The Killers are an American rock band formed in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2001, by Brandon Flowers (lead vocals, keyboards) and Dave Keuning (guitar, backing vocals). Mark Stoermer (bass, backing vocals) and Ronnie Vannucci Jr. (drums, percussion) would complete the current line-up of the band in 2002. The name The Killers is derived from a logo on the bass drum of a fictitious band, portrayed in the music video for the New Order song "Crystal".[1]
The group has released four chart topping studio albums: Hot Fuss (2004), Sam's Town (2006), Day & Age (2008) and Battle Born (2012). They have sold an estimated 22 million albums worldwide.[2] They have also released a b-sides and rarities compilation, Sawdust (2007); a live album, Live from the Royal Albert Hall (2009); and a greatest hits album Direct Hits
(2013). Along the way they have achieved worldwide success as a live
band, performing in over fifty countries and headlining arenas on six continents.
2001–03: Origins and formation
In 2001, Brandon Flowers was fired by his first band, a Las Vegas synthpop trio known as Blush Response who subsequently relocated to Los Angeles.[3] After attending an Oasis concert at the Hard Rock Hotel during The Tour of Brotherly Love, Flowers realized his calling was to be in a rock band and began searching for like-minded musicians.[4] He eventually came across an ad posted in a Las Vegas newspaper by Dave Keuning, a 25 year-old guitarist who had moved to Vegas from Iowa
a year earlier. The pair shared similar musical influences and soon
began writing songs together in Keuning's apartment. By the end of 2001,
they had recorded a demo at Kill The Messenger Studio in Henderson,
Nevada; the demo featured four tracks, "Desperate", "Replaceable" and
early versions of "Mr. Brightside"
and "Under the Gun". Local drummer Matt Norcross played drums on the
demo while Dell Neal, who was Keuning's roommate at the time, covered
bass on two of the tracks.
Keuning and Flowers played their first live show together at an open
mic night at the Cafe Espresso Roma in Las Vegas in January 2002; the
pair, joined by Neal and Norcross, began playing numerous venues around
Las Vegas where they would also hand out free copies of their demo.[5] The Killers brought a unique style to the small Vegas music scene which was predominately filled with punk, nu metal, and rap
bands, one local reviewer stated "The Killers, thankfully, don't come
across like any other band in town" and described their sound as a mix
between the "pop styles of British music and the lo-fi fuzz of modern
indie rock."[6]
However, the Killers, whose early live sound was also described as
erratic, had, by the summer of 2002, fired drummer Matt Norcross and
replaced him briefly with Brian Havens, who also was eventually fired.
Bassist Dell Neal later left the band due to personal reasons.
Drummer Ronnie Vannucci, Jr. and bass player Mark Stoermer
were members of other bands when they met Keuning and Flowers, both
were persuaded to join the Killers and by November 2002, the band's
current line up was complete. The four of them would get together in
Vannucci's garage to work on song ideas. They would also sneak into the
band room at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (where Vannucci was studying Classical percussion) at night to practice. The band wrote much of their debut album Hot Fuss during these sessions including hit singles "Somebody Told Me" and "Smile Like You Mean It".[7]
The band continued playing at small venues in Las Vegas, where they
built a small but loyal following. They attracted the attention of
Braden Merrick, an A&R rep for Warner Bros. Records who had came across their demo on a website dedicated to unsigned bands in the Las Vegas area,[8]
after attending a live show he offered to help the band find a record
deal and eventually became their manager. He took the band to the San Francisco area, to Berkeley, California, to record demos with former Green Day
manager Jeff Saltzman, they then sent the demo tapes out to major
record labels in the US. The band were invited to perform at a number of
showcases but were ultimately not signed, the band however did catch
the eye of Alex Gilbert,[9] who was an A&R rep from the United Kingdom. Gilbert took a demo with him back to the UK and showed it to his friend Ben Durling, who worked at the newly formed Independent label Lizard King Records
in London. Despite not yet meeting the band in person, Lizard King were
quick to offer the band a deal based on the strength of a five song
demo made up of "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine", "Mr. Brightside", "Glamorous Indie Rock and Roll", "Somebody Told Me" and "On Top", The Killers signed with the British label in July 2003.[10]
2003–05: Hot Fuss
On August 19, 2003, the song "Mr. Brightside" premiered on DJ Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show in the UK.[11] The Killers travelled to London
playing four shows in four nights. On September 29, 2003, they released
the song "Mr. Brightside" on a limited number of CDs and vinyl records
in the UK, critical reviews of both the song and the shows were
positive, NME magazine noted the band's retro sound commenting "The Killers steal so smartly, and with such mind-boggling variety."[12]
As a result of the buzz generated in the UK, a number of major labels
in the US began showing strong interest in the band and they were
invited to play at the ASCAP CMJ Music Marathon in New York City.[13] They eventually signed with the record company Island Def Jam.[7]
The band finished recording Hot Fuss in November 2003 with
Jeff Saltzman, they decided to keep many of the previously recorded
demos as they felt they had a spontaneity that re-recordings would not
have. Shortly afterwards they headed back to London to tour the UK
supporting British Sea Power and finish mixing the album with Alan Moulder. They continued playing support slots during the first half of 2004 most notably touring both the US & UK with Stellastarr and opening for Morrissey twice. The band's first headline tour
started in the UK in May 2004. During the spring and summer of 2004,
the group played much-praised sets at festivals across Europe and North
America which helped add to their growing fanbase.[14]
The Killers released their debut album Hot Fuss in June 2004 in the United Kingdom on Lizard King Records and in the United States on Island Records.[15]
The track listing differed depending on territory, in the UK and
Australia "Glamorous Indie Rock and Roll" replaces "Change Your Mind" as
track eight. Upon release Hot Fuss received generally favorable reviews from critics.[16] Extensive touring and the success of the Grammy Award nominated singles "Somebody Told Me", "All These Things That I've Done" and "Mr. Brightside"[17][18] led to the album becoming a huge commercial success. Hot Fuss
reached number one in the UK in January 2005, seven months after its
release, and has been certified 7x Platinum in both the UK and Ireland.[19]
It went on to spend more weeks on the UK Albums chart than any other
that decade, 173 weeks in total. In the US the album reached its peak
position of number seven in April 2005 and has been certified 3x
Platinum[20] It reached the top spot in Australia, where it was certified 3x Platinum, it has also been certified 3x Platinum in Canada, Platinum in New Zealand and Gold in Argentina, Belgium, Germany and France. The Killers were named The World's Best Selling New Group at the 2005 World Music Awards, the same year they were also nominated for three Grammy Awards with Hot Fuss being nominated for Best Rock Album, in the UK they won an NME Award for Best International Band.
The band fired manager Braden Merrick in 2005, Merrick later filed a
lawsuit against the band, and their new manager and lawyer Robert
Reynolds for $16 million each.[21] The band counter sued citing that Merrick's poor management had cost them millions. The case was settled in 2009.[22]
By June 2005, the Killers had made a huge impact in music worldwide. The band was recognized by Rolling Stone Magazine as the "best-selling new rock band of the past year".[23] Lead singer Brandon Flowers also became known for his flamboyant fashion style and had caused controversy due to some outspoken views on other bands.[24] Jay-Z described the Killers' sound in 2005, saying that "They take what's old and make it sound new again." [24]
In July 2005, the Killers performed on the London stage of the Live 8 concert, playing "All These Things That I've Done". Robbie Williams incorporated the song's refrain "I've got soul but I'm not a soldier" into his own performance.[25] Coldplay and U2
followed suit and, at their separate concerts played in Las Vegas, with
the Killers in the crowd, incorporated the line into their songs "God Put a Smile Upon Your Face" and "Beautiful Day", respectively.[26]
2005–07: Sam's Town and Sawdust
Shortly after finishing touring for Hot Fuss, the Killers headed back
into the studio to start recording their highly anticipated second
studio album, the band chose Alan Moulder and Flood to help produce the record. The album was mostly recorded at Studio at the Palms in Las Vegas, with finishing touches added to the album at Criterion Studios, London in June 2006. Upon completion of Sam's Town,
Flowers claimed he felt the band had made "one of the best albums of
the past twenty years" and that the album captured "everything important
that got me to where I am today". In July 2006, the lead single "When You Were Young"
was premiered and it became a hit, gaining another two Grammy Award
nominations and mostly positive reviews with many bringing attention to
the influence of Heartland rock on the song.
The Killers' second album, Sam's Town, was released in October 2006 under Island Def Jam Music Group.[27][28]
It received a varied response with some critics praising the album and
the evolution of the band and others criticizing and mocking it, most
notably it received a scathing review from Rolling Stone magazine.[29] The album sold over 706,000 copies worldwide in the first week of release, reaching number two on the US Billboard chart and number one on the UK chart.[30]
The record has since been certified 5x Platinum in the United Kingdom,
4x Platinum in Ireland, 2x Platinum in Australia, Canada and New
Zealand, Platinum in the United States and Gold in Argentina, Belgium,
Germany and Russia.
The Killers recorded a live session at Abbey Road Studios for Live from Abbey Road on November 29, 2006.[31]
They performed an almost totally unplugged set, which included a
stripped back version of the albums title track and a rendition of the Dire Straits hit "Romeo and Juliet". In December 2006 the band released a Christmas charity song, "A Great Big Sled", which benefited Product Red. This has since become an annual tradition.
In February 2007, the Killers attended the BRIT Awards
in the United Kingdom, where they performed "When You Were Young". The
band won two awards — Best International Group & International
Album.[32] In the same month the band's Tim Burton directed video for "Bones" won Best Video at the NME Awards.
During the Sam's Town Tour the Killers began headlining arenas including Madison Square Garden for the first time, they also headlined a number of major European festivals during 2007 including Glastonbury Festival.[33]
The band released a compilation album called Sawdust, containing B-sides, rarities and unreleased material in November 2007. Sawdust has been classified Platinum in the UK.[34] The album's first single "Tranquilize", a collaboration with Lou Reed, was released in October 2007.[34] The album also featured a cover of "Shadowplay" by Joy Division which was recorded for the soundtrack to the Anton Corbijn directed biopic Control.[35]
2007–2011: Day & Age and Hiatus
The band enlisted Stuart Price to produce their third studio album, he had previously remixed their songs under his Jacques Lu Cont
moniker, the most notable being the remix of "Mr. Brightside". They
first met Price at his London home in 2007 to discuss the possibility of
him producing some unreleased tracks for their b-sides album Sawdust,
however that same night they ended up in Price's home studio recording a
demo of "Human" a new song that would become the eventual lead single from Day & Age.
The band took six months apart following the completion of their Sam's
Town tour, during this period they would send song ideas between each
other and Price via Logic Pro. The band finished recording the album with Price at the band's newly acquired Battle Born Studios in Las Vegas.[36]
"Human" was released in October 2008 and was well received becoming a
huge hit worldwide, however the song's lyric "Are we human, or are we
dancer?" created much confusion and debate due to its grammar and
ambiguity, with some believing the lyric was "dancers" or "denser"
rather than "dancer", Flowers explained that the line was inspired by a Hunter S. Thompson
quote where he stated America was raising "a generation of dancers".
Flowers has also called the song a "mild social statement". It has since
been voted by one poll as the most confusing song lyric of all time.[37]
The Killers' third album, Day & Age,
was released on November 25, 2008. Brandon Flowers stated that "Day
& Age" was "like looking at Sam's Town from Mars", the band have
also called it their "most playful record" with the album making use of saxophones, steel drums, harpsichord
& tribal chanting. It became the band's third studio album to reach
number one in both the UK and Ireland, it reached number six on the Billboard 200 album chart.[38]
It has also been certified 4x Platinum in the UK and Ireland, Platinum
in Germany, Australia, New Zealand and Canada and Gold in the US,
Mexico, Sweden, Norway, Austria, Switzerland, Greece and the Middle
East.
The band embarked on the Day & Age World Tour, during which they performed on every continent except Antarctica and headlined US festivals Lollapalooza and Coachella for the first time. The tour was named one of the top fifty worldwide concert tours of 2009.[39] On July 5–6, 2009 at the Royal Albert Hall, London the Killers recorded their first live DVD, "Live from the Royal Albert Hall". It was released in November and played at various cinemas across the globe. Live from Royal Albert Hall was certified 2x Platinum in the UK, Platinum in the US and Australia and Gold in Ireland and Brazil.
In January 2010, the band announced that they would take a short break after being on the road for the better part of six years.[40][41]
The break lasted for about a year-and-a-half, during which band members
devoted themselves on solo projects, while the band made sporadic other
contributions.
In late February 2010, Flowers' mother died after a two-year fight
with brain cancer. This resulted in the cancellation of dates in Asia.
Two Australian dates in Sydney and Perth were also cancelled; however,
both the Gold Coast and Melbourne concerts went ahead, with the Day
& Age tour finally coming to a close in Melbourne on February 21 as
the headline act at the Good Vibrations Festival at Flemington Racecourse.[42]
Invited by U.S. President Barack Obama, the band played on the White House South Lawn on July 4, 2010 for the second annual "Salute To The Military" United Service Organizations concert as part of Independence Day celebrations, which Flowers described as a "monumental honor".[43]
Despite their hiatus, the band got together to play "Human", "Somebody
Told Me", "Mr. Brightside", "A Dustland Fairytale", "God Bless
America/Read My Mind" and "When You Were Young".[44]
2011–13: Return and Battle Born
The band returned to the stage in 2011 when they headlined the new International Lollapalooza Festival in Santiago, Chile on April 2, 2011.[45] They also performed at the season closing Top of the Mountain concert in Ischgl, Austria on April 30, 2011.[46] They headlined Hard Rock Calling for the second time in Hyde Park, London on June 24, 2011.[47] The Killers were also the inaugural headliner of the new Orlando Calling Festival in Orlando, FL on November 12, 2011.[48]
In April 2012, Tommy Marth, who had played saxophone on the band's Sam's Town and Day & Age albums, toured with the band during their Day & Age World Tour and can be seen performing with the band on the Live From The Royal Albert Hall DVD, was found dead at his Las Vegas home. His death was officially ruled as a suicide.[49]
The band headed back into the studio to record their fourth studio
album in 2011, during the recording they worked with five different
producers Steve Lillywhite, Damian Taylor, Brendan O'Brien, Stuart Price and Daniel Lanois.[50] In June 2012 A short trailer was released on the Killers official VEVO page, revealing the album's name Battle Born,[51] named after the Flag of Nevada. This was followed by the release of lead single "Runaways" in July.
The Killers' fourth studio album Battle Born
was released on September 18, 2012. The album became The Killers'
fourth consecutive No. 1 album in the UK and Ireland and has been
certified Platinum in the UK and Gold in Ireland, Mexico and Australia.
The band's Battle Born World Tour
proved their most widespread yet with the band visiting new territories
including Russia and China. The tour was named the 43rd highest
grossing worldwide during 2013.[52] On June 22, 2013, the band played their biggest show to date at the 90,000 capacity Wembley Stadium; the band performed a song specifically written for the occasion. Reviews of the show were extremely positive.[53]
The band once again headlined festivals across Europe, Australia,
South America & North America. In October 2013 The Killers headlined
the inaugural Life Is Beautiful Festival in hometown Las Vegas,
concluding their Battle Born World Tour.
2013–present: Direct Hits and fifth studio album
On September 11, 2013, the band tweeted a picture, which contained six lines of Morse code.
The code was translated to "The Killers Shot at the Night". On
September 16, 2013, exactly ten years to the day of their first show in
London, the Killers released "Shot at the Night" which was produced by Anthony Gonzalez. It was also revealed that they would be releasing their first greatest hits compilation, Direct Hits
released on November 11, 2013, celebrating a decade together as a band
and fulfilling a contractual requirement with their record label.[54][55] The album featured songs from all four studio albums, the new single "Shot At The Night" and another new song "Just Another Girl".
The release of Direct Hits was followed by a short promotional
tour, the band also played a number of festivals in 2014. The Killers
have stated that they will be taking an extended break before beginning
work on their fifth studio album.[56]
On December 1, 2014, the band released "Joel the Lump of Coal". The single features late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel.
The song marks the ninth consecutive year in which the band has
released a Christmas song. All proceeds went to AIDS charities as part
of the Product Red campaign.
In 2015, The Killers will headline the inaugural Kaaboo Festival in San Diego[57] as well as the Firefly Music Festival in Delaware.[58]
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