Post by sara on Oct 2, 2008 15:15:10 GMT -5
The Killers: We're still a young band
A promenade to good music (@ Sziget Festival 2008)
The Killers are certainly the band of this generation. I once heard a little joke about how bands that start with “The” are predestined to succeed in the music business, because people expect The bomb; but also that their success is doomed to fail the test of time, because bombs explode only once.
With a little help from Universal Music Romania, we managed to make an interview with the band. Don't think that it was easy, actually the interview was nearly canceled due to the massive distance we had to walk on the Obudai island. Also, the staff was not certain who could help us in this matter. Finally we managed to track down Mark Stoermer, a very nice gentelman, also the basist for The Killers. Below you can read our conversation with him.
So how do you feel in Europe?
“We really like it here in Continental Europe. We’ve been trying to get into Germany as well, but we’re more confident in the English speaking countries. Actually this is our second time at Sziget Festival. We were on the bill last year as well…But, right now we’re getting to know the audience everywhere because we’re still a young band. We felt great from the very beginning because we were launched in the UK and the public there is more open to new bands”
Opulence, the heat, the beat: Las Vegas…But how did they find the oasis in the middle of the desert?
“Las Vegas isn’t the best place for an upcoming band because people there prefer doing other things like gambling and spending money on one night luxuries. So at first we played where we could, each time creating a following; at the beginning we played in a drag club and then the venues just got bigger and bigger. “
Since they’re Americans you’d say they naturally fit under an American label, so I find it interesting how they caught the public’s eye after releasing the heavily British influenced Hot Fuss album under Lizard King Records in the UK.
“American labels simply didn’t like our music, because they thought it wouldn’t sell”
The album definitely has a bit of a European touch to it.
”Maybe that’s why they liked it so much and we managed to thrive and end up in the charts. Our music didn’t fit the US radio so we had to limit our options drastically. The US radio wasn’t so eager to promote new bands, but rather to help big bands sell their already released records. There’s more to fresh music in England because people are more open-minded. “
The release of Hot Fuss still resounds today and is considered by many fans the zenith of their career up to this moment. The catchy tunes of their first hit, “Mr. Brightside”, have certainly made a difference in the mundane music industry.
“Well I don’t know if it turned the world upside down but when we first met, we knew there would be a special connection and that we would get along just great, although we had different backgrounds. I, for one, knew, the first time I heard “Mr. Brightsight” that it had something special to it and deserved to known. Of course, when we started off, we would have never dreamed that it would receive the praise it did up to this point”
Although they are in the new wave flow, The Killers sound different with every album and seem to have the expertise of a band that’s been pulling it off for longer than 6 years. In an age when music groups compete in coming up with something new and exciting, The Killers just know how to hit the spot. But how in the world did they manage to fuse different elements that came out so naturally?
“Ease comes with the combination of our backgrounds and past experiences. Besides Brandon, all three of us previously played with other bands so we were constantly learning new things and had a chance to show it all with The Killers. Even Brandon tried it out with “Blush Response”, but it didn’t work out (referring to Brandon’s previous band and his refusal to move to California with them) I mean, we all listen to all kinds of music and genres and love to keep an open mind”
Could you please tell us the interesting story behind the sequel “Leave the Bourbon on the Shelf”/”Midnight Show”/”Jenny was a friend of mine”?
“Well that’s Brandon’s story, since he is also the main lyricist, but I’ll tell you what I got out of it. In the first part he tells the break up story between him and his girlfriend and it’s also a declaration of love; than in “Midnight Show” he tries to get away with it and in “Jenny was a friend of mine” he is overwhelmed by the accusations and burst out. “
When musicians you grew up with incorporate bits of your music in their songs…
“It’s special, I guess it’s the dream of every musician and it really came as a surprise for us“.
I know about New Order, U2 and Coldplay. I mean you didn’t grow up with Coldplay but anyway…
No, we did, they’re from 1999 (laughing)
Will you surprise us tonight with songs from your upcoming album “Day and Age”?
During shows we usually play one or two new songs, but today we’ll play just one and many other songs that we haven’t had the chance to perform live up to now.
So we should expect a unique show.
I’ll let you be the judge of that!
Did you finish recording?
Yes, in June, the entire album is finished, but we just need to polish it in the next couple of weeks. So it should be ready by November.
Is there a precedent?
The album has no concept; it’s not like Hot Fuss or Sam’s Town.
So was it like writing random words on a keyboard?
(laughing) Not really, it’s just completely different, because we had no plan initially, when we decided to make the album. It has both new elements and old ones in order to please everybody.
So are you proud of your achievement?
We’ll just wait and see the public’s response. I am, I think
During the show that night The Killers had soul and were definitely soldiers.
So, in Las Vegas when the sun goes down, I think of the Killers, I even randomly think of all the lights and how they have gambling games in McDonald’s restaurants and in the most unusual places, but mainly I think of Stoermer’s beautiful eyes and how they open up to show this exotic place as a paradox for anyone who tends to generalize.
Report by: Andreea Balica
Interview by: Cristina Popescu and Andreea Balica
A big thank you goes to Universal Music Romania
fuente: www.metalhead.ro/Interviews-The_Killers_Were_still_a_young_band-343.html
me encanto lo que dice el final!1
