at least more tolerable than it used to be. Many would say that the success of the Strokes was even largely responsible for that change. "I think we really contributed to the fall of the boy bands. That was sort of coming anyway. Not to say that the nu-metal one wasn't coming anyway. But I think we did our small part to stop that machine," he says, adding, "I'll take the Killers over Staind any day of the week, hands down. That's not to say that the state of music is great or in great shape. But is it better than what we had six or seven, eight years ago? Definitely." 2005

-Tegan and Sara, on touring with TK: "'I want to say they're the nicest people we've ever toured with,' says Sara about The Killers, minutes before going on stage for a performance. 'They came out to see us in Vancouver both nights we were there. It's our hometown. Apparently, we were doing group hugs and spinning and dancing on the dance floor. We're still getting along with them well,' adds Tegan. 'We've been hanging out a lot. We've been playing in these 1,000-seat stadiums, so we see them in the hallways.' ... Flowers, known for making gay boys and straight girls weak at the knees, matches his boyishly cute looks with an adorable personality. 'Yeah, he's very cute,' notes Sara. 'He's just very sweet and he's got his little funny outfits.' When I mention the effect he has on gay men, Tegan and Sara both smile and nod their head. 'He thinks everybody has crushes on him,' quips Sara. While they don't have a favorite 'Killer', Tegan and Sara do love hanging out with drummer Ronnie Vannucci. 'He's always poking his head in the dressing room and trying to get us to go out with him and have pie.'" + Their website blog posts about the tour with TK: "What a week. The killers tour started this week in AZ. So far so good. They are so good live and they are so nice. All of them. We feel very lucky that everytime we do this 'opening' thing that we luck out and get the coolest, nicest bands. It makes life so much easier. - Tegan" and "Then there's Ronny, the fantastic drummer from the Killers. Even though he hasnt offered any hugs he has offered heaps of friendliness and charm. He comes on our bus after shows and is able to hold the floor with his story-telling so well that even champion tag team talkers Tegan and Sara are left speechless. Amazing. - Drummer Rob" and "We enjoyed touring with the killers so much that we've decided to become roadies and devote our lives to rubbing Brandon's feet. Not true, but we are sorry to see it come to an end, and are so grateful to the band and crew for being so welcoming and accommodating to us. - Sara" 2005

Mainstream Musicians

-The Goo Goo Dolls were fans. [Someone just wrote that. Sorry, got no proof]. 2005
-John Mayer, from his monthly Esquire column: "That line in that Killers song 'Mr. Brightside': 'Now they're going to bed / and my stomach is sick / and it's all in my head / but she's touching his chest.' It's called deceptive resolution, and it's a powerful device in songwriting. You play what people expect you to sing against what you actually do, and you get two currents of ideas running at the same time. It's deep, it's dirty, and it's really smart. The Killers' lead singer doesn't like me, but he can eat it. I think he has some great tunes." 2005
-Kelly Clarkson included Smile Like You Mean It when asked what the top 5 songs on her iPod were (the other songs: Radiohead's Fake Plastic Trees, AC/DC's You Shook Me All Night Long, Alanis Morissette's Wake Up (Acoustic) and U2/s City of Blinding Lights). Later, in '06, she chose Mr. B as one of her favorite songs and said she liked TK because they were "trendy and different." 2005
-Sheryl Crow: "Yeah, recently I downloaded the Kings Of Leon - and paid for it. Kings Of Leon, The Kills, The Killers and Arcade Fire. Of course, Ray La Montagna is also on my playlist." 2005

-Steve Harwell, frontman of Smash Mouth: [discussing CD's he was listening to in his car] "..a band called The Killers, which is a great record. One of their producers, he's doing our record." 2005

Random celebrities
-Brooke Burke (E! presenter) included Hot Fuss in a list oh her fav albums in Blender, under "the album that gives me a little cred:" "I have this incredible sound system in my Hummer and when we drive up the coast, I crank 'Mr. Brightside' and 'Smile Like You Mean It.' The Killers make great cruising music. I'm not usually aware of what's hip or cool and I was never into new wave, but I like the sound of this record. I don't even think it makes me want to go back and discover and explore new wave. I don't know why. Maybe because it's not soulful enough for me, but this album is fun." 2005
-Cat Deeley was a fan 2005
-NME: Best album of 2004? Juliette Lewis: "The Killers' 'Hot Fuss'. I'm not done with that album, I love it. It's so uplifting and the constant groove, the melodies - I just love the guy's voice and the synthesizer stuff. It's got its own sound, without being too retro." [TK and Juliet are good friends now! Her band has opened several shows for them].
-Kelly Osbourn included Smile Like You Mean It in a Teen People list of her favorite songs(she gave it the highest rating) and wrote: "I love this whole CD, and this song is good; I like the keyboards. I think [Brandon Flowers] is hot. None of them are ugly, and in today's [bleepin'] music industry, if your've got a good beat and you look good in your little suit and tie, it's a hit." 2005
-Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen on MuchMusic: Ashley, "This new coming of age rock music is coming... like The Killers." Mary Kate, "Oh we love The Killers." And on their website Ashley said her "favorite fall song" was All These Things that I've Done. 2005

Bands mostly popular in Britain

- Girls Aloud chose TK in their top 5 songs on MTV. Either Cheryl Cole or Sarah Harding (poster wasn't sure) said (paraphrased), "This is a great song and they're a great band and I'm glad it's being re-released, it's The Killers with Somebody Told Me." 2005

-Nicky Wire, bassist and lyricist of the Manic Street Preachers, chose a TK song for his iTunes celeb playlist and said in a Jan. NME article that they write good lyrics. The band also played All These Things That I've Done on the speakers before a show. [I believe Nicky turned against them a few years later? Will have to look into that. edit: yup, he called Sam's Town "truly terrible" in NME]. 2005
-James Dean Bradfield, the singer of Manic Street Preachers, said "And, good God, The Killers' Hot Fuss. It's fantastic, big, enthralling pop music. Made me realise how our first album (Generation Terrorists) was so far from perfect. You've loaned your teenage brother The Holy Bible? Get it back - it'll fuck him up! We're older now, different people, but I still love the rush of hearing young bands make really powerful music." 2005
-John Waite (The Babys, Bad English), "But it's not high art, it's not Steinbeck. It's just rock 'n' roll. I like all kinds of music -- Lucinda Williams, The Killers, Dylan, folk music, Indian flute -- all except for arena rock. I've no idea what to make of it." lol guess he wouldn't like TK now then... 2005
No name musicians

- David Jones, singer of The Departure: Q:What's your favourite album from the last 12 months?A: "I love The Killers' album, Hot Fuss. We toured with them last summer, and they were brilliant. Really great band." 2005

- Jesse Malin (Heart Attack, D Generation) told his solo concert audience he loved TK. 2005
-Marshall Crensaw (singer songwriter) on what artists he listened to: "Once in awhile, I listen to the Top 40 stations when the kids are in the car. Eminem, I like some of his stuff. I think he's great. The Killers, (too)." 2005

Embarrassing pop stars and such

-Ashlee Simpson said TK were her favorite British band haaa... 2005
-Nick Carter of Backstreet Boys in People article: "I like The Killers a lot...Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison...I want to be able to put those influences into the music."Also, he said he would like to write a song for the Killers if they would let him. Guess that didn't work out... lol. 2005

-Ronan Keating (Boyzone) was a fan. 2005
-Matt Willis, once of Busted, played TK on his radio special. 2005

- Hillary Duff said on MuchMusic, Canada something along the lines of: "I really like The Killers. Their album is really cool and different."Also, in another article, her inspirations for her new CD: "intense alternative stuff: The Killers, Morrissey, Muse... oh and Good Charlotte." 2005
-James Blunt on his fav artists of the year on VH1 Big Artists Pick: "The Killers' Hot Fuss is a great album - it's got a great emotion in it and it rocks. And Bright Eyes' record, too." 2005
-Jesse McCartney said on TRL he was looking forward to seeing TK and Green Day at the VMA's. 2005
-McFly's Danny Jones chose Mr. B for his celeb iTunes playlist and wrote, "When I first heard these guys I loved them." 2005

-Rachel Stevens (S Club 7) mentioned the Killers when asked on TV what music she liked. Also included them in her top 5 songs for MTV and gushed about how "hot" they are. 2005

Fictional

-Seth Cohen (Adam Brody's character) said TK's concert was "awesome" on the O.C. ;) 2005

Actors
-Bonnie Wright (Ginny in HP) had TK posted as her favorite band on her imdb page. 2005

- Charlize Theron was already a fan then, according to Ronnie. She co-starred in Brandon's Crossfire video last year. 2005
-Daniel Radcliffe aka Harry Potter was a huge TK fan, loved Hot Fuss (Mr. Brightside was his favorite track), talked about them a lot in interviews. 2005
-Chris Kattan of SNL, in Spin article on KROQ Weenie Roast: "I think the Killers are awesome. I haven't said 'awesome' in ten years!" 2005
-Eric Roberts (villain in Mr. B music video) in Feb issue of EW: "They're adorable", he says, though he has eyes for singer Brandon Flowers in particular. "I love the length - kind of short - of Brandon's pants, and the childlike way he walks. And the song [Mr. Brightside] has grown on me to the point where I absolutely love it." [Brandon once called him "the devil" haha, but in an admiring way, if that makes sense. It does with Brandon yo.] 2005
-Johnny Depp in an MTV Brazil interview, when asked what music he liked right now, mentioned TK. (if you're curious, the other bands were the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Oasis, and the Strokes).

-Jon Cryer (Ducky in Pretty in Pink) mentioned in Spin he saw TK at KROQ Acoustic Christmas. [Bflo quote: "We all have a little Ducky in us"]. 2005

-Michelle Trachtenberg in Jane mag: "I'm all about Muse, Gorillaz and the Killers - their lead singer is adorable." 2005
-"Rupert Grint, 17, who plays Ron [Weasley], said his favourite rock groups were AC/DC and The Killers." - from thisislondon.co.uk 2005

pop-punk and fully punk/hard rock bands

-Alkaline Trio on MTV2 - "We like this little garage band from Salt Lake City called the Killers." [wha?] 2005
-The All American Rejects covered Mr. Brightside at the Vans Warped Tour. 2005
-Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy said on MTV2 that he liked the Killers and that many bands were copying them. 2005
-Good Charlotte were fans. Joel Madden said if he could be in any other band it would be TK. 2005
-Ville Vallo, singer of HIM, said in an interview on the band's site that he enjoyed Smile Like You Mean It, and he especially praised the intro. 2005
-Sugarland (from something related to American Music Awards apparently?): "I own The Killers' CD - I have two copies. I love The Killers. But I'll bet they do not own a Sugarland CD," Bush said, laughing at "that whole concept." 2005
-Stephan Jenkins, singer of Third Eye Blind, in Cornell Sun: "I don't feel like anything has come along to reshape what Third Eye Blind is. There's a whole bunch of bands who play but don't do what we do and the ones that are really successful are trying to do something that's kind of retro... Yeah I mean those are the ones who are kind of in a retro phase. I mean I love that Killers records, I think it's great. I think it's so inspired and so fun. And I heard the bootleg of the new Strokes and I think its slamming. I just love both those bands but they're both kind of retro bands. 2005
-Quinn Allman, guitarist of The Used in July '04, so early on: "My favorite record of all time, that's really hard, I don't know. That's a really, really, really tough question. Right now I'm listening to this band called The Killers, they're f#@$*^% crazy good." 2005
Pet Shop Boys- they really deserve their own section because holy hell have they blabbered about TK
-Pet Shop Boys' Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe in The Independent: "It must also help that the state of pop has improved. While Release was written for charts dominated by Pop Idol clones, now there has been a renaissance in acts with attitude. Tennant, a former Smash Hits journalist, immediately voices his enthusiasm. "What we've had in the last year, even less than that, is suddenly what I really like - pop music with integrity and presented really well. Franz Ferdinand, Kaiser Chiefs..." Lowe adds The Killers. "Now, that is a fantastic pop record," Tennant continues. "We've played Las Vegas twice and [The Killers' front man] Brandon Flowers saw us both times. I did wonder how this new generation would get on, so it's nice they are coming through. We've been waiting for boys in groups to start wearing make-up for years." 2005

2006

-Anna Nalick (had a really popular song- Breathe (2AM)- on Grey's Anatomy) said she really liked TK.
-Yan from British Sea Power told UndertheRadar mag about highlight of '05: "It was a nice and varied year - in the space of one month we toured North America with the Killers and played with Faust in Brighton. The Faust show ended in a fistfight but we got on better with the Killers. The first time the Killers ever went on tour anywhere was supporting us in Britain, at 200 capacity venues called things like Lincoln Bivouwac. Returning the favor, they paid for us to come to the US and play a few 20,000 seat arenas. They're lovely fellows and rhythmist Ronnie joined us most nights for an all-star - well, one star - jam at the end."
-Benjamin Curtis of Secret Machines on Manchesteronline: Brandon Flowers recently dipped into his vast reserves of wit and wisdom to comment, "the Secret Machines are total assh**es. "Really?" expostulates Benjamin. "That's news to us." What did you do to wind him up? "I don't think we did anything to wind him up. I have no idea what he's talking about. We played a couple of shows together and that's about it. Maybe... God, I'm racking my brain! I really have no idea. I wish I knew! "Did you hide his mascara (it's like the man's Popeye spinach!)? "You know what? Maybe he's just a really good judge of character. Maybe we didn't do anything. He could just TELL. It's like his X-Man power." Was he nice to your face? "Yeah, they were fine. He actually seemed kind of shy. I mean, I can't imagine what it's like to sell a billion records of your first album and then have everyone give a s**t what you say."
-Panic! at the Disco on MTV.com: As if the online haters weren't enough, there's also the whole issue of the Killers. Of course, there's bound to be comparisons between the two acts: Both are from Las Vegas, both have a penchant for snazzy suits and both have been known to rock a synthesizer or two. And all that would be fine, except for the fact that "apparently" the bands have beef with each other, a rumor that got started back in September when Wentz managed to include Panic! in a rant he was aiming at the Killers' Brandon Flowers. The whole thing just made the entire rise to fame that much more bumpy for Panic!, who not only claim to have no problem whatsoever with the Killers, but also see a kind of affinity between the two bands. "Pete kind of threw us into the middle of that one. It really didn't have anything to do with us, because we don't hate the Killers or anything like that," Ross laughed. "I mean, the same thing sort of happened to them, only faster and on a bigger level. And both of us wanted to get out of Vegas."
-James Blunt, again, on "the best American band": "I think the Killers are fantastic. So many of those songs on Hot Fuss are great."
-Darren hayes of Savage Garden- Darren Hayes 16th july 2006 :"in other good news..Brandon Flowers has a cool new haircut"Darren Hayes september 2006:"The the killers rock my world. is the killers record out monday?. you should definitley avoid the album then.. if you can't get over the haircut.. I'd run. The video for when you were young is gorgeous. Brandon flowers.. what a rock god. I love their new look. brandon's vibe is awesome..love the beard."
-Chris Martin of Coldplay paid The Killers very nice compliments, basically made a speech about them, at a Coldplay concert in Vegas. Also sang the "I've got soul but I'm not a soldier" ATTTID refrain in the middle of "God Put a Smile Upon Your Face."AND at concert, twisted logic tour in las Vegas-"you're on stage, and you've just met the Killers and youre thinking theyre the best band coming through in a slightly terrifying sense, slightly tTOO good to be true, anyway youve just met the killers who you love and respect, and you look in the mirror 5 mins before you go onstage and you think we've got to look good because the killers are hereand all these people paid all this money, and yu suddenly realize that you look lke michael bolton circa 1976... when you have curly hair and you're on tour, it's a very difficult decsion bc on one hand do you want to trust some crazy hairdresser from st. louis or do you want to just grow it and look slightly like michael bolton circa 1976.... anyway when faced with that decision, just met the killers, then you have to say to yourself don't panic- fellows, this is what this song is all about (starts "Don't Panic').
-Bono of U2 obvs answered audience questions during the Capital Distinguished Speakers Series event. When asked what was on his iPod: "This is an exciting time for music," he said, and listed the Killers and the Arcade Fire among his current favorites." Allegedly he also once said, "I hear the Killers and I get off the phone." Also later in the year when asked what music he liked at the moment, referred to Sam's Town- "The Killers, they've made an outrageously good album."
-David Gray in The Herland Sun: "On the B-side of his latest single, David Gray covers the Killers' Smile Like You Mean It. "I heard it somewhere in a shop and said, 'Who's that?' The girl behind the counter said it was the Killers, so I went out and bought the record. I just like the tune. I think they're a pretty tight band and that was the song I liked. But the singer seems to be absolutely full of shit!" Hahaha.
-Fall Out Boy on their TK feud to NME: "Well, we realized the only way we could get in the goddamn NME was if we talked shit about the Killers!" chuckles Wentz. "That said, me and Brandon Flowers probably have the biggest mouths on the planet and neither of our bands probably care for that too much. At the end of the day, we're just a bunch of dudes who probably should just be giving each other make-up tips. Actually, I have an open invitation to Mr. Flowers to go out to dinner if he'd be interested."
-John C. McGinley (Scrubs) listed as his 'iPod must' in Giant mag: "Hot Fuss by the Killers. Brandon Flowers has almost a classic Broadway voice and I like that he's not afraid to step up to the mic and sing the song. He's like Roger Daltrey."
-Anthony "Ant" McPartlin of the UK entertainment duo Ant & Dec told the Sun: " I cant wait to hear the new Killers album as well- I loved the last one."
-Andrew Farris, guitarist of INXS, chose All These Things for celeb iTunes playlist and wrote: "Brandon Flowers and The Killers have made synths cool again in rock music. I love their vibe. They really command your attention live and this track stands out simply because I love the lyric, 'I've got soul but I'm not a soldier.'"
-Pete Wentz in NME: "We played Vegas the other night and we invited The Killers to our party afterwards, but they didn't show. I think they were recording... He hasn't officially accepted my invitation yet. I think it would be awesome. He's probably a good date. And I'm buying, Brandon! I'd take him somewhere classy, maybe go to Nobu and get some sushi." Wentz added that while the war of words was "funny" for a while, he actually has a lot of respect for Flowers. He wouldn't want to hear this, but I think more than anything, we're too similar to each other... We both over-analyze everything, and we're both totally neurotic."
-Michael Tapper and Chris Cain of We Are Scientists in the Independent: "Tapper is a little more open about his influences, proclaiming his appreciation for Gang of Four and Wire. He then jokes about wanting to play for The Killers, citing life on the We Are Scientists "sickie pissy" tour bus as a reason. "The Killers' singer [Brandon Flowers], with his pink leather jacket, has definitely got IT," Cain says dryly. "He's got that ineffable IT."
-Ashley Parker Angel of O-Town put STM on his celeb playlist and wrote, "This track rocks and they're one of the better bands to come out recently. I've always thought the lyric to the hook is really strange... in a good way."
-Chris and Keith Murray (singer) of We Are Scientists in their Later with Jools Holland interview: Chris: "The Killers are doing alright, they're pretty funny guys." Keith: "They've got a joke or two. That's how we got the idea for this, we were like these guys are cut ups!" Chris: "Look at that jacket, these guys are hilarious!" They sure were fixated that jacket. OT: I walked by Keith last year in Williamsburg after a Belle & Sebastien concert! (Gosh that sounds terrible, I swear I'm not a hipster you guys...)
-Bruce Willis said he loved TK in an MTV Russia interview.
-The Futureheads: This comment made like no sense so I'll post it whole, and see if you can figure it out: "Last night there was a show about The Futureheads and they were talking about Pete's birthday during the NME tour. Jaff very excitedly pointed out that Brandon Flowers had given Pete a kiss and Pete forgot all about it. The next day he asked if they had done anything for his birthday and Jaff even more excitedly cried, "The Killers sang happy birthday to you!" ignoring all the other bands who had done the same thing. Methinks Jaff is a fan." AND in clashmusic: When did you find people started picking up on the Futureheads? I think when we did the NME Tour in 2005 we were flying by that point. We did play the shit out of all those bands (Bloc Party, Kaiser Chiefs, The Killers) we were on tour with. The Killers changed their set list depending on how well we went down. If we went down really well they would come out with all their hits. So we were fucking fighting for it. We were really proving ourselves and we did blow seven tanks of shit out of those bands I think. That gave us a lot confidence and we realised our contemporaries particularly in a live sense, were slightly behind us.
-The Edge, U2 guitarist, listened to the on his iPod.
-Again Neil Tennant of Pet Shop Boys: "We are going through a phase where the term 'pop' is used to mean rubbish. But bands like the Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Chiefs, Killers, Franz Ferdinand make pop music. They like to think they are rock but they are pop and all have a sense of fun about what they do and have a great look." Also, another quote of his from The Guardian is *****famous***** because Brandon made a huge fuss about it and saved all of his mustache clippings in a plastic bag to send to Neil as some kind of sick twisted hahaha: "When I see someone like Brandon Flowers who has the appetite, and possibly the talent and looks, to be a star, I find that enthralling... I'm worried, though - and I hope he's reading this - that he's grown a beard. It means he's saying, 'I'm not pop. I mean more than that.'"
-Pete Wentz, not so sweet anymore after Brandon fanned the feud flames and said there was a creature inside of him that wanted to beat all the emo bands like FOB to death: "Honestly, I like Brandon a lot from what I've read in interviews. He's sharp. I don't think people would take as much notice [of his comments] if he wasn't. I respect that... I kinda like how he called Fall Out Boy 'dangerous.' It felt like how Ice called Maverick 'dangerous' in 'Top Gun.' The whole thing kind of feels like one of those D.A.R.E. commercials. I kind of think of it this way: How could you feel like a superhero if you didn't have an arch-nemesis?" And responding to Brandon's claim they'd never met: "We met a couple of times... I think they maybe tried to order drinks from us at the [MTV] Video Music Awards, because they thought we were waiters. The drummer was really nice though... Besides, we get Brandon's family and friends into Fall Out Boy shows when we play his hometown. It must be very 'dangerous.' I believe they came to the show in Salt Lake City, but I did not meet them. They were on the list, though." However, a few months later he was asked on his website by a fan what he thought about TK's new single (When You Were Young) and he wrote: "i like it. there is a song on the record, i think its called "bones" that i really like."
-Atoosa Rubenstein, that lady lots of girls my age remember as the past editor of Seventeen, had TK listed as one of her fave bands on Myspace. (lol, Myspace. oh 2006.).
-Justin Timberlake: "I listen to a lot of rock - Arctic Monkeys, The Killers, Keane. It's a lot of British bands. There must be something in the water in the UK." Oh, JT, honey... Also later in Rolling Stone he listed TK among Coldplay, The Strokes, Arcade Fire, and Radiohead as the bands he's inspired by because they "just want to be who they are."
-Pete Doherty: Q: If you had to choose to get rid of poetry or music, which one? Pete: Er, The Killers?
-Keane drummer Richard Hughes on their website: "If you could be granted one super power, like super strength or the power of flight, what would it be and why?"-Albert Asker, Richard replies: You have an appropriate surname! I'd like to be able to play the drums like Ronnie Vannucci. I think he's superhuman. Otherwise I'd love to be able to drive a formula one car, or a rally car - those guys are utterly unbelievable. Right now I'd settle for curing my vertigo."
-Panic! at the Disco again, this time Spencer Smith, after Brandon's murderous thoughts about emo bands: AOL: if your records sales started to slip, and your label was like, man we got to do something, would you let one of the FOB graze you with a bullet in a drive-by, nothing serious, but you know, for publicity? Panic: yes. only if it was shot by Patrick, goes through one of the guys in the Killers and then I catch the bullet with my mouth and swallow it only to get led poisoning.
-Rodney Bingheimer, famous KROQ dj (broke many artists in the US), in an American Chronicle article, "I passed up a Killers listening party at the Roosevelt for this interview!" he greets us with, somehow making it sound like a sincere compliment ... nothing like a little pressure with our soup!"
-Whitey of the Kaiser Chiefs, "To be honest, I can't remember everything about the tie in the soup incident. I was in catering and everyone sits in their own spots and the table was full but there was an empty table next to it, so I sat on my own. And Brandon came in and sat next to me. We were a tiny band at the time. I was talking to him, very nice, very pleasant and I just realized that I'd had my tie in my soup for the entire conversation. For about 5 minutes he'd just been looking at me weirdly but he was too sweet to say anything."I loved this so much...
-Jessica Simpson said on TRL she was most looking forward to seeing the Killers at the VMA's.
-Actress Jordana Brewster put ATTTID on her iTunes playlist: "I can’t work out without good music (it gets too boring!!!) I love running to this song…the slow buildup to the chorus is my favorite."
-In Elton John's liner notes for his album The Captain and the Kid: "To the Scissor Sisters, The Killers, rufus Wainwright and Ray Lamontagne for inspiration."
-Jake Shears of Scissor Sisters in NME: "Elton listens to everything. I would've dismissed the Killers if he hadn't told me they were amazing."
-Phil Collins defended Sam's Town in the Las Vegas Sun: "In the face of so-so reviews for the strident "Sam's Town," the Killers have an ally in Phil Collins, who said he heard some of the band's new CD after his 17-year-old daughter, Lily, bought it and, during an interview before Saturday's show, "What I've heard, I love."
-Joel Madden of Good Charlotte again, defending TK on his blog in face of the mass Sam's Town bashing: "Bought the new killers record today and i love it. I think its funny how its getting bad reviews, people never wanna give bands the chance to grow, i believe in the killers. theyll be making good music for a long time." Damn straight!
-The Changes on their Myspace: "I purchased the new Killers' album. Some of it's really, really good. The reviewers keep falling down over the fact that they're obviously inspired by Springsteen; like that's somehow weirder than being inspired by Duran Duran. Bruce is big, bold and all-together rousing. What a great influence."
-Rick Ocasek of the Cars again: I didn't feel like gymnastics were part of The Cars. I certainly philosophically didn't want to prod the audience to react to anything. To me, it was more like negative theater. We didn't really talk to the audience. I didn't see that being a part of this band. And some people liked that. Bands do it now and don't get criticized for it. The Killers don't move much. Different kinds of bands do different things. Some people dance and run around and yell and try to get audience reactions, and some bands kind of play their music.
-Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance allegedly 'said he "celebrated" a Killers show in 2004 by doing an 8 ball and then trying/wanting to kill himself.' um.
-Mick Jones, guitarist of the Clash, said to Blender mag when asked what newer bands he was listening to included: "The Killers, this new record, I started liking. I wasn't sure about the last one, but this one I kind of like. They're all right those guys."
-Noel Gallagher of Oasis again when asked at a CMJ q&a which songwriters from the current generation he thought were good: In whose generation, yours or mine? Coz I'm 39 and yer probably what? 25? Well, if we're talking about you younger lot, then I'd say the guy that writes the songs for Kings of Leon, Serge from Kasabian and Brandon from The Killers. Yeh, Kasabian, The Killers & Kings of Leon. They write fookin fantastic songs. I especially love Kasabian. Tom is an amazing frontman.
-Dane Cook allegedly wrote in his blog that he loves Sam's Town and likes to listen to it when he's writing new material. TKC member adds that that explains why he spotted him at the Wiltern show in LA, and that he was especially into ATTTID.
-Kanye West said he was looking forward to seeing Justin Timberlake and TK at the MTV Europe Music Awards. Also when he was interviewed on the EMAs red carpet he kept saying how happy he was that he got to see TK in concert the night before.
-Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake (they were dating back then) attended a Killers show before the EMA's (JT hosted) according to MTV UK.
-Davey Havok, singer of AFI: Q:As far as music, what are you checking out at the moment? Davey: I’ve been listening to the new Killers record.. Q: Ohhh. D: Do you like or dislike the new Killers..? I: Oh I love the new Killers. D: That’s great! I was really excited, I really loved Hot Fuss, I thought it was a great record, I thought the songs were amazing, and its one of the few bands of notoriety that I really appreciate and I think are doing something with merit. I never wanted to meet them (laughs) because I was afraid they were gonna ruin the one of two bands that arent from 1986 that I like! And we were on TRL in the United States with them a few weeks back and they were really nice. I: Oh cool. D: I was really looking forward to this record I mean I knew it was going to be different to the last cause everyone was talking about it and, it is and its great.
-John Legend, when asked what was on his iPod: "I've been listening to the new Killers' album lately. I like it a lot. My favorite albums this year so far are the Killers, Gnarls Barkley, Amy Winehouse, Beck and OutKast, in no particular order. I'm also very much looking forward to the new Jay-Z album."
-Hit machine producer Timbaland included Sam's Town in his list of top 5 albums of the year for GQ and said, "I find them to be a great alternative group. I love to see artists that do not conform to the normal, because it creates great music."
-Ben Folds did "blind spins" with Vh1.com, where he listened/judged new songs while the interviewer gave him the lowdown on the artists. They played him Read My Mind: "This is a Juno synthesizer, right? Maybe it's a Korg Poly 61. Hmmm...he's setting up his story now. Who is this that wants to meet her? Is this a song from Rent? What, it's the Killers new album? People think it sounds too much like U2 and Bruce Springsteen? I don't understand that kind of music criticism, where they say a song sounds too much like something else. Who really cares? Play the song to someone in the deepest forest in Africa. If they respond to it, they respond to it."
-Paul Stanley from KISS: “My Chemical Romance, that’s one of the most interesting things I’ve heard recently. I like Coldplay. I think the Killers are great.”
-The Stills in concert at the Bowery Ballroom, according to popular music blog The Music Slut: "The band even joked that the last time they played Bowery Ballroom, The Killers opened for them (it's true, I was there). This was followed by many boooooos. The Stills response: 'Let me tell you something, we showed them!'. Brilliant."
-Craig Finn of the Hold Steady: Pitchfork: Did you see the "Saturday Night Live" when the Killers were on, and some people have claimed Brandon Flowers was impersonating you? Craig: I did not until someone told me to go look it up on YouTube. I don't know what that guy looks like normally, but someone told me he doesn't wear glasses. Pitchfork: No, he doesn't wear glasses. A year ago, he was totally doing the whole David Bowie dinner-jacket thing. Craig: I don't know. He discovered Springsteen or something, so a lot of press I've seen has combined reviews of our two records. So that's one thing. But if I had to guess whether that guy from the Killers knows who the Hold Steady are, my guess would be no. But a lot of people said that: "Hopefully, he wasn't making fun of you." That was the thing, like maybe he's trying to dis. But still, my guess is that he has no idea who we are or who I am. I think that if I was Brandon Flowers from the Killers, I would be concerned about a lot more things, mainly just being a rock star and buying things.
-Coldplay did a surprise set for Little Noise Sessions and according to NME: "Chris Martin then played an acoustic version of The Killers 'When You Were Young' and said afterwards : "What a great band The Killers are." Playing a new Coldplay song 'Bucket For A Crown' on the piano, Martin said that he had written it the night before. "If it's shit," he said "We'll give it to The Killers and if it's good, we'll keep it."

2007

-Editors in NME: "We've got the Killers and Razorlight in our sights."(i.e. they wanted to be as famous/big).
-Taking Back Sunday covered When You Were Young in concert. And oh and i wanted to mention that tbs or should i say adam lazzara like the killers not only did he cover when you were young but on tbs's website in their diary, a few of adams entry's mention the killers. One of the title's to his entry is "if all our days are numbered..." and in an earlier entry, he ended it "it's not so bad it's not so bad, sang the killers" . Also on aol session matt and adam are asked what they have been listening to and they said the killers new stuff.
-Rod Stewart said he loved When You Were Young in an article.
-The Kaiser Chiefs were making fun of TK on Zane Lowe's radio show, talking over Read My Mind and making fun of it the whole time, like Brandon's groan in the end. TKC members brushed it off as friendly rivalry/ "taking the piss." + In Spin mag some passive aggressiveness from Nick Hodgson: "Spin: How far do your ambitions extend? NH: You just think about the year ahead. I don't know. We'll see. I don't want to be U2-size. It makes me feel claustrophobic if I imagine that our band would ever be as big as U2. Spin: That's what the Killers want. NH: They'll never do it, though, and I think we probably will because we don't want it as much [laughs]. We always wanted to be as big as the Charlatans and sell 2,000 tickets at gigs. We thought that would be unachievable and amazing. So maybe the Killers will fall apart because they want it too much." Jealous much... then backing up on his words months later in NME- Nick Hodgson about the whole U2 comment in this week's NME:Brandon Flowers wasn't happy when I said they would struggle to be U2 sized. All I said was about being U2 sized, and we said "We don't wanna be U2 size, but because we don't want it so much, we'll probably end up doing it" And I think The Killers got mentioned and I said, "Well, they'll probably end up not doing it because I think they want it." And we don't really want it. The thing about being U2 size is it's just too big.
-Hockey player Sheldon Souray on what artist he would like to see live: "I would have loved to have seen The Doors. Now….hmm. (pauses to think) I’m a Killers fan so I’d like to see them. I know it’s probably not very popular but I’d like to see them."
-Tennis player Andy Roddick on his current favorite band: "Dave Matthews band will always be my favorite. I am really into The Killers as well."
-Matt Bellamy of Muse said about the NME Awards nominations: "I'm sure the killers will do well, they're on form." AND in interview on youtube Matt Bellamy: We saw The Killers the other day, they was very good.
Dom Howard: The Killers are very good! They're brilliant I really like them. ......AND Q: Favourite Big Day Out band this year?
B (Matt Bellamy): It's had quite a few good bands this year, The Killers were pretty good. My favourite would be, ur, I don't know, I mean, Jet, Killers.
H (Dominic Howard): Killers were good, I saw them the other day.
B: Hot Chip?
H: Hot Chip are a good one. I haven't seen them play on this tour, but they're great live.
B: Urm, it's difficult to tell.
H: The Streets were great.
B: The Streets. A bid between Jet and The Killers maybe.
H: Yeah, I saw The Killers the other day and they were brilliant.
-Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance again in NME: "I’ve been listening to: Sam’s Town, The Killers. We were making our record when this came out, but I can finally listen to it now. It’s one of the most moving records of last year, you feel what he’s talking about and it’s very risky. There’s stuff on there that makes me cry and it’s been a long time since that happened." Also in the Cleveland Plain Dealer: "Way tagged "Sam's Town" as "probably" his favorite release of 2006. "You really have to listen to it, which is what makes it special," he said." Also at Oxegen festival during performance told audience, "I hope the killers are playing. I really like the Killers"
-Evan Dando of the Lemonheads said he hated the Killers (no proof, sorrys).
-The band Billy Talent said they would really love to meet TK on MTV2.
-Actress Lucy Liu said in Blender that she loved Sam's Town, especially when she saw TK live.
-Jared Leto of 30 Seconds to Mars was quoted bashing TK but then wrote them a personal email saying he never said anything of the sort and that he loved the band. The quote really never surfaced in any magazine, only in contactmusic. Anyway this was the orig quote: "They copy Depeche Mode, even up to what they wear. But Brandon Flowers doesn't come close to Dave Gahan." Well anyway, they sure are fast friends now.
-Nicola Roberts of Girls Aloud said she loved the Killers.
-Mike Bailey (Sid in Skins) said he loved the Killers (omg).
-The Furutrists: "In the meantime, the quartet – most of whose members are 21 and under – continues to develop its music. Formed three years ago, the Futurists have evolved from their dance-rock origins into something less clichéd. "We started out like the Killers," he says. "But you read about Brandon Flowers' antics in Rolling Stone, and you think, 'Do I really want to be associated with that kind of music? Do I really want to be an '80s throwback band?'
-Howard Jones (80s synthpop)-I think the best music at the moment is coming from Rufus Wainwright and the Killers. I've been studying the Killers, really. They're not the most modern band. They sound a bit like a cross between the Cars and the Cure. But it's such well-made music and such great production and the guy's got such a great voice, I think they really stand out.
-Ricky Gervais: What's on my iPod: Dylan, Neil Young, David Bowie, Cat Stevens, some folk, U2, Radiohead, Coldplay - all the big boys. And The Killers, who are my new favourite band.
-Kiefer Sutherland said the Killers are "phenomenal" when their RMM video was #1 on VH1's Top 20 video Countdown show while he was interviewed.
-Kings of Leon in the Herald Sun- KOL don't need your respect, really, what with Bob Dylan hand-picking them to support him last year, just as U2 and Pearl Jam have done in the past. Even Elton John is an out and proud fan. ``That's a huge honour, for all these who have done such enormous things musically to respect us,'' Caleb says.``I feel like they're really behind us and that's why they make it well known that they're our fans -- they don't want us to give up, they don't want us to say `F--- it, we throw in the towel, Jet's gonna go rule the world, and the Killers are gonna go rule the world, and we're just kinda back here . . .'' ``S.L.Y., bro,'' Jared interjects at the mention of those other bands. ``That is so last year. S.L.Y.'' ``I know, I know,'' Caleb says, shaking his head. ``I've gotta say,'' Jared continues, ``though it definitely pisses these guys off, they think it sounds cocky.''
-Roger Taylor, drummer of Duran Duran, with his picks for single of the year: The Killers “When You were Young” - Kind of controversial – a lot of people are saying this record is not as good as the record they made a year or two ago. I think it’s a fantastic record, I think they still got it, they are still really going somewhere and they are going to be around for a long time.
-Matthew Followill of Kings of Leon- I have huge respect for bands like Arcade Fire and The Killers who take a risk. I really loved The Killers' first album, and while I'm not as big a fan of their second one, I wouldn't have wanted them to just repeat the same formula."
-Amerie interview for popjustice: 'Are there any 'surprise' duets or cover versions on the album?'
No, but I'd like to do something with The Killers. I'll sit in my car singing their songs thinking how great it would if that was my genre and I could sound like The Killers. Whenever I sing their songs I am always making it a duet with me...Also in another interviewing saying she would like to collab with bflo: "I don't know what songs we could do but I love his band's records and their writing and arrangements."
-Simon Pegg- The name comes from the style of two-word titles like those mentioned in Pegg's above examples ("Bad Boys", "Lethal Weapon"). When musicians The Killers came out with an album called Hot Fuss, it was pure coincidence."We came before that although it was a simultaneous sort of moment. We were in New York and I walked into a record shop and there it was and I thought, 'Oh sh*t, someone's made an album with a very similar title to our film.' But we saw the Killers recently at a thing. We didn't sort of talk about it either, did we? We just sort of said hello to them."
-Nicky Wire of Manic Street Preachers- Nicky Wire from the manics is quite scathing in the NME this week...although I know he does like the killers music but he says that Dave's haircut is bad and that brandon shouldn't slag off Emo. AND later to NME- Wire was equally blunt when speaking about his distaste for the overrated, undertalented, and extremely annoying American band The Killers, saying, “The last Killers album is truly dreadful, and I think everyone thinks so. The first record was brilliant, but then the second one comes out and it gets great reviews, but then you realize the terrible, concocted, false nature of it all. The Bruce Springsteen comparisons are so utterly wrong. There’s no authenticity in that record at all, extremely false and calculated. People might like it, but people with brains don’t. All that getting Tim Burton to direct their video, get a supermodel in the video, falling for the same shtick. They’re morally bankrupt, for Mormons especially!”
-Matt Dublin of Red Romance in ew popwatch- This won't be the first time you've opened for The Killers. What are they like?
We opened for them last Fall at the MSG Theater, up in Boston and in Atlantic City. They are extordinarily gracious and down to earth guys, despite their enormous success. But more than anything else, they are absolute musicians of the highest caliber. When you hang out with those guys, it's always about the music. Their success really renewed my faith that ultimately, people still want songs, the kids still want anthems, their own soundtracks, and that's what the Killers are to so many people. AND Matthew Dublin of the Red Romance in brightestyoungthings.com, he talks about touring with the Killers Did anything particularly insane or tabloid worthy happen while on tour? Or are the Killers just good Vegas bred Mormons we all heard they are?MD:In all sincerity, they really are just straight-up music lovers and great musicians. They’re really serious about what they do and they do it so well, I love watching them play every night. They don’t really get too crazy in terms of crazy rock n’ roll stories. Ronnie’s a sweet heart and the best drummer working in music today next to our own Dr. Beckett. However, don’t step to Mr. Flowers when it comes to ping pong; he’s got an old school grip that’ll leave you questioning your desire to pick up the old paddle anytime in the near future.
-Joel Madden in Spin- What was the last song that got stuck in your head?
Joel Madden (of Good Charlotte): The Killers' "When You Were Young." I really think that Brandon Flowers has a sense of mystery to him.Also Billy Martin again of GC in app.com- "We love The Killers' two records," Martin said. "Their songs are awesome, but we're not trying to copy what they've done. We're doing our own thing. We came up with these off-the-wall ideas. We happened to move into this area of really dancey pop music. This album happens to just be where we are now."
-Rufus Wainwright- "I don't know him all that well but I wrote this song about him which is kind of hilarious," Wainwright told Time Out London of the new tune, 'Tulsa.' "It says he tastes like potato chips in the morning." Also in another article, "He is so sexy yet so unhappy and also somewhat sane and crazy at the same time. "I haven't met anyone who quite fits the Brando mould as much as he does immediately. There's this dark, moody, restless, annoyed by compassionate figure that's sucking up all the energy out of the room."And another interview: Hearing it from an acclaimed singer/songwriter who’s currently working on an opera, you’d hardly expect the fawning anthem “Tulsa” (“Your suit was the whitest thing since you know who / I feel that that savior I have mentioned may be you / And who would have thought that I’d owe it all to Tulsa?”) to be about, of all people, Brandon Flowers of The Killers. “I spent one night with him at a bar, swooning over him along with everybody else,” jokes Rufus Wainwright."Aaand more: "Tulsa" -- about a night on the town with Killers singer Brandon Flowers:"It was at the point where that band was hitting. Brandon was being very, very nice to me because he's a fan, and I was therefore in the coterie, and together we formed this shield of beauty and brains, and it was all in this tiny bar in Tulsa, which had never seen the likes. ... It was kind of Kurt Weillian or something."I don't know if Brandon's heard it yet; he might be completely horrified. But I was, once again, 'Thanks a lot, thanks a lot for not sleeping with me so I can write a song about you.'"AND from jsonline- Q. "Tulsa" is sort of a gay fantasy about the married rock star Brandon Flowers of The Killers. Have you gotten any reaction from Flowers about "Tulsa"? A. I saw him in Ireland. We were doing a festival together. He was very sweet, quite bashful, and gave me a nice big kiss on the cheek. We'll take it from there.AND RUFUS Wainwright's meeting with Killers frontman Brandon Flowers at this year's Glastonbury Festival in Britain carried extra meaning.Wainwright wrote a song for Flowers, Tulsa, on his new album Release the Stars. In it, Wainwright hails Flowers' Marlon Brando-like looks and charm. Their post-Tulsa meeting went without incident, the songwriter says. "Brandon was very flattered. And somewhat bashful, shall we say. Exceptionally tickled. We kissed each other on the cheek."AND from a Q&A- What's your most embarrassing moment?“Hitting on Brandon Flowers.”
-Chris Martin said he wishes Coldplay had written Hot Fuss. aaand mumbling about him in video form: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY9SujNSM78 Aaaand
On an interview with MuchMusic, Tulsa was brought up. Rufus said they were just at a bar and nothing "spicy" happened. And that Brandon contacted his lawyer and said he would call Rufus but he hasn't yet. Because, as Rufus put it, "he's playing hard to get."
-Paul Anka nd even a cover of the Killers' "Mr. Brightside.""They're real nice guys. I really like them," Anka says of Las Vegas' homegrown rock heroes. Singer Brandon Flowers has credited the Las Vegas legends as inspirations during his days growing up in rural Utah. The band asked to be introduced to the singer upon learning they were both in Montreal at the same time."They were very gracious and nice guys (who said) 'It's kind of because of you that we're in the business,' " Anka recalls. After that meeting, he decided, "I'm gonna take a shot at 'Brightside.' " And now he declares, "It's one of the highlight tracks."AND in montreal Gazette: Do you have an iPod, by any chance?Anka: Sure, I do. (Laughs heartily).Gazette: What do you have on it?Anka: Everything from Yo-Yo Ma to Ennio Morricone, the Killers ... Weinstein or Amy, whatever the hell her ... ND Gazette: The Killers track, which you've mentioned, that's very interesting. Maybe we could talk about that briefly. I know Brandon Flowers once said without you, the band wouldn't exist.Anka: Yeah, in Rolling Stone.Gazette: Exactly. In fact, I referenced that last time I wrote about you. How did you end up choosing that song?Anka: It was here in Montreal. I was at a restaurant here. I don't know if you know that story ... and he came to the restaurant, because he had heard I was at the restaurant. And he showed up at midnight. It was that fish restaurant; there's a New York restaurant and one here. I'll think of the name in a minute. And he walked in, said "We want to meet you, because it's you and My Way ... I knew Brightside, I knew their album, I was aware of the band. And I especially knew because of Vegas. So I said "Hey, cool, you know, I'm touched and thank you and sit down." And we talked and, of course, Rock Swings was done. And I said "You know, Brightside, I hear it now. I wish I had ..." I said "If I do another one, I'm going to whip that song out and do it.
So, as we evolved into this, remembering, and the attachment with them, I said "I'm going to find a vibe for this song," because I love the song.
-one of the people from Bad Relgion said on loveline that by far, Sam's Town was his favorite album of the year. and AAC they asked the bands questions. one of the questions was Best Live Band and Bad Religion put the Killers!
-When asked about their relationship with The Killers, Hot Hot Heat's Steve replied, "Sexual." I recorded the interview from VFest and I'll type up the full quote later. They also talked about the Red Rocks show, but almost seemed uncomfortable, and said they had a lot of fun and Brandon saved his voice so he wouldn't lose it forever.
-chris moyles (radio1 DJ in UK) played FRU on thu or fri and sed "FRU, thats the name of the song not why were playing it, were playin it because were legally required to by contract!" but he said it in like a way of saying its crap!
-And they're Jonathan Ross' favourite band

-Kelly Clarkson said, "I'd love to see The Killers, I've never seen The Killers. I'm a big fan of theirs AND in Kelly Clarksons playlist she put Mr. Brightside and said that it was one of her all time favorite videos
-Bruce Willis- "It's weird. I'm getting back into all the music I used to love when I was a teenager, like The Rolling Stones. I'm seeing The Stones in Paris in June. My 15-year-old daughter Scout has got me into The Killers."(also Rumer Willis was spotted at thier Vegas show)
-They are also set to play at the Princess Diana memorial concert at Wembley on July 1. The Killers are Prince William’s and Harry’s favourite band and the young royals personally requested they perform at the Diana event to mark the tenth anniversary of her death.
- watching an interview with Amy Winehouse, and to use an example of how she's like an old man when it comes to music, she said something like "Someone will say 'The Killers are a great band' and I'd say, Yeah, they look like nice boys"
-Tony Wilson founder of Factory Records, which released Joy Division records. in Pitchfork- Pitchfork: What was your involvement with Control, the Anton Corbijn film about Joy Division?TW: I was involved in the initial stages as an associate producer to fuck off some rival people who wanted to make a film, to get rid of them, which I did. And then I was just a general advisor.More recently there was a slight falling out. I bought a Fall Out Boy DVD special at the bookshop on Union Square. I'm very fond of Fall Out Boy, and there was this wonderful cover version of 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' which really shocked me. And I know that emo-- which I'm quite fond of-- treats Mr. Morrissey as its godfather, which is fine, but the fact is that 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' is one of the core songs.And suddenly I thought 'well fuck this, this is amazing!' And then I thought 'all we've got to do is get Panic! At the Disco to do a cover and we've got a soundtrack album featuring songs by Fall Out Boy and Panic! At the Disco and suddenly Joy Division's music will be revealed to millions more kids!'That seemed very exciting, so I drove all the way to Nottingham where they were filming, and I hadn't realized that Anton has just come back from a photo shoot with the Killers and-- I mean they're a good band but their lead singer's a fucking idiot. He hates emo, doesn't he? Anyway, I had this big row with Anton about the soundtrack album.
-Hot Fuss was critiqued in the latest issue of Stuff magazine (Best Summer Ever issue). The article had "music royalty" judge bands on whether or not they had lasting potential. Bret Michaels, lead singer of Poison, Ozzy, and Gene Simmons all gave them a thumbs up.here's what they actually said:Quote: Bret Michaels: I've always thought they were kind of The Cars of the new millennium, with a little more attitude. I think they need to identify who they are more. It's tough to listen to a heartbreak song when you don't know much about the person. Everyone knew my stripper girlfriend was breaking my heart when I wrote "Every Rose Has Its Thorn". Wear your heart on your sleeve.Ozzy Osbourne: It's a lot like 80's. Like an 80's kind of new wave pop rock. (Trying to read his notes) I like...I can't read my own fucking writing. But they have my thumbs up.Gene Simmons: The music is terrific, but if you're in the Killers, the question 'Who?" is going to follow you. Just because you can sell a million records doesn't mean squat. That's a great feat, but the question is still, "Who?" The Killers is a good name, though.
-Brian of Louis xiv- The Killers were smart enough to bring a Ping-Pong table on the road, so we have been having small, but intense tournaments backstage before and after the gigs.....me and Brandon are tied for first place at 3 games each.
-Reverend And The Makers main man Jon McLure yesterday voiced his disgust for The Killers during Gigwise’s weekly Wednesday Webchat. The singer/songwriter breached the subject after being asked about what bands he went to see and which stages he preferred at Glastonbury. He replied: “It’s all about the smaller bands. You’re not going to change your life stuck in front of the pyramid stage watching the bleeding Killers are you? He then went on to launch a tirade against the Las Vegas band firstly calling them “intrinsically evil”. Before adding: “The Killers are corporate whores playing a marketing game with the unsuspecting masses. The ruthlessly efficient mainstream shall prevail with The Killers as soundtrack.” Brandon Flowers we await your answer.
-Tim Rice-Oxley from Keane said about The Killers at Werchter (Festival in Belgium)
"My highlight was The Killers, though. I've seen them play quite a few times and they're always entertaining, but yesterday I thought they were absolutely brilliant, really full of energy and soul. They're one of those bands who seem to have an hour-long 'greatest hits' set after only a couple of albums. Read My Mind was sensational. Anyway, needless to say we knew we'd have to put on a great show to follow a run of acts as good as that, so were really fired up for it.""Backstage at Werchter, the atmosphere was very friendly and relaxed. We feel a certain kinship with The Killers, both bands having come to prominence at about the same time, and it was great to see them and hang out a bit. Ronnie Vannucci is always a lovely man to chew the fat with, and Dave seemed disappointed to discover that the rumours he'd heard that our third album was finished and about to hit the shops were not strictly accurate."
-Again Bon Jovi told Myspace music one of the top 5 songs he was listening to was WYWY (other four:U2 One, Bob Dyland Forever Young, Kaiser Chiefs Ruby, Snow Patrol Cashing Cars
-Bryan Ferry (of Roxy Music)" Musically, he has wide tastes with Arcade Fire and The Killers being his current favourites
-Tom of the Enemy in Sunday Mail- "I heard them on the radio and thought they were just rubbish."Then I saw them at the NME Awards in London and thought this is a chance for them to redeem themselves."They're disappearing up their own backsidesTheir first album was alright but the follow-up Sam's Town was terrible.""We were playing at Glastonbury and they blocked off a big area of the Main Stage - so nobody would see them - and kept everybody waiting for 20 minutes."It was totally out of order. Their singer Brand on Flowers owes us 20 minutes of our time.If we ever do another gig with them we aim to make him stand around for half an hour to get him back."I'm having him and his band."
-Jamie Reynolds and Simon Taylor-Davis of The Klaxons in NME youtube interview at T in the Park http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-uSgbKoe50 - "I'm looking forward to seeing the Killers, I wanna know whether or not that guy still wants to get me. other)- we had an incident with the killers the other night in verchen in belgium when jamie decided to place spinach on setev from the killers' shoulder, who i previously had an encounter with a few years back prior to the klaxons' existence when they were a small band supporting british sea power in nottingham... no no no not beef, not beef, no it's spinach... vegetarian... other- i took a spoonful of spinach and i gently placed it upon his shoulder and he was upset with me and i hope it can be today is aday for making up, i havent seen him sense and i hope... i tried to explain to him the incident that happened to me with him and he didn't remmeber.. othr- that's why i made up for it by placing the spinach."
-Recently, Smashing Pumpkins 'took over' on KROCK. They were basically just there to promote their album and give the station some hype.Anyway, later in the program, they comment that they got to meet The Killers and found out that they not only make great music, but are great people. AND more from SP in an interview: What advice would you give bands? :What I would say is, have a core belief, whether it's God, music or your band. And stick to that. One band that has a future is the Killers. Seeing them live, I thought, "This is a real band." I found out that all of the guys in the band saw the Pumpkins on Lollapalooza in 1994. They didn't know each other then. But they were all at the gig. I'm not saying that was the moment they decided to be in a band, but it was one of the moments-and I'm proud of that. I'm not taking anybody's credit away. But I subscribe to Bob Dylan's theory: We're just troubadours, and it's our job to pass the flame on to others.
-Kanye West- "I listen to mostly rock music now," he said, citing the Killers, Keane, Modest Mouse and Feist as current favorites.Those artists also influenced the sound of Graduation, which West says takes rap in a different direction."This album has a lot of synthesizers layered on it, which has never really been done before in hip-hop," he said. "That doesn't make it good, just because it's different, but it's a representation of what I've been listening to."
-Jack Shepard AKA David Platt from Corrie:
I'm really into the album Sams Town by The Killers at the moment. They are a brilliant band and i dont think there's a single bad track on the whole cd.source: NOW magazine
-The Academy Is...'s buzznet profile, and in one of Adam Siska's journal entries, it said THIS:Yesterday morning/ afternoon (im not sure which,) Tony came knocking on my bunk and told me we had a radio show for a rock radio station in Glasgow, Scotland.
The radiostation requested that we play two of our own songs as well as a cover of a song that is currenly Top 40 in the UK. We decided to do LAX to O'hare, Big Mess, and a cover of the Killer's "Read My Mind,"which in my opinion is an awesome song. So perhaps our cover of that will surface on the internet someday... -Dave Grolh from Foo Fighters again said that Ronnie is one of his favorite drummers thats around today.
-Kate Nash in her fan diary... i liked the shock i got from the massive crowd at 02 hyde park, the coloured in sheep at latitude, wearing gold leaf, going 'hippy' and being generally annoying at glastonbury, the cake i got from the promoter at t in the park, seeing that guy from the killers and meeting lovefoxx at oxygen,....
-Kanye West in hiphopdx- According to Reuters, Kanye West's latest album, Graduation, will feature a select few guest spots."When I hear the records of my favorite bands -- the Killers or Coldplay -- you only hear one voice from start to finish," says West. AND other interview- He says, "Before me, nobody spoke their mind. I broke down the boundaries for Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen, Brandon Flowers from the Killers. Now everyone says what they think."+ http://www.nme.com/images/07819_193528_kanyewestblog_01.jpg brandontache AND in hiphoplinguistics- "I love TV on the Radio’s production,” he said, referencing the critically acclaimed Brooklyn indie-rockers, “but man, at the end of the day, Keane and the Killers have bigger hooks.” Mr. West stops, considers, then laughs. “The last thing I need now in my quest to be cool is for somebody to think I dissed TV on the Radio."AND Kanye in Rolling Stone- The S.S. jetted to London for this issue’s interview with Kanye West. After his set at the V Fest in Staffordshire, Kanye and the S.S. hopped in a Mercedes for a three-hour drive to the equally muddy V Fest in Chelmsford (check out West’s sneaker protection) to catch the Killers. “They’re my absolute favorite band,” said Kanye. Days later, in New York, we caught up with Brandon Flowers at Sears Sound. “Kanye is amazing,” a flattered Flowers responds. “I can’t wait to hear his new stuff.”
-KT Tunstall- Revealing all about her new material, 31 year old KT Turnstall said: There’s much more of a rock influence on this album.“The song that really stuck out on the radio when I was driving to the studio was The Prayer by Bloc Party. It’s a wicked song. The Killers were playing a lot on the radio too and I was enjoying their writing.”
-Robbie Coltrane (AKA Hagrid from Harry Potter) has gone an interview in one of the UK magazines and said the following:"I love driving and spending time in a car as magnificent as the one I had was a pleasure. I spent the whole time listening to The Killers on the stereo, I think they're fantastic, I'm 57 going on 18"

-On the V Festival coverage on C4 Tom from Kasabian has just said that he loves Brandon. Tom has some not so nice opinions about some other people in the music biz so it's good to know he likes TK!.......kasbaian want to 'kill the killers' vfest interview...how original
-Ricky Wilson about the 'take on me' sing along on Gonzo with bflo and zane lowe- I did it once with Brandon Flowers, and that was funny--because he's quite a funny fella. You wouldn't think it, but he's a funny fella. He's got a funny laugh
-Baissist of The Heights, who performed at V Fest with TK from thestar- Plus, bassist Chris Carr made maybe the best dig at Killers ever: "We shared a boat with the Killers on the way over. They stopped the ferry halfway. Brandon Flowers got off and walked on the water a bit.
-Lou Reed Pitchfork: And the stuff with the Killers... Reed: That band is genuinely great. The thing we did, I think it's called "Tranquilize".
- a bandmember of the Walkmen, and she told me that when she was hanging out with the band after a show, they were all talking about how they don't really like their band name. Then they started saying how they're jealous that the Killers have basically one of the ultimate, most perfect names possible.
-sarah silverman loves the killers ...she has not once but twice in her ipod playlist wywy and attid
-The Parlotones’ bassist, Glenn Hodgson
Who would you dig to see in concert?
MxPx, Rancid, AFI, Rise Against, The Kooks and The Killers.
-Mark from One Night Only.
If you could handpick a band to tour with in the future: who would it be?
Mark: The Killers even, we went to one of their shows at Wembley Arena and that was really good.
5o cent’s new single ’I Still Kill’ has been banned by US TV stations MTV and BET.The track has been renamed ’I Still Will’.50 Cent told New York Magazine: “I don’t think they have a problem with the group The Killers being called The Killers and I don’t think anyone’s protesting that Guns N’ Roses is called Guns N’ Roses."He added: “I think that their perception of me is dark so they’re going to ask for those things to be changed.”
-Tom deLonge of Angels and Airwaves (previously Blink 182) to MTV-
"I back the fact that he did it," DeLonge said of Flowers' pronouncement. "Labels are struggling, bands can't get on radio and something new is needed now. But didn't he know I said that? I mean, he must have heard that I said that first, right?"
A spokesperson for the Killers did not return calls for comment at press time.
"C'mon, man, he knew I said that," DeLonge said with a laugh. "But the funny thing is, no matter what anybody says about their album being the best, it's art and you can't judge art. I was laughing when I said that it was the best record in 20 years ... laughing when I got off the phone [with the interviewer] because it got everyone talking and it worked to my benefit."
-director of Southlad Tales, Slater- "Southland Tales" (the movie with Justin Timberlake that uses ATTTID):We were going to throw blood all over the nurses but that was a little bit too much and we just went for it. I’ve got to give a lot of credit to the dancers who played the nurses. I wish I knew their names but they were great. They really performed and they kind of gave him an opportunity to play off of them. I had to do one take with no lip synching because we didn’t have The Killers’ song. and the producers were like, "Rich, we can’t afford the song. They’re never going to give it to us. It’s like a fortune.” They’re the biggest band in the world so we did one take with no lip synching. I ended up doing the first take with no lip synching because we were getting everyone warmed up and then we lip synched the second, third and fourth take because we had to move on. We cut it together and like the next day my editor had a cut of it and we sent it off to The Killers, to their management, and we were just like, "Please God. Please let them like this because we can’t afford this song.” And the management saw it and they were like, "Okay. We love this. How much money do you have?” And we were like (gestures to indicate a very small amount) and they were like, "Okay. You can have it.” They said yes right away and it set in motion us getting all this other music because it’s sort of "Oh, well The Killers are doing it for how much?” and then it was The Pixies and Muse and Radiohead. Thank God that they… I still have never met the band but I’d give them a hug if I did.AND from another source: When he talks about The Killers’ song, "All the Things I’ve Done"... in my mind it felt like the voice of a disenfranchised Iraq veteran, and I don’t know if that was the intention when The Killers wrote that song. But if you listen to the lyrics, it’s really powerful. We didn’t have the rights to the song and we just shot it anyway. Then we showed it to The Killers and their management, and they were like, ‘Okay, we love this and how much money do you have?’ We were like, ‘Ahh [cough] $40,000,’ and they said alright you can have it. It was an amazing gift and it set a precedent to get all of this other music, and they were really generous."
-Fall Out Boy started covering Mr. brightside in concerts
-Simon Webbe of Blue (solo) covered WYWY in concerts
-Fran Healy of Travis: Healy has also come to terms with the kind of band Travis is and aspires to be. He knows Travis is not considered a band that's "cool" to champion. He knows they'll likely never pack stadiums or be on any hipster hotlists.But that's fine by him. As much as he admires some of the bigger acts out there, he feels Travis stands apart with its inclusive, everyman approach. It's a belief that was recently strengthened while Healy and bass player, Doug Payne, watched The Killers take the stage after them in Buenos Aires.When we played with The Killers the other night, Dougie -- the bass player -- turns around to me and says, 'Man, do you ever get the feeling we're really unprofessional?' But we're just not that kind of band. . . The Killers, there's a connection there, but there's also a distance. They're rock stars.
-Hockey player Dany healty caught singing along to Mr. Brightsde (played in the stadium) when a mic was strapped to him- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouY-FX4RMOQ
-From a New York Times article by none other than Wyclef Jean (he mentions some of his favorite musicians):
The Killers
As a fan of rock growing up, I go all the way back with a band called Yes, a band that came from a classical music background. I take you that far back to bring you to the Killers’ “Sam’s Town” (Island). I’d call this a CD and audio movie because when listening to it, you feel like you just entered a movie. I put this CD on when I go out on a drive to go think. Then I park the car and put the Killers in the background and go into deep thought, a state of meditation. Or you can do your hour on the treadmill, this CD will meditate you. It’s vocally and musically incredible. As a guitar player, the layers that I’m hearing are insane. I can hear an Eastern twang mixed with a Western twang. When you’re like, “Yo, what’s up with rock ’n’ roll, where’s that nirvana vibe?” With the Killers you catch that vibe. -Dev Hynes of that (apparently now dead) band, Test Icicles for Discoteque confusion (he also did a cover of Uncle Johnny):
When I drop that cliched phrase "modern day style icon" he names states that Brandon Flowers is someone who he thinks dresses very well indeed. It turns out that Dev is a huge Killers fan, and is one of a select few who is a fan of the bearded western look. "I am influenced by their music and then how I dress just follows.. I'm actually a little obsessed". Funnily enough, a couple of weeks back while staying in a brazilian hotel in spotted the band huddled outside having a smoke. "I hate meeting people that I like" so he chicked out and "had to walk straight past them." A shame, they could have chatted about facial hair "With mine, I'm basically just copying what he's doing!"
-Taylor the drummer from Foo Fighters You're in a band with one of the greatest rock drummers of your generation, Dave's (Grohl) a big fan of yours, otherwise he wouldn't have given you a job. You're presumably a fan of his, otherwise you wouldn't have taken it. But who else has caught your ear of late?:
"Y'know me and Dave (Grohl) were talking about Ronnie from The Killers recently. He's a really fantastic drummer.
I'd been listening to a lot of Cheap Trick and I said to Dave about Ronnie reminding me of Bun E Carlos for some reason. I think they're both incredible drummers, and I don't think either of them get the credit they deserve. Bun E has this kind of second line thing going on with eighth notes on the left hand sometimes - it's just amazing, perfect drumming. So Ronnie and Bun E get my vote at this moment in time."

2008

-Rufus Wainwright again- You've said the song "Tulsa," off "Release the Stars," was written about The Killers' Brandon Flowers."That one is specifically about Brandon Flowers. But I wouldn't call it a deep experience.Have you heard from him since its release?Yeah, I ran into him a couple of times while we were both touring Europe and doing festivals. He was very, very sweet. I was a little concerned about him. He looked a little thin, and he's so huge on the charts, I'm sure there's a lot of rock 'n' roll lifestyle going on there. I actually felt more like his potential mother than lover. I just wanted to feed him. Feed him love.
-Brendon Urie from Panic! At The Disco and at the bottom of the article there was a section called 'Brendon's Fury'. Anyway, top on the last was The Killers and he said - and I quote "They hate us - we get the cold shoudlder!" Beside it there was a picture of Brandon and it was captioned as 'Brandon and Brendon: not bezzies' So I'm not too sure about that row being over even now - the magazine was literally just out.
-Robert Been of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club in herald sun:
Before your new album Baby 81 came out, you supported the Killers in arenas around the UK. Do you want BRMC to reach that arena-rocking level? I always thought I did, we always thought that was just the natural progression of things getting better, but it's actually not in a strange way. You lose something really important right around the stage we're at -- we're on the threshold between two worlds. One is these dirty, sweaty underground shows that remind you just how f---ing good and powerful music can be. The other side of the coin is really big theatres, and people go from standing to sitting, and they go from $10 to $50 tickets, and you just get the "ever get the feeling you've been cheated?'' kind of thing. It's the disconnection -- you keep getting further and further away from people physically, and the stage keeps getting higher and higher . . . It's good for certain forms of entertainment, but I don't know about real heartfelt music with a conscience and something to say. Some bands, like the Killers for example, they know exactly what they're doing up there. And whether you like it or not, they're masters of making you feel good and entertaining you and keeping you connected with open arms. We do something else, that's the only way I can explain it. Hopefully not the opposite of all that, but . .
-I wsa just watching VH1's Top 20 countdown and actor James Marsden said he was a fan of the The Killers. AND in itunes playlist- "Mr. Brightside" (Track 6): "I know, I know. Probably on everybody's playlist. Sorry, it's terrific. I cannot get tired of it."
-I guess Mikey Way of My Chemical Romance is a fan, because on his list of favorite albums of 2007 [lol even though it was out in 2006] he had Sam's Town on it.
-From a member of the "next big thing" band, Vampire Weekend:
>> Favorite Older Songs at the Moment
Maybe "Burn" by Usher. I love that song... "Read My Mind" by the Killers. That song is so...[laughs] I don't know, I think it sets out to do something, and it does it really well...AND -Vampire Weekend in spin- By the time they returned to New York in August - with Batmaglij behind the wheel, blasting the Killers triumphantly on the George Washington Bridge - they had landed themselves a record deal, a booking agent, and a manager. AND chris from VW at nme awards video interview, when asked who he thinks should win other awards-"I dunno- The Killers. Those guys are huge, and they're good."
-McFly interview:
The Killers or My Chemical Romance?TOM: Based on recent material I'd say My Chemical Romance. If you look at both their new singles I think the MCR one is awesome. The Killers one is a bit disappointing.
DANNY: I've liked more of The Killers songs but I love MCR's new song. I'd have to go with The Killers though. They have gone a bit weird but the third album will probably be amazing.
HARRY: I would say MCR but I really like The Killers as well.
DOUGIE: Yeah, My Chem. -If Oasis and The Killers both asked you to do a tour with them but the dates clashed which band would you go on tour with?
'I would like to go on tour with Oasis and just watch them bicker every day, that would almost make it worth it. I'm a bigger Oasis fan than a Killers fan.'Have you heard much of The Killers new stuff?
'I mean, yeah, it's good for The Killers [laughs]. That's what I have to say about the new stuff.'
-I know she's not really famous, but in Radar magazine they interviewed this girl, who is a dwarf & does a Mini Britney Spears impersonator show (and other singers too) in Vegas. They asked her about moving to Vegas & if she liked it. She said she was getting used to it & it wasn't so bad because she got to hang out with Brandon because his bodyguard also is a bodyguard for some guys in her show.
-Jon McClure of Reverend and the Makers:From Loaded magazine."You get bands like The Killers - all they want is to shift units. It's all about being bigger than U2. What about your art and your songs? That Killers lyric, 'I got a boyfriend, looked like a girlfriend back in February of last year.' What the fuck are you talking about? It's utter shit".
-anyway enough rambling, Mr Lula says he heard an interview with Amy MacDonald where she said that she came home form a killers concert and wrote a song because she had to get the amazing experience of their concert into a song and on paper (something like that), she was basicly giving alot of love to the killers AND Run is already a massive radio hit. What's the story behind it? I wrote Run after going to see The Killers in Glasgow. When I came home all their songs were just going round in my head and I thought: "I'd love to write a song like that." So it's basically a song that I wrote that I thought the Killers could perform. Have you considered asking them to play it? It would be great if they wanted to. Have I met them? Not the full band, but I've met Brandon [Flowers, lead singer]. He was really sweet and nice, but he was just about to have a baby so I think his mind was elsewhere at the time.AND ina break between songs in concert "she said she has been at a lot of gigs in the Carling the best being the Killers in 2006" AND.... after Holland Lowlands festival, on her myspace: Another reason for me being so tired is that we stuck around all day to watch the Killers. They were on at 1am, but it was definitely worth it. I ended up being awake for 24 hrs yesterday. I had about 4 hours sleep last night. I am a walking zombie.

But again it was all worth it.
The killers were amazing, as usual.
I felt so inspired watching them. The last time i saw them perform i wrote run the very next day.
To be honest i haven't been to many gigs recently, i dont ever have time, and when i do i get agitated because i just want to be on stage and also alot of music these days doesn't really catch my imagination. I hate the way that one artist is successful and then a million clones are released. However i don't think that will ever happen with the killers. They are just too good, in my eyes no band will ever be able to recreate that sound. I find Brandon flowers absolutely mesmorizing as a performer.

My absolute dream in life would be to do something with the Killers.
They are one of my favourite bands. I think out of alot of bands and artists around nowadays very few will still be around in 20 years time. The Killers will definitely be one of them.
-The Bravery Heads In A New Direction With The Sun And The Moon
...The initial Bravery offering came in the wake of the Killers' retro '80s new-wave ride, which was in vogue. The Bravery's original batch of slick, catchy songs recalls such Reagan-era heroes as the Smiths, the Cure and Duran Duran. Retro dance fans embraced the Bravery, thanks to such catchy cuts as "An Honest Mistake," "No Brakes" and "Public Service Announcement."...
///...The Bravery is feeling retro again with its new album, The Sun and the Moon. However, it's a completely different sound than it showcased on its self-titled release. Ever since the band broke, it's been listening to British invasion and '70s rock, and it shows up on The Sun and the Moon. The group takes it easy on the synthesizers in favor of the more traditional guitar, bass and drum attack. The Bravery also says goodbye to stylish and hello to serious rock, which happens to be the trail blazed by the aforementioned Killers, who went Springsteen with their latest album, Sam's Town."We're not trying to follow the Killers," Zakarin says of the band's bitter rivals. "We have no idea what goes on in their heads. We're just following what we feel. We were listening to a lot of the Mamas and the Papas, the Zombies and the Beach Boys.""We started making our music just for fun," says Conway. "But time will separate us from all those bands that we're associated with. We don't sweat [the comparisons].",......AND.... "We found the tabloid element hard to deal with," Endicott says. "That was what shocked us most. We really had no idea what we were getting ourselves into."
So three years on, is Endicott prepared to concede the feud was a joke? "No, some things were said and it got out of hand," he says. "It's weird because it was like junior high school. Actually, you know, I'm still not really sure what actually happened."
When the similarities between the two bands' career trajectories are pointed out to Conway, he pauses — for a good 15 seconds. "I think we sound more different now than before," he finally says. "I don't think they do as much. We wanted to experiment with new sounds and different ways of creating sonic textures."
-Kanye West posted Tranquilize video on his blog and wrote that they were one of his favorite bands. ALso posted a whole post about Brandon's style with 20+ photos. (he's worn the same Dior Homme clothes as Brandon before).
-Miley Cyrus Pop star Miley Cyrus' new electro-pop beat single See You Again (which samples '80s hit Sunglasses at Night) is a top-10 smash on Billboard's Pop 100 chart, and hit No. 11 on the Hot 100. Miley, who's currently working on a new album, told the Houston Chronicle ..I'm taking chances on the new album, it has a weird and crazy new sound. The last album was a little more produced, a little more girlie. I'm really a huge fan of the Killers, and another one of my favorite artists is Melissa Etheridge. I love that mixture of techno-rock; that's a very Killers vibe; then you'll hear Melissa Etheridge, more earthy with her voice, and it's not a bunch of tuned-up stuff. You'll hear her voice crack, and it sounds awesome.AND I was watching E!, I think. Or one of those Hollywood news shows and they showed a clip of her new movie and a bubble popped up that said "Miley's celeb crush is Brandon Flowers."....AND well , i saw on a magazine that one thing that she always has on her tour is "Hot Fuss" ... I saw in E! too. AND from omg.yahoo.com The tween queen and her pals groove to their favorite tunes. "Right now I'm loving Boys Like Girls and I'm very into Regina Spektor and the Killers," notes Miley.
-Dev Hynes again- if you know anything about Dev's taste, you know he hails the Killers as the best band on earth. We spent far too much time waiting for their neue Christmas video to load so he could show me. Notice the green ribon around his neck in our photos? Yep - that's an ode to Mr. Flowers. I bought the ribbon at Mills End. Shout out! Here's "Don't Shoot Me Santa"(+link to video)
-Tegan and Sara again- easiest, strangest etc. moments in the past 10 years they have been touring:
The Easiest
''Probably two tours before that when we opened for The Killers, it was effortless as their audience was amazing and it was a real high for us.''
-PlayRadioPlay, where he mentions his 10 most influential albums:
10. The Killers - Sam's TownI HATED this record at first. But after a hundred listens or so, I began to appreciate Brandon Flowers' genius.
-John Taylor of Duran Duran in the age:
But it seems there is a fine line between respecting and stealing.
"When my daughter put on the Killers' album I said 'What, that's my line!' But I got it from somebody. We're just relay racers, really. We all nick stuff, so prepare to have it nicked. I'll never run out of ideas, because I'll keep listening to people's stuff."
-On Coldplay's website Chris Martin commenting on Stuart Price's remix of "Talk" says the thin white duke's remix of Mr. Brightside is "just about the best thing ever". AND Chris Martin seems to like Human a lot, it's currently the song he listents to the most AND posted this video of Viva La Vida over in the Coldplay thread at pointed out that Chris sings "Are we human or are we...?" at around 3 minutes into the video. AND Chris Martin's favourite song of 2008 is Human according to RS artcle
-The Pussycat Dolls (lol) just said Brandon Flowers was the hottest male musician, or something to that effect, on E! News.
-Envy Corps initially came to attention when they were asked by The Killers to join them on their American tour, so StrangeGlue was keen to find out if the band could leak any top secret diva behaviour. Unfortunately we were out of luck."There wasn't really any partying on the tour, the only extravagance was a full size table tennis table, which travelled around the entire tour, just good old fashioned white boy fun really." We asked about the experience of being part of such a big tour."I think we really learned a lot about how to work as a band, whilst The Killers aren't really our favourite band out there, we do have a lot of respect for them as a band, they've worked hard and they've taught us a lot about performing as a band."
-Paul Anka:
Your latest CD has some surprising remakes of rock songs, like a Sinatra-fied “Mr. Brightside” by the Killers. What’s that about?
It’s a paraphrasing of rock-swing … There was a demographic from the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s that grew up with their own music. I put quality into it. It wasn’t a joke, and the critics love it.
Are you trying to get Killers fans to break out the swing moves, or get the older crowd to headbang?
I think it’s both. With rock-swing we picked up some new fans … I think we picked up a cross-section. The real Killers fans didn’t like it, but a different demographic really picked up the form instead of the content of it. You’ve taken a good song, and a hit’s a hit … Billy Joel called me a few weeks ago about it. Bryan Adams loved it.
-Davey Havok from AFI says the Killers are one of the only two modern rock bands he likes.
-Fleet Foxes mentioned the Killers at a recent LA gig according to nme: Frontman Robin Pecknold earnestly thanked the LA crowd for coming out to see them, to which drummer Nicholas Peterson added, "Whenever we're in LA we like to hang out with The Killers."
-The Killers are in itunes celebrity playlist of Canadian singer Sarah Slean. She chose Mr. Brightside and said: "perfect marriage of form and content... the insistent throbbing rhythm section enhances the insistent narrative as the singer indulges his paranoid healors fantasies..."
-Killer Mike-
"If my name had not been "Killer Mike" my career would be a lot further now. I was told by people who wouldn't give me endorsements "We don't like your name", but these same people gave endorsements to bands like "The Killers". I don't know what separates one black man from being Killer Mike and five white men from being The Killers, but I wo uld be more afraid of five killers than one."
"But as a man, once I've made a decision if I believe that decision is right and noble then I have to stand by that decision or I risk being not credible in front of people....and I can't do that. So even though some days it hurts me that I can't be Killer Mike and The Killers can be the Killers, or that people don't wish me to be Killer Mike, even though that hurts, I made my decision and I must stand by it"
-The Feeling on T4 on the Beach red carpet: The Feeling said in an interview that they liked TK's fashion sense and thought they were sharp dressers.....
-Coldplay had a concert in Las Vegas last week and this was reported in the Las Vegas Weekly review:[Chris]Martin acknowledged The Killers twice—blending a line from “Read My Mind” into “God Put a Smile Upon Your Face” and referring to the Las Vegas quartet as “our only rivals in the world that we care about”.
-Martha Wainwright in carnpple.com:YSOS: What kind of artists are you into then? Martha: Oh, Franz Ferdinand, The Killers are good… Mercury Rev, Yo La Tengo… I have a tendency to listen to people who are dead, though! A lot of old songs – maybe it’s about memories – wanting to hear old songs again because of the things you associate with them.
-We Are Scientists in NYC and they mentioned the Killers quite a bit, but not in the most positive regards.
While introducing their new single Impatience:
Keith: We're about to play our new single for you guys.
Chris: You know, singles aren't always the best songs on the album.
Keith: That is, unless you're the Killers.
Then some people in the crowd start to boo...
Keith: Woah, I didn't realize that there were Killers representatives here tonight.
-----
While talking about finally playing the Bowery Ballroom:
Chris: A few years ago, the Bowery wouldn't even let me in. I mean, I only had half of the money for the ticket, but they still didn't let me in.
Keith: Yeah, they wouldn't let you in since you had 3 dollars all in quarters.
Chris: And it wasn't even half filled that night. The Killers were playing.
Keith: Who knows what the Killers would do with 3 dollars in quarters these days.
------
And before playing their song Textbook, Chris said, "This one's for the Killers.".......... AND in thenewgay.com TNG: How do you respond to fans who say that you're sounds has gotten more glossy or radio friendly or more like The Killers?KM: I feel like the more you read things people say, the more contradictory it sounds. The first record people were saying "Hey, how's it going, Killers ripoff?" And now for other people to say "Suddenly they sound like The Killers" strikes me as almost bordering on absurd. I give zero credence to anything anybody says when they're publicly digesting pop music.AND We Are Scientists' new playlist on iTunes features RMM with the comment:Read My Mind: Shut up, this song is awesome. Don't be an a**hole.
-Shanaze Reade just said on Newbeat (Radio 1 news) that she loved listening to The Killers
-Red Romance:TRR is about two years old. We had been sending demos to our friends in The Killers, Ronnie Vannucci and Brandon Flowers. They had been supporters for a long time, so we had been sending them these kind of crappy demos that we had been doing just at friends' studios. I think it was around the fall of 2006; they called us up and asked us to go on tour and open up for them. Then we recorded a five song EP, and literally, a couple of weeks before that five song EP was going to come out in March 2007, they called us up again and said that they were doing an arena tour, promoting Sam's Town. So we went out and got to do real big venues, like, hockey arenas, stadiums and stuff.
BL&L: Yeah, I saw you guys had done Madison Square Garden; sort of a big deal as you were unsigned….
MD: Yeah, and also a hell of a sign of the times, isn't it? The fact that an unsigned band would be playing MSG, it's kind of unusual, but we can thank Al Gore's internet for that, right? (laughs)
-Malice, a member of a hip hop duo called Clipse , says he would like to collaborate with the Killers in this video at 1:49 (2:37 remaining):
http://metallungies.com/2008/08/the-...-success-pt-3/ the interviewer first asks who they would like to collaborate with and they mention Jay-Z, 50 Cent, etc. Then he asks "Nothing else out of hip hop?" and Malice says:Ohh... I don't know, I tend to like the Killers, man, are you familiar with them? [interviewer says "yeah, they hot, they hot man"] yeah, I think the Killers is kind of crazy...
-Estelle (who sings "American Boy" with Kanye West) listed WYWY as one of her top 15 favorite songs for angryape: 11 - The Killers - When You Were Young
"The lyrics are so true of what some women go through... and the rises and falls in the arrangements are nothing short of genius. Future classic..."
-In the Leeds Festival program Grant Nicolas from Feeder chose When You Were Young as one of his tracks of the summer- "I love that song and I think they're a really good band. The last album wasn't as strong commercially as the one before but I think it's an album they needed to make. I think it's really good that they've made that step. They've gone from being a pop band to a really big rock band. I find him quite an interesting frontman as well."
-Razorlight drummer Andy Burrows...
"Once you get to this point it’s not a competition. It's a really interesting time and it's been fun to listen to what other bands are doing," he said."The new Killers track ('Human') is beautiful and we've had a little dance to Keane 'Spiraling'."
-Cool. I was reading NME a while ago right before they played reading and leeds and Billy Lunn from the Subways said."But I've got all the time in the world for Brandon Flowers because when we did Later... with them, he told all the photographers backstage to wait while he signed some stuff for my sister".
-Lou Reed again in Spin- How did collaborating with The Killers on the 2007 track "Tranquilize" come about?
(lou) They asked me. It was a good song. I liked the singer. I did it.
-'Is this it?" interview with Ryan Adams- q:When will I be famous? My God: if you're lucky, never! Fame is an unnatural construct and those who go in search of it are the least likely to find it. I mean, really, does anyone want to sit through a show by the Killers? What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, unfortunately with the exception of the Killers. AND brandon replied when asked about it in Winnipeg Sun- “[Ryan]’s probably never been to a Killers show,” said Flowers before adding: “I’m not even going to start. It’s stupid. It doesn’t do anybody any good. Like that comment that he just made isn’t doing us any good and it’s not going to do him any good. He’s going to wake up in a few days after being asked about it a million times and he’s going to regret it. It’s better to just stay out of it. He needs a little press, maybe?”AND later wrote an informal apology on his blog: last but not leasti was very wrong about the killers and r.e.m./i went and bought those albums./they were more than i knew./and the piece was meant to be sarcastic and i was wrong./i actually quite like both a lot/and really/even if i am game for being sarcastic, and going with the flow/it was improper to judge the heart-felt work of others/my apology may be too late and not enough/but it remains true/both records said so much to me/and i am lucky /to be a loud-mouth, and uneducated in tact/and be able to still listen to these records./my apology, it seems,is that my ears agree with both/and/my tail is frankly between my legs./for what it’s worth./let every artist have his day/and his night xx RA/// finally, RA put Day&Age on list of 5 best albums of 2008 for Filter mag.
-Michael Steger in girlfriend mag, actor in the Bones video and 90210 said
My faves (bands) are Coldplay and The Killers, who I had the chance to meet when I got cast in the video clip to their single 'Bones'. That was a cool experience.
-Little Boots on myspace blog- I will be on Jools Holland tonight, Friday 7th November at 11.30pm on BBC 2 so if you are around tune in! Also on the show are The Killers, Fleet Foxes and Al Green so is a really great line up, if you miss it you can watch again on BBC iPlayer all of next week.I played 'Meddle' on Jools' piano with my Tenori-on and Stylophone, was definitely the scariest thing I've ever done! But got to meet Brandon Flowers... I am the biggest Killers fan ever so totally freaked......
-Paul McCartney interview with the Sun:Another noticeable feature of Electric Arguments is its authentic contemporary sheen. I wonder if the songwriter who had influenced so many had actually been influenced himself by today’s artists. “Yeah, I think so,” says Paul. “You see someone like The Killers and think ‘Oh that’s cool, that riff, that guitar sound, or that’s Zeppelinesque or whatever.’ I analyse it because that’s my profession, but the sound of the record would have to be attributed more to Youth. He’s the ringmaster and I’m the acrobat.”AND Paul McCartney had "When you Were Young" on his iTunes Celebrity playlist thing
-Dominic Howard from Muse approves TK.Q: Do you still go to gigs and watch the band/artist from the crowd, and who was the last band you saw?
A: I still do this now and again. It always sounds and looks better from out in the crowd. It normally sounds shit for every band at the side of the stage. The last band I saw was The Killers in Bush Hall a couple of weeks ago, which was great. It was nice and small and I think they are very good live.-Chris Moyles again- This morning on Radio 1 Chris Moyles, after playing Human, had a rant about the lyrics { I am so over that!} then called Brandon " A skinny, Vegas freak!"
-Kanye West again, with Clashmusic:Who at the moment is consistent then? Coldplay, U2, me, Jay-Z… It’s just that they are so few and far between. I mean, maybe the new Green Day album will be really good. I liked the first two Killers albums, so let’s listen to the new one and see if it’s really good. I’m sure there are people I’m not thinking of, but it’s certainly few and far between. People may have two great albums under their belt, or have the hottest album this year like MGMT. But can they keep it going? Is there anyone you’d like to collaborate with that you haven’t yet? Santogold, MIA, Cool Kids, Feist, The Killers I’d like to do something with them… When I spoke to Brandon from The Killers a month or so ago they said that you were the top of their list to collaborate with. Ah man! That’s dope. How about The Killers? Yeah. Well, we’ll have to give it time and see. But The Killers are my favourite group. But they’ll have to be consistent. Three or four great albums that have three or four great songs on each. I saw The Killers at the V Festival and that was amazing to me. Brandon from The Killers is one of the most stylish people, which I think is important. What happened to the Mick Jaggers, Michael Jacksons, Madonnas… People who are really fresh to death. I’m not going to name any names, but I feel like there are people who have the potential to do that and that alone holds them back. They look whack! (laughs) And that’s another reason I think Barack won too. Nobody wanted to look at McCain anymore! For the four years he’s going to be here and shit, people didn’t want to look at that dude. Looking good does take you a long way. I mean this is entertainment. Look at me, I just switched it from politics to entertainment – but politics can be entertaining to people though.
- Spencer Smith, drummer from Panic at the Disco:"If you could give one album that you love to everyone you know, what would it be? Let me go over to my iTunes here. I’ll give two answers. One album that I’ve been listening to a lot lately is the new Killers record. Just like both of the first records, it took a few listens. With Sam’s Town, I did like the single, but then all of a sudden, two months later, I was like, Fuck, this shit is so good. How did I not know that from the first time?"
-On MTV2, Fall Out Boy were playing their favorite videos and one of the guys chose Human and said he liked the album.
-On MTV2, another artist chose Human for their video playlist. This time it was Andrew from Jack's Mannequin. He said that he has The Killers in his stereo and to check out Human because it's excellent.
-pete wentz “My biggest public regret is the fall-out with The Killers. “Fatherhood has made me see our feud is petty bulls***.”Tattooed Pete—who, with his bleak lyrics, has become the spokesman for the emo generation of moody teenagers—went on: “I’ve wasted so much time thinking of cute insults for Brandon and his band, when I should have used that creativity to my own band and our music. I want it to stop—and, for another thing, I like The Killers’ music anyway!”
-"records of the year" are, and Ronan Keating of Boyzone said:If you're looking for a timeless pop record, The Killers delivered again. Day & Age is full of feel-good electronic moments, but it also has a sense of melancholy. It's not what you'd expect from a "rock" band, but I like that. Lead singer Brandon Flowers is the perfect front man, making great performances sound incredibly simple."
-miranda cosgrove: Who is your biggest inspiration as a singer?
I have too many inspirations to name them all, but to name a few I really like Gwen Stefani, Pink, the Beatles, Coldplay, the Killers, Paramore, Kelly Clarkson and Lily Allen. I'm not really sure that my music sounds like theirs, but they all really inspired me.
-keane live broadcast answered fan q's-"What do you think of the new Killers album?" To which they replied "We like it, we're fans of The Killers". Then rambled a bit about Human, finally saying their favourite song by the band was Read My Mind.
-Aled Jones (We're Walking In The Air ) is a big fan of the boys... He talks about them and gives his view on Joseph, Better You Than Me (he thinks it's a bit too slow) in the latest issue of NME.
-mtv favorite 2008 albums are:Adrian Young, No Doubt"The Killers are really great. I just bought their record on iTunes two days ago, and I have their other two records, and ... they're really, really a great band. I really enjoy their albums."
-Thai Prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, has been quoted mentioning the Killers, from NME:During a speech at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand last night (January 14), Vejjajiva spoke about his musical tastes. He told reporters: "The Killers new album is good, and there were very good releases last year, comebacks from Oasis, Metallica, even Guns N' Roses."

2009

-Larry from U2 mentioning in Q how Brandon said they will replace U2, who are getting old: ...our brightest spark wasn't at the beginning. Our brightest will be, I hope, at the end of our career...none of us want to accept good, or even very good. We want to be in a different place. So The Killers can dream on as much as they like about U2 retiring and letting them take the spot, but they're going to have to fight a bit harder! With respect to those guys, I love that band.
-Little Boots, Pitchfork: Having a blog does make it a little easier for journalists to do very important research before an interview. For example, I saw that picture of you with the Killers' Brandon Flowers on there.LB: [laughs] They are like so uncool nowadays and I'm this fangirl. Though I haven't got their new album, which is quite shocking. I just like their epic-ness. Their lyrics are these huge grand statements and they sound so ridiculous. And Brandon's like this prophet. And, live, it's so in your face.Pitchfork: I'm not sure if they're aware of their own ridiculousness.LB: Yeah. I think they take it pretty seriously. But I take it pretty seriously as well! Their B-sides album, Sawdust, is one of my favorite CDs.AND

In NME each week a band/singer picks their winners out of each category in the NME Awards - Little Boots chose Brandon as her hero of the year. AND OK stage 3 of dinner looks like its ready...am I even on a plane??! Listening to The Killers new album. I don't care what anyone says, it's classic Brandon all over. AND NME cool lost 2008:
Little Boots: number 35
Brandon: number 37
she talked about this on myspace and said; "cooler than brandon? i don't think so..."
cool list: http://www.nme.com/blog/index.php?bl... c=1&tb=1&pb=1 AND met brandon... HE REMEMBERED ME!! omg omg omg. And from her entry on the Brits:

Quote:

this is where my pics finish but pet shop boys were amazing and nearly broke my little heart when brandon came out and started singing! wow.

...

was going to go to another party which i today found out was where kings of leon and the killers (!!) were at but it was pretty late so headed home.

-RuPaul in hs blog: "after the Kathy Griffin performance at Hollywood & Highland, i stopped in at The Virgin MegaStore to buy Beyoncé, Grace Jones, The Killers, Pussycat Dolls and Brandy. i've had all those albums for weeks, but i wanted to officially buy them out of respect. i can't get that fuckin' Killers song "human" outta my head. i was initially attracted to them because of that gay little bolero jacket the lead singer wears (the one with turkey feathers covering the shoulders), but now i love them because they're just plain gay."
-Lady Gaga told orange- "I love The Killers. I hung out with them at a party at Motor City [bar] in New York City."She added: "I really like their last album. I'm a huge Bruce Springsteen fan, and he clearly inspired their work." (also references them in boys boys boys lyrics). AND on freshly squeezed: commenting on the 5 contenders for Best International Band at the NME Awards - The Killers seemed like a clear cut winner for her. Here's what she had to say:Yeah, em The Killers, I really really love what they're doing. I got, you know I was always into them, but the last album - I'm a huge Bruce Springsteen fan and anybdoy that loves The Boss can hear the influence on their last record. So, I actually gave them a shoutout on my em, album in the song 'Boys, Boys, Boys' (sings) let's go see The Killers and make-out in the bleachers.
Nick Grimshaw: Are they getting big in America now? 'Cause they were always, like, big over here.
GaGa: What?! They've been big for a while in America.
Nick: Really?
GaGa: Yeah. (pushes his shoulder jokingly) Asleep...!
Nick: Sorry. (laughs)
-M83 in houstonist-Regarding your tour with The Killers, how have things been so far?
I feel pretty proud to be on this tour because they are such a big band in America. This is a big opportunity for my music and my band. It's a wonderful experience. It's a new way to promote the music and the album.AND Anthony Gonzalez of M83 n metromix:How was the tour M83 recently did playing arenas with the Killers?
Oh, it was great and such an opportunity to promote the album and our music to a different audience. They were really nice and kind to us. The Killers are an amazing band, but they’re also amazing humans, too. They really support what we’re doing. We played such big venues, like Madison Square Garden, which was an honor for us. What was the audience reaction like at those shows?
It was cool. The audiences were very nice to us. Like the Killers, we mix a lot of electronics with acoustic instruments. The sounds are not so different, which made it easier. Mostly the audiences liked us, but not at every show.
-Neon Trees: Ronnie Vannucci, drummer for The Killers, saw Neon Trees play a show in Vegas and invited the band to play some shows with them."It was kind of a big deal for the industry to hear about this little band," Glenn said. "It's been a couple months process but ... it happened rather quickly once the ball got rolling."After playing a few dates with The Killers, major record labels began to take interest in the band. The label that showed the most enthusiasm was Mercury Records, part of Island Def Jam Music Group. Musicians on the label include Fall Out Boy, Hoobastank and Rihanna.
"It's interesting because I know for me and for everyone in the band we've always wanted this," Glenn said. "I think you dream about the big dinner with the record labels- the guys with ties and contracts, but I'm sitting here on this couch and I'm like 'that's already happened.'" One of the heads of the label traveled to Logan to see Neon Trees play and liked what he saw. Shortly thereafter, the Killers helped Neon Trees out even more."Our friend Ronnie ... who has been helping us out, sat them [the heads of the label] down, and said 'I know you're interested in them,'" Campbell said. "'They're the real deal and they're really hard working. Treat them good. They'll be successful.' Apparently a couple days after that they said they were going to send the proposal over."
- Natalie Imbruglia on the Brits - "I think the Killers are going to be there. I think they're pretty amazing and I love the Kings Of Leon."
-Metric- Pitchfork: I recently saw the Killers, who aim to make big songs for big rooms. Are you ever tempted to try to something like that?JS: We've been tempted to go a lot of different directions. But every time we do something that's not natural, nobody buys it, starting with us. We'll try to write a song that's more indie or more mainstream than usual and within 10 minutes, it's like, "I can't listen to this."
Pitchfork: This reverts back to the Killers show-- I'm not sure if they're great at managing that line between cheesy and awesome.
JS: Yeah, like "Is he human..."
EH: "...or is he just a dancer?"
JS: I think that's one one of the worst things I've ever heard.
EH: That lyric is really bad. But it's a very well-crafted song. I'm glad we're talking about this because I think about it a lot, too. The idea of spectacle versus the authenticity of indie rock. It's like, spectacle is shallow, and pretending no one is looking at you is authentic. I agree with that sometimes, but I find the people and shows I really admire don't strictly adhere to the idea of the invisible self.
I think Franz Ferdinand is an example of a band that knows what they're doing-- they understand the function of music in people's lives. There are many functions, but when it comes to a concert it's about performance. If the same people at a show were standing on a subway together, they'd be uncomfortable with their shoulders hunched. But because music is playing and this feeling is in the room, you can have this incredible communion. That usually happens at shows where the performers are putting themselves beyond themselves."
-"In our heads that's who (Coldplay The Killers) we're up against," said frontman Bono."So you know, The Killers... You've got to keep an eye on the youth." zane: you gotta... keep a very close eye on the youth because you're up there singing the greatest U2 song that U2 never wrote, which is all these things. im sure brandon would openly admit thats not their record. bono: yeah he says that but i dont see that, i hearjoy division in that in that guitar break, and just that chant ive got soul but im not a soldier... it has a whole different meaning with war child posters behind your head. and i think the other line is i'm more old than i can take, i got to sing that" Zane just by coincidence i'm sure, i'm sure brandon didn't pass you that one, the hospital pass bono- yeah, no i passed it to myself... zane what is it about brandon that oy uidentify bc i know youre very fond of him as a frontman as well as a person... youve definitely helped that band along the way, you've taken them on the road and stuff.... what is it about brandon that you thinkr reaches peple? bono well ne of thebig lies in indie music is that people don't want to be the beatles, or they don't want to be the sex pistols, or they don't want to be the rolling stones, and it's not true, people don't forma band just to play in their garage, and i just love the musical ambition of the killers, and then if you believe in your music, surely yuore gnna want to take that as far as you can, you know, people say ssongs are lke your children, theyre wrong, songs are like your parents, they tell you what to do...they tell you how to dress, where to hagng out, they tell you what videomaker to work with, but also if theyr're great,... they tell you you better look out for them... and i just loved with the killers that they really want to get their songs on the radio. theyre changing forms, they move from rock into dance music, and in america thats a sin to move into dance music... wheereas in britain here you have more of a tradition of ppl moving around genres, in hte united states that desnt happen because radio is very niche... AND claiming they wouldn't be "the biggest group in the world" for much longer.But Bono insists he "advised" Flowers to make the comments because it would boost the Las Vegas rockers' careers.Bono said: "I actually advised Brandon Flowers to say that. I said, 'Look, if you want to be in with a chance, you've got to give it a bit of attitude. You've been too nice to us in the past because you're always talking us up. Stick in the boot - it will get you further.'"I advised him to offend us. Every band, you've got to kill off the generation that came before you."Bono insists he isn't afraid of chart competition, but claims U2 won't go easy on the younger bands.He added to BBC Radio 1: "Well, we're not going to make it easy for them. I think we're doing out best work. I think 'No Line on the Horizon' is up there with our best-ever work."We love The Killers, by the way, and we love a bit of a tussle."
-Noel Gallagher blog- Noel's 'Tales From The Middle Of Nowhere' (23/02/09)
Spent the day in bed yesterday nursing a bad head. For some reason I watched MTV’s European Top 10. Fuck me, it was painful. Leona Lewis doing Snow Patrol? Ouch! Kings Of Leon doing U2? Ouch! The Killers doing fancy dress? Ouch! Lady Gaga? (I may be showing my age here but who’s Lady Gaga?). It made my teeth hurt! MY TEETH!!That interview with The Sunday Times fella was great. He was good fun. Not often you can say that about a journalist.Still in Venice. Leaving shortly. I genuinely have no idea where I’m going. Are we staying in Italy? I hope so. These kids make for amazing gigs.Wonder how “the shoes” are getting on? I’ll find out soon enough.In a bit.GD.
-Kasabian- Kasabian have turned down all offers to play at festivals this year because they don't want festival-goers to get sick of them.Asked which festivals they were performing at, singer Tom Meighan said: "None of them. We've turned loads down although we are doing The Great Escape festival. We just want to get our record out and promote it and then next year we'll smash it."Next year we'll come back and do a tour because people get sick of the same things every year even though we've been away for a year. If The Killers do it though, let them do it."
-Bono, from the Rolling Stone cover story on U2:When rock music forgets about the 45, it tends toward progressive rock, which is like a mold that grows on old, burned-out artists who’ve run out of ideas. We have a soundtrack/Pink Floyd side of our band, and it has to be balanced by fine songwriting. And it’s an infuriating thing for me to see indie rock & roll give up the single to R&B and hip-hop. And that’s why I love the Kings of Leon album or the Killers album: These are people who have such belief in their musical power that they refuse to ghettoize it.”AND radio show When an audience member suggested that the band visit her hometown of Las Vegas, Bono quipped, "We'd go anywhere to be closer to The Killers. I love the fact that they want to take on the world the way we do."

-Paris Wells (who I personally hadn't heard of) had to say about the guys: With her media marketing degree and comfortable job, Wells, unlike many of her peers, hadn't actively sought a singing career until a minor epiphany five years ago."I went to Live Aid in London with a friend of mine who was friends with (the band) the Killers," she explains. "I was watching them on the big screen singing in front of 400,000, with Sting, U2, Madonna, and I was freaking out. I looked at the Killers, who I'd been hanging out with the night before and they were normal people. Yet here they were singing some inspirational stuff. I looked at my best friend and said, 'I can do this.' "
-Tiesto What else have you been up to? My latest release is a remix of Spaceman by The Killers, and at the moment I am working on the new single by Calvin Harris. I am obviously doing a lot of gigs too.Do you listen to other genres?Yes, there's a little bit of everything in my MP3 player. At the moment, I'm listening to Bloc Party, The Killers, Muse and Moby.
-Pet Shop Boys:Whose idea was it to involve Brandon Flowers and Lady GaGa in your Brits performance?
"Oh ours. We asked Brandon because the Killers song 'Human' was described everywhere as 'Pet Shop Boys meets Johnny Cash' and that seemed like a quite a nice connection. Initially we assumed we'd ask Girls Aloud to join us, but they were confirmed to do their own Brits performance so we needed someone new. Lady GaGa just vaulted into the charts with 'Just Dance', so we thought 'She's interesting, let's ask her'."....AND "The thesis that I've had for many, many years about beards is that pop music always goes wrong when pop stars grow beards, because they're going serious, they're going natural, they're letting it all hang out. So I mentioned to a journalist about Brandon growing a beard, which I found very alarming, because he has a great pop voice, a great pop sensibility. But he seems to have stuck with the beard. I read this great quote, where a journalist asked him, 'What are you going to do when you shave your beard off?' He said, 'I'm going to put all the hairs in an envelope and send them to Neil Tennant.' Anyway, they haven't arrived yet."AND Brandon also presented their award with a speech that acknowledged the duo’s musical influence and particularly on him as a teenager.

Singer Neil Tennant says: “I didn’t hear Brandon’s speech until the next day because all I had in my headphones was Lady GaGa warming up. But his speech was gorgeous and I had tears in my eyes.”AND Young hopeful Brandon Flowers of The Killers presented them with the award, explaining how as a 13-year-old he had to choose between a record by Pet Shop Boys and The Smiths as his mother would only buy him one.

Now he won't have to make that choice as, coincidentally, guitarist Johnny Marr of The Smiths plays on Pet Shop Boys' new record.

What's interesting about Flowers's tale, says Tennant, is that it was Tennant's raised eyebrow on the cover artwork of the record that made him buy it.

Pet Shop Boys' designer, Mark Farrow, who they still use, claims credit for that decision. But there's a cruel irony to the tale.

"When he gave his speech, Brandon actually raises his eyebrow, which is funny because I can't raise my eyebrow on demand," Tennant says, sounding disappointed. "It's like I can't wiggle my ears."AND No biggie, but on 4music yesterday they were interviewing PSB, and they were asked what bands they were liking at the moment. Neil said 'I like MGMT, I liked Last Shadow Puppets last year, I like the Human track by The Killers, and Sex on Fire by the Kings'.
-singer of the band Fischerspooner said this:
“When we started in 2001, it was pretty barren in terms of what was happening in pop music,” says Spooner, whose voice retains the soft southern lilt of his childhood in Athens, Georgia. “There was no way there would have been someone like Kanye West working with [Japanese graphic designer Takashi] Murakami, and there would have been no Brandon Flowers wearing a feather suit. There wasn't this expressiveness that's a part of so much new pop music. The challenge for us now is to continue to find new ways to keep things fresh and interesting and exciting.-You all know what a HUGE music fan I am, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to chat with artists like The Killers, Lady Gaga, The Ting Tings, Kings of Leon, The Veronicas etc... from from Audrina Patridge
-Spandau Ballet (who are reuniting and going on tour), the drummer said this:They also claimed that their early '80s sound would not be out of place in 2009, naming their favorite current acts as the Killers and MGMT. "I think we'll slot in perfectly," said Keeble.

They also said they would not be donning early New Romantic attire such as kilts, frilly shirts or "your mum's blouse".

The band said they admired current bands such as the Killers and Kaiser Chiefs.
-Sarah Silverman interview in GEEK magazine back in December. She was asked what music she liked and she said:

SS: The Killers. I love the Killers. They have a new album too.
GEEK: They were just on Saturday Night Live.

SS: I was there. Yeah. Watching them. They're fucking great. And they're great live.
-James Corden (one of the presenters at the BRITs) mentioned Brandon in an interview with More! magazine:

A:So what was you weirdest encounter at the BRITs?
J: I'm a really big Killers fan and I've met Brandon Flowers once before but thought he wouldn't remember me. But he was like "Hey man!" And then we just started talking about what a great night it was and how brilliant the Pet Shop Boys were. I just wanted to go, "So, you know, Mr Brightside..." but you're so aware of trying to treat him like a normal guy and not wanting to look like a huge fan. I dunno, I just wanted to talk about a gig I'd been to at the Albert Hall where I thought the drummer broke one of the sticks but I wasn't sure. I just wanted to know...
A: And that's really boring to them.
J: It's really boring.
-Nicole Scherzinger from yes, the Pussycat Dolls said this

What has being on big tours like that taught you as an artist?

My inspirations are a little different -- whether it's funk, soul, R&B, alternative. I can be inspired by the Killers' Brandon Flowers. One day be inspired by Macy Gray, the next day be inspired by Billie Holiday. I've learned from everyone -- from the Black Eyed Peas tour to the Christina tour. I think Britney's production is really cool. I like how she incorporated Cirque de Soleil. I really love theatrical performances. I come from a very theatrical background. I love it when people add those elements into their shows.
-DJ Kaskade
Do you see the culture you grew up with resonating with today’s music?
A lot of music didn’t get the play that it should have when we were growing up. The whole new wave movement—unless you were a total freak, you weren’t listening to that stuff. I had older brothers, so I was lucky. They would bring home The Cure. There was a small group of us into this freakish stuff. I was walking around suburban Chicago wearing eyeliner. It wasn’t cool. The Killers are essentially a modification of that. They were inspired by that sound and made it new but it’s all got this new sort of electronic twist to it. From an artist's perspective, I’m inspired by what happened as a kid, when I was getting into music. It’s not a bolt of lightning—it’s just life experience.
-Philip Oakey of The Human League is a fan:
Clashing comprehensively with Snow Patrol's set are electro pioneers the Human League performing their groundbreaking 1981 album Dare in full. People power saw the League's performance moved earlier so as not to clash with the Killers -- themselves no strangers to '80s keyboards.

"I would have guessed there'd be more people that like the Human League and the Killers than the Human League and most of the other groups," League frontman Phil Oakey says.

Oakey -- used to playing retro festivals -- is loving the more modern V Festival.

"They're all decent bands, I love the Killers and I've discovered Elbow, they're shockingly good." -The Ting Tings said in an interview that they really liked Human.
- And people might already know this, but in Rolling Stone I Chris Martin said he loved Human and that he was "a sucker for a good melody."
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-Harry Reid: The Killers Are "Hot"
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid isn't a big media guy. "I don't listen to talk radio; I don't look at the blogs; I don't watch cable TV," he brags. But he does like his iPod. We previously reported he is a fan of Wilco, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Johnny Cash, and Tom Waits. But he's recently added a couple of newbies: the Killers and Neko Case. "I'm a fan of the Killers," he says. "They're hot."
-Jared Leto, the singer in 30 Seconds to Mars and the third guy in that picture with Kanye West and Brandon, wrote this in his email to fans:
So, as you may have heard, I, along with a small contigency of studio tanned soldiers took a short expedition to Hawaii and spent a not so tropical but nontheless fun filled weekend locked down in the studio working with Mr. West.

Kanye sang on a song I wrote called HURRICANE for our new 30 SECONDS TO MARS record and we experimented and explored on some other ideas as well. It was great. And he sounds amazing on the song. We may not have brought back any island tans but we did bring back the final track and it was an unforgettable trip.

P.S. Brandon Flowers is the nicest guy on the planet and has a great sense of direction. We may not have found our way home that night without him. Thanks Brandon.
-Rab Allan (from Glasvegas) talking about Coachella...
Are you going to make a point to check out particular bands while you’re there?
... I like Brandon Flowers [of The Killers]. He’s always well dressed. I touched his tiger last time I saw him. He had a tiger on his jacket and I was rubbing it [while meeting backstage at a show]. I think he thought I wanted to have a romance with him [laughs]. I like The Killers. I would probably see them. I think I’m hanging about with some people from the record company for a couple days and see some bands. Think everyone else is leaving, but some other people I’m staying with.
-Andy Fletcher from Depeche Mode did an interview for czech press and one of the question was if his children listen to his music and he said they don't and that the only advantage they see that their father is in a world known band is that they can attend many gigs for free like The Killers and many others.
-in in may Glamour they asked Miley Cyrus to say what comes to her mind first when they say a word and when the interviewer said "obsession" she said "The Killers"
-Joel Madden said this on Twitter in reply to someone...
you would like their latest. I love human.
-Big Pink interview:

Ideally where would you like the band to be at a year from now? and realistically?
In a giant pink jet which we just bought off Mary J. Blige , giving The Killers a ride to the next festival. We play together. -194
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References to TK from the Pet Shop Boys fan club magazine Literally:

May 2007 issue
News section
The Pet Shop Boys remixed the latest single by The Killers, 'Read My Mind', released on February 26. The Killers' singer Brandon Flowers, has often spoken of how important the Pet Shop Boys have been to him. The invitation to remix this song followed The Killers' recent concerts at London's Brixton Academy, which Neil and Chris attended on separate nights. When Neil went backstage and was chatting to Brandon, Neil said that the PSB would love to do a Killers remix. (They had previously offered to do this for a single on the Killers first album, but too late in the day, and had been sent a message back saying that it would be better to wait for the second album). When Chris went backstage two days later, Brandon told Chris it would be great if they could do a remix.
Before all of this, Neil had been continually mentioned in Killers interviews in the lead-up to, and since the release of, their second album, Sam's Town, after Neil had suggested in an interview that Brandon's moustache was a mistake. "My point about that, which has been endlessly quoted to an embarrassing degree," says Neil, "was that I was worried they were moving away from the music that they'd done and trying to make some sort of rock-style serious statement, whereas what was great about their first album was that it was a kind of rock-pop album and they were amazingly glamorous. All I was worried about was that they were going to start taking themselves too seriously, which there are many examples of in pop music on second albums - Terence Trent D'Arby being a classic example. And I still stand by that. But he said, when he was first asked about that in an interview before the album came out, 'Well I think Neil's going to really like "Read My Mind" because we're still writing pop songs.' And as soon as I heard the album I thought, 'Oh, he's right - I do like that.'"
In the wake of this kerfuffle, when they met Neil told him, "I think I owe you an apology, Brandon." (Brandon replied, "I think you owe me about six apologies," to which Neil insisted, firmly, "No, I owe you one apology...") Brandon also recently told Q Magazine, when asked about his facial hair: "When we've finished Sam's Town, I'm going to cut it off, put it in an envelope and send it to Neil Tennant."
To do the remix of 'Read My Mind', the PSB were initially sent nothing but the vocal and some guitars (by the time the other parts arrived it was too late to use them), and so they replayed or played everything else.
It took about four days.
"Chris has pointed out that when we do a remix, what we do is we do something that makes it sound like we have produced it," says Neil.
Neil added a backing vocal, and Chris speaks, and they added sampled cellos. ("Doing the Electric Light Orchestra-type thing", says Chris, "which was fun.") They also added a freaked-out rave section at the end, and they took a part of the last verse and moved it to the beginning. "There's such a beautiful line," says Neil, "The stars are blazing..."'
The "Read My Mind (Pet Shop Boys Stars Are Blazing Mix)", over seven minutes long, is available at download services and also as the second track on the "Read My Mind" single. (The CD single sleeve claims that the PSB mix is only just over four minutes long, but it is the sleeve rather than the disc which is in error.)

From a fly on the wall report of Neil's performance with Scissor Sisters at Koko in London
...Still waiting - it's gone half past three and still no Scissor Sisters in sight - Neil talks about The Killers, and how Brandon's wife apparently plays "Home and Dry" when her husband returns from trips...

Transcript of Pet Shop Boys - Neil Tennant In Conversation an onstage event at the National Portrait Gallery
...
Michael Bracewell: It's odd actually, that previous image, I often wonder whether Tim Burton maybe watched that prior to styling Willy Wonka, because there's aspects, definitely. Have you seen Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?
Neil Tennant: I haven't.
Michael Bracewell: It's fantastic. The Oompa Loompas even do your dance.
Neil Tennant: Do they? And then he goes and does The Killers...

Fly on the wall report of PSB Radio City Music Hall gig in New York...
Dave Dorrell says they need to be on some American TV shows to bring Fundamental to more people's attention. They hope Jay Leno may have them on the Tonight show, the show Chris walked off mid-show in 1991. "That's a reason for having us," says Neil. "He might walk off again." Neil asks Dave why they can't get on the show hosted by comedian Ellen Degeneres.
"Apparently," says Dave, "we're not her demographic."
Appropriately, it's at this moment that their American agent arrives and joins in the debate. Neil expresses some frustration that, while a new generation of successful stars like The Killers' Brandon Flowers have been talking about how important the PSB have been to them, they don't seem to be gaining the new American audience one might expect from this. "If I was a 17 year old Killers fan..." he says. "When I was 17, I heard about the Velvet Underground because David Bowie talked about them."
Their agent says that ticket sales are ahead of where they were at the same point on the last tour - 30% to 40% up in most places. Detroit and Denver are the only problems.
"We didn't know that," says Neil, slightly pacified.
"No one told us," says Chris, who has joined the conversation.
"No one told us that we're a roaring success," says Neil.

February 2008 issue
News section
On October 8th, 2007, Disco 4 was released. It included The Killers' "Read My Mind (PSB Stars Are Blazing Mix)"...
"...In the British newspapers there was a completely spurious story saying Damon Albarn had refused permission for us to use "Boys and Girls [PSB Remix]" but it's a total nonsense - we had never asked. And everyone we asked - Madonna, The Killers, and so on - said yes which was nice
... Also I didn't realise until recently, that the last three remixes we did - Yoko Ono, Madonna and The Killers - were all number one dance hits in America."

February 2009 issue
News Section - Talking about the Brit awards
"We were asked to do something spectacular to end the show," says Chris.
"So we thought we'd do a medley," says Neil, "and we approached Es Devlin who designed our last tour to come up with ideas for how it would look. And we have two special guests, Brandon Flowers from The Killers and Lady GaGa...
A full report will appear in the next issue of Literally.

Joseph (Better You Than Me)
This year's annual Christmas single from The Killers - "Joseph (Better You Than Me)" - was originally planned as a collaboration between The Killers and Elton John, but Neil ended up getting involved: "We went to see The Killers at the Royal Albert Hall - we were invited by the woman who used to do our TV promotion at Parlophone and who is now at Universal and does The Killers' TV promotion. We went backstage afterwards to say hello and I was chatting to Brandon and Brandon mentioned that he was doing this Christmas single with Elton. He said that he couldn't think of any more words and asked if I could help him out with the lyrics and I said, yeah. Then I bumped into him again and I just spent an hour with him and Stuart Price and he explained the idea of the lyric which was about Joseph - Mary's husband and the father of Jesus, though not the biological father according to the Bible." Then Neil wrote the extra lyrics as requested: "I wrote it thinking Elton was going to sing it. But then they wanted to keep my guide vocal on it, which I thought was a bit confusing, but I like it."

Each issue of Literally includes a list of the PSBs' five favourite records to listen to, at the time of going to press. Currently they are:
Neil
Johann Johannson Fordlandia
LadyHawke My Delirium
Max Richter 24 Postcards in Full Colour
The Killers Human
Mr G Naughty Girl (Paul Mac's extended 12 inch mix)

Chris
Cyndi Lauper Into the Nightlife
Nicole Atkins Maybe Tonight
Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons The Night
The Killers Human
Johnny Mathis I'm Coming Home

-"I think there's a difference between modesty and humility. Because I feel very humble and very lucky to be where we are, but I also think that I'm the best at it."

KOL's Nathan Folowill - “We just never want to have someone ask us again if we’re The Killers.” [on what their aspiration was for the new album- this was right before Only By The Night came out, and sure enough there was no more confusion after that explosion of success...] -Artrocker 07

Jimmy Kimmell in StarPulse Sept '06- "I love The Killers. I tried to convince them to play here every night. We settled on three."

Brandon Flowers' Style Timeline, Part 1: Indie Baby Brandon, Hot Fuss 2004

2010-12-30T18:03:00.000-08:00


Pink shirt with green and purple stripes, and black pocket stripe

intro to a timeline

I've decided to create a comprehensive timeline documenting Brandon Flowers the Killers frontman's many different styles throughout the years. I could be wrong, but I really don't think there's ever been a musician that physically changed as dramatically as Brandon did from album to album.

Yes, David Bowie went extreme with Ziggy Stardust and Lady Gaga changes her persona every day- but they and others have usually held onto the same basic image. If super glam, then it was super glam all the way and they wouldn't be caught dead in a hoodie. And even if they did change drastically- like the Beatles going from Mod to Hindu- they did so gradually. But Brandon really did a 180 flip with every album release, and sometimes even thoughout the same album. He went from gentle, timid indie boy (Hot Fuss 2004) to full-blown metrosexual diva (Hot Fuss 2005), to rough 'n tumble cowboy (Sam's Town 2006-2007), to futuristic alien (Day & Age 2008-2009), and finally to classic dustbowl farmer (Flamingo [solo] 2010-2011).

^on the O.C. playing at the "Bait Shop," fictional music venue

On the set of the first All These Things That I've Done video at London's Brick Lane

The look always went with a matching sound- Day & Age was spacey and Sam's Town western. And, of course, the sound is most important when it comes to a band. But that doesn't mean style should be discounted. As I've shown before, I think style is a huge part of what makes the Killers and Brandon what they are and what they have become - that is, a big fucking deal.

So we're going to dive in and see how Brandon's style has transformed over time. (disclaimer- yes, I do know there are three other members in the band who transformed as well. And I do love them all. But I won't deny that Brandon is the one I have always been fascinated with. Also, this took enough time to compile as is. nuff said.)

2004: it was nice

This first part of the timeline is most special to me, and it's what made me want to start this whole style compilation in the first place. This is what Brandon and the Killers looked like when I first fell in love with them.

...When I used to constantly visit the unofficial (now official) message board TKN (The Killers Network). When boat shoes and indie hair were the style buzz words among TK fans. When everything was new and exciting, and it seemed like TK's momentum was unstoppable, and everyone who knew about them loved them.

They were considered actually, unequivocally cool. (Even the early 2004 breed of hipsters loved them for a good few months. None of them would admit it today, but it happened, and I'll be here to vouch for it til my dying day lol).

When they were part of an indie brat pack of awesome new bands like Interpol, Kaiser Chiefs, Franz Ferdinand and Bloc Party- all bands that were actually popular at the time. Like, radio and magazine popular, believe it or not.

It seemed like the reigning pop was finally being taken down by good rock music, not of the crap Nickelback variety, but indie/alternative...

Can you remember the whole obnoxious debate about what "indie" meant? Good times. I hated it at the time (indie was a genre label that shouldn't be taken literally, duh), but what I would do to make that argument relevant again!

This is one of the most nostalgic times in my mind, and I still remember 2004 fondly as pretty much the best year I've ever experienced culture-wise.

OK putting my handkerchief aside now.I've noticed this era is mostly looked over or totally forgotten by contemporary TK fans, not to mention casual fans and people who just like Brandon's style or whatnot. They may have never heard the term "indie hair" (you missed out my friends), they never noticed how actually

stylish these on-first-glance simple outfits are...

Hell, they probably can't tell this is the same Brandon Flowers of feathers and blabbermouth fame- back then still with his baby fat and naiveté intact.

SO, onto the subject at hand- Brandon's "indie style" of the Hot Fuss era, circa 2004. [TK fans call each album release the beginning of a new Killers "era," because they're all so fucking different.]

indie Bflo

The Hot Fuss indie era was when The Killers were rapidly rising to fame. It officially kicked off in 2003 when the virtually unknown band took their first flight out of the US to London and performed their first British gig, which was reviewed by the NME, and so on and so forth.

The indie era would come to an end in the very end of 2004, around the time Mr. Brightside was released in the US. In fact the switchover can be pinpointed with surgical precision to the moment Brandon got highlights put in his hair. And then commenced the Hot Fuss glam superstar era. But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

The style of this first era is kiiind of a big deal because it's what helped The Killers lure their first fans. Oh you know we're superficial bastards. Also, for basically the first and only time in Killers history, it fit in with the common style among rock bands at the time.

However, even then, TK always stood out a bit because they were more neat and wholesome- not dirty and wild like the other bands (The Strokes, god bless em).

This era is the most casual and understated of the bunch by a long shot, and it really looks like an anomaly in comparison. It's a product of its time (think the Seth Cohen nerd chic look that was all the rage back then). But even so, some of the ensembles Brandon put together give off such an easy cool vibe.

The attention to details and style risks he would later show are already hinted at in his young indie days. His constant experiments with indie hair dos, the shirts buttoned up all the way to the very top, the little flower pins, the dabbling in eyeliner and pink clothing. He was dipping his feet (into the devil's water if you will) before he jumped in and got all glittered up.

now let's get to the good stuff

That's enough blabbering, now let's get to the pictures. One of the staple clothing pieces in Brandon's indie era closet was the navy or black short-sleeve polo shirt. In the picture above he was crooning in a faded navy blue polo with a burgundy symbol with one button undone. For this casual performance he paired it simply with barely faded, fitted jeans and the usual red Swatch watch that you will see everywhere in these pictures. His hair was swept sweetly to the side, but not quite in its OFFICIAL indie hair™ glory.

What's that you say? Before we continue the riveting polo shirt discussion, you want to know what this whimsical creature called true indie hair is? Well, I don't blame you! Come hold my hand and I will show you the way through the forest of fairies and unicorns to the land of perfect indie hair...

OMG indie hair OMG

Most important in Brandon's indie era, quite frankly, was his hair. He has never surpassed the indie hair. It was perfect. Flawless. Epic. Godly. The Adonis of hair. And then he highlighted and chopped it off to all of our horror! Sure sometimes the indie hair got a bit long and wild. Sometimes it was too short and wonky. These were all mere relatives of the true indie hair.

Now this is debatable, but to me, and I'm always right in these matters, TRUE indie hair was and always will be when Brandon had a little wave in front that went across his forehead from the top corner of his side part all the way to the other side and then ended with one adorable little curl pointing to his face.

It was perfection. Emo hair's got nothing on this, man, this is how a manbang should be done. I don't think I've ever seen it repeated by anyone before or since, which is plain tragic. Get on it, men! Women (or men or whatever you're into) would be pouncing you in mere seconds. It says, "I am a sensitive guy, but the pointy tip of this curl is as sharp as the blade in my back pocket so don't get too comfortable." Brandon's mysterious brooding look in the two pictures sandwiching this paragraph illustrates that message.

To be fair, the three pictures surrounding this paragraph (all featuring indie hair in its peak, most perfect state) were all taken on the same day for the same early Hot Fuss promotional photoshoot. There was a stylist to touch up any loss of indie hair perfection and very little movement to prevent indie hair corruption. So it's not easy to perfect this look on a day to day basis. But as you see in some of the other pictures in this post (like the first three up in the beginning), a more casual version of perfect indie hair is doable. Just get the right hair cut, put in some styling creme or whatever it is Brandon uses (ask a hair stylist, I'm not that good), and voila. If a guy manages to copy one of these outfits as well and I see him on the street in full indie garb, I will make out with him right there and then, no questions asked. A girl can only resist so much. Moving on.

striped black blazer

^ This picture of the band is a real early classic. As you know by now Brandon's hair is in ideal indie mode, with the sweetest expression ever to accompany it. He is wearing one of his staple outfits of the indie Hot Fuss era- a dark (in this case black) polo buttoned all the way to the top as per usual when he was feeling formal, which was often. He was also wearing his ubiquitous black blazer with thick vertical stripes, of alternating shiny or opaque texture. P.S. pay notice to Dave's olive blazer; you'll know what I mean soon.

This detail shot from a live performance showed Brandon in the same getup but this time with a navy polo. I'm not sure if the crinkly texture of the blazer was intentional or the product of bad laundering, but Brandon seemed to like it anyway because...

.... he wore it all. the. fucking. time. On the left during a radio interview; below in a promo photo shoot. Judging by the hair these pictures seem like they were taken around the same time. That's how you can tell time differences in the indie era: just look at the hair.

On the right Brandon wore the usual striped blazer/blueorblack polo combo, but with faded jeans, with what looks like a kind of criss cross texture, and some cool black Allstarish kicks that I can't figure out the brand of. Please enlighten me if you do know.

In both the above and right pictures, notice he was showing an open tooth smile, rare indeed for the indie too-cool-for-smiling era. Despite the cool facade, he looked kind of dorky as hell, and I think he never looked that way again after the indie times. Awkward, yes. Always and forever. But dorky not so much.

Below Brandon again wore the striped black blazer, this time with the fugliest 70's flower shirt known to man kind. Although in this shot and outfit, he actually looks really adorable. I like the extra touches- the lapel pin, the manpurse strap, the blue and white striped belt, the fact his hand is under his blazer a la Napoleon.

Oh, and notice Dave's olive jacket. It appears here again- and no this is not a post about Dave's style, but this blazer is relevant as you will see very soon...

Here is another shot of Brandon's ugly flower shirt, because I know you thought I was overreacting from the previous shot. I mean it's nice that it's retro or whatever but it's just... not okay. Note the flower theme because it shows up again... for the only time in BFlo's career, really. The one time he should have really been ashamed of his moniker- when people were first learning it and he was trying to be indie cool- he decided to flaunt it like nuts.

Here's the striped black blazer again, when Brandon wore it at a music festival (possibly Coachella '04, telling by the palm trees and sweat, but not sure). Here you notice that this blazer is slightly on the longer side, and also how versatile it was. He could wear it with something dressy, or have it dress up a casual outfit for a concert. Brandon once said he would never perform in a t-shirt and jeans, but I guess the only exception was if a blazer topped it all off. And he's not wearing just any t-shirt- that's pure Killers merch right there- the classic dotted band logo tee, but instead of the ubiquitous black, this one is brown (it sells here for only $10 btw). The jeans are Diesel, telling by the left pocket. And I highlighted his hair with a detail shot because I think it was adorable. No it was not Official Indie Hair™, but it was a variation of the indie hair- its shaggier brother. I thought his hair looked adorable in this performance, just as much in 2004 as I do now. Also, is it just me or did he have traces of eyeliner on in these photos?

shiny olive blazer

This is not my favorite of Brandon's blazers at all- maybe because he looked so dorky every time he wore it (um, these two photos). Also, his hair did not help. And the fact that Dave looked much better in it (refer back to the two photos of Dave I emphasized). Brandon looks like an awkward teenager wearing his dad's clothes in comparison. It's just too big on him. And his hair looks silly with the bangs so short.

'the classic' outfit

I don't know why, but I always think of this as the classic indie era outfit. It's made up of three solid basic colors that seem to fit perfectly together- dark beige, navy, and burgundy. If I think of Brandon's indie era for a moment, this is likely the image that comes up. In a way the outfit is a plain office-y one, yet there's something about it that makes it better than that, and it makes it clear that some thought was out into it.

basic white jacket

Why hello there, Doctor Flowers.

Boat shoes! "I'm trying to bring back the boat shoe" indeed.

identical basic beige jacket

+ boat shoes

blue loafers

striped trench coat

striped polo

red Swatch watch

typical square swatch watch

black rubber bracelets

black rubber bracelets

pink button-ups

blue pinstripe shirt, white pinstripe tie

Diesel jeans always have that stripe in the pocket.

blue low tops

black pinstripe vest (or waistcoast for the Brits)

flower pin

white button-up

Oasis army jacket

like Oasis brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher

outfit fails from fail land aka 2003

outfit successes that are too damn small

I Own Elle Fanning's Movie Dress, So I Guess I'm Special

2010-12-30T10:43:00.000-08:00

So you know that movie Somewhere... the one that was directed by Sofia Coppola, and has a really great trailer. And when you watch the trailer you're all, omg this is about Hollywood stars *behind the scenes,* and Sofia made it so it has to be good, right? And, wow this song in the trailer is awesome, and turns out it's a Strokes demo. And then you see "music by Phoenix" and you're like, I love Phoenix, this movie must be fucking amazing.

...But then you watch the actual movie, and you're all WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK WAS THAT. Why were there only two Phoenix songs, why was Stephen Dorff sitting in a chair with a papier mache mask with the camera stagnant on his face for five minutes, and why did it look like that guy from Jackass was going to hook up with Elle Fanning??

Well anyway besides all of that, the clothes were really nice. Best of all- and this is something I knew since the trailer came out- I OWN ONE OF THE DRESSES that Elle Fanning wears in the film.

Here is the dress on her:

Here is the dress on me (yeah not as nice, but still this is the best fitting dress I have ever tried on)

It is amazing, so I allow you to be jealous. I got it about two years ago at Urban Oufitters. It was in the sales rack for some crazy reason. I snagged that thing after I noticed how amazingly it contoured my ~pear body shape.

I just checked now and the brand is ecoté. unfortunately for all you dress hunters, I literally can't find it anywhere online. My greatest skill in the world is online search, and yet I can't find it anywhere. wtf indeed. I tried every combination "ecote," "elle fanning," "dress," "urban outfitters," "purple," "stripes," "sophia coppola," and I looked through all of those hipstery outfits from lookbook on image search, but got nothing. In fact the only other time I saw this dress was at my college last year on the same day I was wearing mine. It looked better on me, though, duh.

So hopefully you have more luck finding the dress, because I really suggest getting your hands on this thing. It fits like a glove. A body glove.

Watch it here in full glory in the Somewhere trailer.