The so called surprise...

Many people think he's arrogant and vain. In the 20-minutes meeting that SOBREMUSICA had with the singer and frontman of the band The Killers, he overflowed congeniality and accessibility. The production vetoed any pictures or cameras. Brandon was with no fancy dress, dressed as a 26 years old normal guy. He answered the questions with no modesty. The interview was organized by the producers of TIM Festival (that one, remember?), that contacted me inviting me to join it after knowing that I will make articles about the festival for SOBREMUSICA, G1 and [brazillian] Rolling Stone. With me were journalists Bernardo Araujo (O Globo) and Juliana Girardi (Gazeta Do Povo), who travelled invited by TIM.

The following questions were asked by me to the singer.

BRUNO MAIA: The first thing to ask is: Have you ever been in Brazil? There was a rumour that you've been there in 2000. Is there any truth to this?
BRANDON FLOWERS: [laughing] No, I've never been in Brazil. I dream about it. I'd like to go to the entire South America. My brother spent some time in Chile. I'm very excited to go down there in October.

BM: The band began in 2002. Looking back, do you think things happened too fast for you guys?
BF: Yes, it was very fast. But eventually we're very happy about it.

BM: How do you look at your generation of bands? Are there any similarities between the works of these groups?
BF: For me, they're great groups. I think there must be many similar things in our works, besides the results being very different. Because we were born in the same time, we grew up listening to the same things, like David Bowie, New Order...

BM: And you think that the fusion with the electronic music is the trade-mark of these times?
BF: Yes! I was born in 1981, I grew up listening to this kind of music. So it's not a matter of trying to do a kind of music, no. This is the music that I make naturally. That's what I was born listening to, what my brother always listened to.

BM: This weekend there'll be Live Earth happening in many countries. What do you think about this thing that rock 'n' roll can help changing the world? This story is already old and we don't know yet if it's true or not. What's your opinion about it?
BF: Yes, I believe it can change the world. I believe that at least the fact that it is gathering so many people around the world is important. Nowadays we don't have so many leaders as we've seen in the 60's. There are no John Lennons, no Bob Dylans... Bono is the best thing we have, he does everything that he can and it's good...

BM: But why do you think there aren't these leaders anymore? Because people don't care about these questions, because having fun is more important...
BF: Because of John Lennon and Bob Dylan. We put these guys in a level so high that no one has the right - I don't - to pull these questions to themselves. Because if I do it, people will take me out of there. These journalists will ask "who does this guy think he is? He thinks he's John Lennon? He thinks he's Bob Dylan?". So there's no more place for these new people there.

BM: But would you like to be there?
BF: Yes, it would be nice. I think it would be something very positive, but no one will permit it to happen. Times are different...

BM: The times they are a-changin'...
BF: [laughing] Yeah, it's true, they have already changed!

BM: And about Live Earth...
BF: It's great! Yes, it's great! All the planet will be watching. You may be an artist, may be a religious man... It's our duty to take care of Earth.

BM: You guys are in a band that was born in the internet era. When you first began to play, there were already downloads everywhere and I think that yourself should did some downloads that time, to know new artists etc... How do you deal with it nowadays, knowing that someone might simply want to listen to your music and don't pay for it?
BF: It's frustrating... [laughing]

BM: But did you use to do downloads?
BF: Yes, I downloaded some things but... I don't want to defend myself, but maybe I only did it to know it and I'd buy the record if I truly liked it. I'd have the will to have the record, I'd be the first person to want to buy it, open the booklet and see the pictures... I still have this fan inside me... But then... I don't know...

BM: And what do you think about the ambient in these european festivals?
BF: It's great. It's like it's christmas time for these people...

BM: And for you?
BF: For me? Well, I won't say it's like it's just any other show, but this is the way I must deal with it all because I'm still learning a lot about performance. It's still not a natural thing, but I keep striving for it to be.

BM: You said you're not satisfied, but how do you notice your evolution through time?
BF: I'd want to be confident, but I think I'm getting better, I've been watching... I watched some parts of our gig in Glastonbury and of one in Norway... I still think I need to get better, I don't feel much confident. I still don't look like Freddie Mercury. [laughing]

BM: It's a cliche question, but unavoidable when you interview someone who goes to Brazil. What kind of images you have in your mind when you think about Brazil?
BF: The image I have about Brazil is sexual. That's all the information we receive. I'm not saying I'll go there to have sex, but I'm saying that it's a place that has a sexual aspect and this kind of thing... But there's an amazing show Pet Shop Boys did in Rio...

BM: When you guys are in a country like Brazil, which you don't know many things, do you have time to know a bit of the culture or is it really, as you said, only one more show?
BF: I think in Brazil we'll have some time to enjoy everything. I love to try new foods. I'm not scared, my stomach is strong... [laughing]. I'm really very excited! We've been in Mexico some times and there are many people from South America that live in United States. In my opinion, these are the most friendly people in the world and I'm really excited to go down there.

BM: But in fact you guys really choose the places where you'll play or it's just an agent that takes care of the international tour, that books the shows and tells you?
BF: Yes, yes... We negotiate and say what we want or not.

BM: And do you have any friend in South America? Even because of your brother...
BF: Yeah, my brother still has a lot of friends he's still in touch...

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