Thirteen years have passed since The Killers exploded with their first single, "Mr. Brightside", and even today they remain one of the biggest rock bands in the world. The Las Vegas outfit have just topped the Lollapalooza bill and have planned a stadium tour starting in January. “There is always a demand for what we have to offer, obviously,” explains leader Brandon Flowers. “Our concerts are getting bigger and bigger, and the tours are getting better and better. He says the new album, Wonderful Wonderful (featured by U2 and R.E.M collaborator Jacknife Lee), is an improvement on their previous opus, Battle Born released in 2012. producers," says Flowers.
Wonderful Wonderful is more spirited, and contains danceable tracks on a variety of topics, from Mike Tyson's famous 1990 loss to Buster Douglas to Flowers' fulfilling life as a father of three.
Yes [laughs]. I felt special, invincible, etc. I'm not like that anymore, so that was something I wanted to explore on this album. I know what it's like to get on stage and lie to people. I prefer songs where I tell the truth. These are the ones that resonate the most.
It was an important moment in my childhood, because I was convinced of the infallibility of Mike Tyson. I admired him. My view of the world changed when he fell to the ground. It's an event that kept coming back to me, so I thought I could talk about it. I built the third verse around me. Today I have three sons, and in their eyes, I am as perfect as Mike Tyson was in mine. I don't want to disappoint them. The circle is complete.
They know what I'm doing, and they know some of our songs. We introduce them to a lot of different music.
My youngest, Gunnar, loves Journey and my eldest, Ammon, loves “Life on Mars? ". On the way to school, I put on a rock radio. They love to ask questions about bands that are on the air and find out who is still alive, or where they are from. What's crazy is that more often than not the answer is that the singer is dead, and that he died of an overdose. They also really like the Beach Boys song “I get Around”. One of the best times of my life was a few years ago when we played GeorgeFest and Brian [Wilson] was there. I have or tell him that my children love his songs. It must be so nice to be in your place, and to know that your music continues to live and touch people.
I don't know. When you write my answer in Rolling Stone, the haters are going to go wild on me for saying that. So we'll move on to another question.
Finally, I also wish I had written “Forgotten Years” by Midnight Oil. This song touches me.
It doesn't keep me awake. Mormonism is still quite misunderstood.
There is a kind of strange mystery surrounding it. With Christianity, 2000 years passed between the events that are recounted and the supposed miracles. We don't have such a time span between Joseph Smith in early 1800 and the other events we believe in. So it's much easier to refer to it. The people who knew Moses did not leave any writings, while we have proof.
Well, you can look at this in two ways. You can evoke these events in your music, or consider that it serves as an escape. It's hard to write enaged songs. Neil Young, The Clash or Bob Marley know how to do it very well. If you want to try your hand at this, you better be sure of your shot. I don't know if I was ready to do it. I had something else in mind for this album, which had little to do with Donald Trump.
I went to the Rose Bowl. When they started “Where the Streets have no Name” and the screens came on, I started crying. I was overwhelmed by all the evocations that the title awakened in me and by my joy to be there. I live in Las Vegas and see Joshua trees daily. Every time I think of this album.
I don't know if we'd do something as big as U2 with Joshua Tree, but it's never a bad idea to celebrate.
My wife. I always feel like I want to impress her. I sang "Thunder Road" with Bruce Springsteen. It's a special song and singing with it remains one of the highlights of my life and career. She's happy for me, but those kinds of things will never be as important to me as being a good husband.
I wouldn't say he's dead, but we're kind of in a post-rock environment right now. But I think people have a rock & roll and that it will always be possible to write rock songs. Our new track “Run for Cover” can be categorized as rock & roll. I would just advise Gene Simmons to go listen to it.
I'm not sure. I am 36 now. But Mick Jagger looks happy to sing "Get Off My Clouds" regardless of his age. So maybe I will too. I don't know. I hope to be able to collect even more songs that I will be happy to sing by my 65th birthday.
I hope it doesn't overshadow anything we've done. But it continues to grow in popularity. Having said that, I can't complain. Anyone who has created a group dreams of such a thing happening to them.
We have always had a strict work ethic and believed in rock & roll. It has been an integral part of our group. I don't really see that in younger bands. But that is also the reason why we have been able to maintain ourselves despite the years.
I can't wait. I have the impression that you become a man at 40 years old. I hope that I will always feel so creative and that I will always have that energy.
By Andy Greene / Translated and adapted by Louise-Camille Bouttier
