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Listen to The Killers on Rhapsody...
By: Martin Halo
The Killers ©Anton Corbijn |
The American musical landscape is a vastly diverse place. In the North, California's beatnik poets and magnificently timeless songwriters ride gallantly over the horizon. In the South, blues, soul and ramshackle rock 'n' roll emanate from the Bible Belt and Route 40. Our hearts are still broken over the destruction in New Orleans, while Manhattan stands on its own as a bridge between the brawn of American audacity and English pop charm. The nation is a beautiful portrait painted by the traditions of each geographic region.
With the advent of cable television and other large corporate media outlets, artistic borders have shrunk drastically in this new, unified mainstream world. The byproduct of this change is an American public who, in the majority, believes the success or merit of a musician rests within MTV Countdowns and American Idol voting. For those of us who know better, rock 'n' roll is still strong in hearts and in the minds of the people. It thrives on stepping out of the box, away from force fed formulas, all in the gamble to experience something real. And there's no better example of this modern cultural melting pot than Las Vegas, Nevada.
Brandon Flowers :: Vegoose 2006
By Michael Jurick |
April 19 was just like any other afternoon; a late lunch and what I thought was going to be just another interview with Sin City's The Killers, but what transpired was something that I haven't experienced from a pop artist since the Fall of 2006 with Beck. Brandon Flowers was upfront, unapologetic and real.
Emerging onto the scene in 2004 with Hot Fuss, The Killers were pop music darlings cashing in on a flurry of masterfully crafted singles including "Mr. Brightside," "All These Things That I've Done" and "Smile Like You Mean It." Consisting of Flowers (vox/keyboards), Dave Keuning (guitar), Mark Stoermer (bass) and Ronnie Vannucci (drums), the band is currently touring in support of their follow-up, Sam's Town, which was released last October on Island Records.
"There have been a few times in my life when music has just struck me," says Flowers. "I used to hear my brother playing The Cure from his room. It was like a forbidden thing because he would hide himself in there and listen to his records and cassettes. There was something exciting about it because he was older and cool and I wasn't allowed to be in there. There were all these weird posters on his walls [laughs]. But, what I liked about The Cure was the pop songs. It made me realize how powerful music could be."
The Killers :: Vegoose 2006 :: By Michael Jurick |
"The thing that started me on music in a big way was The Cars," continues Flowers. "Later on, I started listening to The Smiths and Morrissey, which ended up being the most prevalent influences of my life. I mean Morrissey just consumed me. I eventually moved on to New Order, Bowie and the Beatles. Recently, it's been all about Tom Waits and Bruce Springsteen."
Originating from Las Vegas, Flowers touches upon the tinsel music scene of Sin City's desert. "People are lost in Las Vegas, but it's not their fault. The radio market is getting a little better. I think there is a new station there now," says Flowers. "It just seemed like everyone was really behind. Everybody was still doing Limp [Bizkit] and Korn within the clubs. I mean if that is what is in your heart and you love it, then so be it."
Asked whether the isolation of the desert contributed to the time lapse, Flowers responds, "I think it was somewhat of that. I really don't know why we were so behind on things. It was a great thing for us because we stood out! People just hated us [laughs]. I mean it was great because people publicly spoke about how much they hated us and it ended up giving me a chip on my shoulder. A chip usually isn't a positive thing, but I looked at it that way because I feel that I have something to prove."
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I am not a hipster and I am not trying to be. I believe there is nothing wrong with writing good songs, and I think that is what has been lost in all of this. People are either trying to be too cool or they are worried about just selling records. -Brandon Flowers on today's music scene |
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Photo: ©Anton Corbijn
"I think that music is just as significant to people as it was in the past but I just don't think it is as good as it was," Flowers continues. "I think it is cheap and whorish - not in the way that people sell it but how they express it. They had the [Surpremes] in the past and now we have [Fergie]. There was a pureness to the music back then that we don't have now. Take Gwen Stefani, for example. I like this song 'Sweet Escape,' which reminds me of an old '50s girl group kind of song. But, she says, 'I'm acting like a skank' in it. That is exactly what I am talking about. Is there nothing better you can use for that lyric? I don't even know what that means exactly. Little kids are hearing this stuff and it just makes me wonder what is happening. We seem to be getting more morally terrible."
What Flowers was expressing struck me as uncommon and, even more, unexpected. Here are The Killers, a pop band in every sense of the word. They're mainstays on MTV and VH1, adored by millions, but in the center of this industry induced chaos they've managed to keep their credibility. In the midst of legions of loyal fans, Flowers retains his personal ideology.
The Killers |
"You know, man, I went to all the cafes with all the 'Indie People' and the people that say they would be happy playing at the café for the rest of their lives," Flowers says. "Those people tend to be the most arrogant and mean people in the world, and I don't like those people. I have never been shy to say this. I am not a hipster and I am not trying to be. I believe there is nothing wrong with writing good songs, and I think that is what has been lost in all of this. People are either trying to be too cool or they are worried about just selling records."
"As an example, you are either Creed or you are Bright Eyes," Flowers explains. "We have lost the people who are in the middle - artists that wanted to make statements, have their credibility AND played to 30,000 every night. That gap still hasn't been fully filled. I think we are one of the bands that can do it but there is no place for it. There is no middle."
The Killers |
Flowers' comments are eerily reminiscent of a conversation I had with another pop darling back in August of 2006. Toiling in the same indie hipster world as Flowers and The Killers, Jack White (The White Stripes, Raconteurs) had this to say: "As far as America goes, my whole trip lately has been to get as far away from hipster culture as I can. I don't want to be cool to those kids."
So how does a band like The Killers, The White Stripes or any of the other popular acts who actually have something to say balance fame with substance? It's actually pretty simple - write good songs and bring them to the people. You don't have to change your name or cut your hair or endorse Miller Light to be a musician that reaches the masses. On the flip side, the simple fact is that it's okay to have your music heard by millions. Flowers is proof that you can exist in a big way in this industry while still holding tight to your artistic ethics.
Check out Backstage with JamBase:
The Killers at Vegoose
JamBase | Sin City
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