Brandon Flowers - Why The Killers have a lot to Smile about

Glasonburyfestivals

It’s been a hectic year in the life of The Killers. In the space of twelve months they’ve secured themselves a top selling album, a string of hits, and a reputation as one of the most exciting bands to emerge from the US in recent years. With a curious and addictive blend of guitar led rock and eighties influenced electro synth melodies, combined with lyrics both intelligent and often haunting (as in the beautifully constructed ‘Smile Like You Mean It’), Brandon Flowers and Co have emanated a style that promises to continue to be an element of the British music scene for many years to come.

There is no doubt that Flowers is an endearing front man. On stage he combines energy with mystery, and you’d be forgiven for believing that behind those wide, childlike eyes there is something else lurking; something that is bound to only show itself through the music. At the age of twenty-three, Brandon Flowers has already achieved what most young men his age can only dream of: women want to be with him and men want to be him.
 
The lead singer of one of the most acclaimed bands of the past decade, Flowers is the first of the members of the band to approach us; offering his hand, he greets us in a lilting American accent that’s a surprisingly more timid tone than you might expect from a singer whose band’s unique style has propelled them by the music press to the heights of rock star fame and placed them a plinth alongside some of the world’s most successful acts. Dressed in what could be considered as his offstage attire - a less flamboyant combination of t-shirt and jeans than his well documented pink blazer jacket and pin tie, Flowers is considerably more contented than we’ve ever see him before.
 
With songs such as ‘Mr Brightside and Somebody Told Me’ ­ this strand of indie music crossed with good, old fashioned rock and roll once again becoming the indie kid’s anthems ­ the band are already close to realising their dream of releasing material, specifically one or two iconic tunes that will refuse to be forgotten, that will propel them into the mindsets of the nation and give them a recognition normally associated with well established world renowned acts like their idols U2.
 
If their set at last year’s Glastonbury was anything to go by, this year’s event is once again not to be missed. The John Peel stage hadn’t seen a crowd like it in years: around 10,000 adoring fans punching their fists in the air and singing along with The Killers to each of their main radio hits. Spirits were kept alive by the impressively sized audience even when the onstage lights failed, plunging the band into near darkness as they played out their best known release to date. Needless to say, neither the band nor the TV festival producers are hoping for a repeat scenario during The Killers main stage slot on this year's Pyramid Stage performance placement.
 
Like most people who visit, Brandon Flowers has been won over by the massive event that is the Glastonbury Festival. Speaking with an air of caution and grinning shyly, the front man says,
’Glastonbury has been wonderful, I don't know what else to say really. We got there a day after we’d been flown into London and it was just crazy to be submerged into it all in the middle of the English countryside. It’s all been kicking off for us over the past couple of months and all I could think of when we were onstage was that this is just the kind of reception we always hoped for. It’s unbelievable that it’s all finally happening for us now.’
 
It’s surprising that although The Killers have managed to achieve such success, the enormity of their popularity in Britain still seems not to have sunk in. When asked why he thinks the band have struck gold in the UK, Flowers smiles and replies; ‘I think the fact that we have a quite a British sound to our style may be one reason why audiences in Britain have picked up on our music so much. I think that people just like really good pop music and hopefully that’s what we’re giving them.’
 
So, any valuable survival tips for the festival then, Brandon?

Brandon Flowers: We’re all babies to these festivals, so I’m the one that needs the advice!
 
How do you feel the band has developed since your initial debut?

B.F.: We’re just playing a lot more and we’re probably tighter as an act. We’re definitely a little bit rawer as a live act than we are on the records. Hopefully we do a good show. There’s not much else that you can do. Too many acts rely on different gimmicks as part of their performance, but I like our set up because it’s simple and we just get out there and play our songs.
 
There’s been a lot of press coverage concerning the band in recent months. Almost of all of it is positive but there’s inevitably always someone ready to do their worst. How do you and the other members of the band deal with the levels of acclaim that you’ve received?

B.F.: I don't know. I suppose we do feel the pressure a little more now, but I think that, strangely, we all found it harder to deal with when we were trying to get people to notice us when we were first starting out. We had to try so hard to win people over and we still do have to try really hard. There are obviously people that like us out there, so as far as we're concerned, that's got to be a good thing!
 
’Smile Like You Mean It’ was The Killers’ first UK release where download sales also counted as part of the official chart position. What’s your opinion on music downloads?

B.F.: I think that all that stuff is alright. People do it on iTunes now loads and they pay for it. In America a lot of people downloaded our album on iTunes and it all counts as a sale. I suppose as long as what’s downloaded is measurable so you know what kind of a response you’re getting than that’s great. I don’t see it as a huge problem in general, but I do understand why people are concerned about it and why it needs to progress.
 
Who was the highlight of Glastonbury 2004 for you?

B.F.: Paul McCartney was the main guy we wanted to see, but of course I would have liked to have seen Oasis. Sadly, we weren’t around for their set. As far as the British acts go we did a tour with British Sea Power, who I love. That was a great tour. Plenty of stories from that but all too boring to share. We’re well behaved guys and people already know everything there is to know about us.
 
...And with a lingering, suggestive grin Flowers leaves us: making us think maybe they’re not quite the clean cut, well behaved young men they make themselves out to be. Or maybe they are. No doubt this year’s Glastonbury Festival will reveal all. Watch this space…