Interview with The Killers’ Mark Stoermer

By Jade Maravillas

 

MY love affar with “The Killers†started back in early 2004 when the band was starting to make heads turn in the United Kingdom. During one of our frequent CD swapping sessions, a friend slipped me a downloaded copy of two early cuts, “Smile Like You Mean It†and “Somebody Told Me,†from the debut album, “Hot Fuss.†The combination of synthesizers straight out of a ’60s outer space B-movie, dance rock beats (that soon defined most of music that came out that year) and some of the cheekiest lyrics in a pop song since, well, the decade of decadence made me hit the repeat button for the next two hours.

 

As soon as the powers that be decided that Pinoys were ready for “Hot Fuss,†I literally rushed to the nearest record store and parted with my hard-earned cash. For months, my player blasted ditties about Jenny, Andy, Natalie and Mr. Brightside. Pretty soon radio followed, then global domination: When U2, Coldplay and Robbie Williams cover your single (“All These Things That I’ve Doneâ€) and Cameron Diaz shakes her behind to “Brightside†on the big screen, you know you have it made.

 

To date, “Hot Fuss†has sold over five million copies around the world and was included in Roger Dimery’s book, “1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.â€

 

Las Vegas roots

 

Dubbed by some journalists as “the best British band from America,†the pompous foursome (made up of the enigmatic lead vocalist Brandon Flowers, Dave Keuning on guitar, Mark Stoermer on bass and vocals, and Ronnie Vannucci Jr. on drums and percussion) hails from Las Vegas. Everyone was surprised about the band’s roots, but it made sense.

 

If there was any part of America that the androgynous Mr. Flowers, who kept us guessing with the Bowie eyeliner and screaming pink suits, could come from, it would just have to be Sin City. And it was the band’s hometown that served as inspiration for its heavily anticipated sophomore effort, “Sam’s Town.†This time, though, the band tones down the bling and pays homage to the grit of Nevada’s desert land.

 

Although “Sam’s Town†still has a smattering of the band’s signature synthesizers, the album’s apparent departure from “Hot Fuss†New Wave debauchery shocked critics and fans alike. The influential music gurus at Rolling Stone asked, “Why, Killers? Why?†They slapped the album a measly two-star rating.

 

Teenage girls were appalled that the former metrosexual kings ditched their flashy duds in favor of spaghetti Westerns and, heaven forbid, facial hair! And what’s with every other Internet article alluding “Sam’s Town†to Bruce Springsteen?

 

Last January, The Killers headlined Australia’s annual Big Day Out music festival and it was during an exclusive one-on-one session with Mark Stoermer at Melbourne’s Grand Hyatt that the big Boss question was brought up.

 

“I think that was really blown out of proportion because Brandon did a couple of interviews while we were writing the songs and people were asking him what he was listening to and he said he was inspired by Springsteen,†Stoermer said.

 

Labeled by fans as the “quiet giant,†the 6’5†Stoermer was quick to add, “We still like all the other bands we liked before and as individuals we have our own influences … I mean we respect Bruce Springsteen as an artist but he’s just one of hundreds [that influenced our music now.]â€

 

I gave the album a spin for the 10th time, and I started to see where Stoermer was getting at. If at all, “Sam’s Town†has taken its cues from U2’s “The Joshua Tree,†combining rootsy Americana with chorus-laden arena anthems. It’s no surprise that the album’s legendary producers, Alan Moulder and Mark “Flood†Ellis, were individually responsible for some of U2’s most memorable work, including the aforementioned album.

 

Working with two of the industry’s elite, according to Stoermer, was like having “professors of our own. We would play the songs and they would kind of sit there and say ‘I think this is good because of this’ and ‘maybe this one needs work.’ They didn’t necessarily dictate ideas, they tried to draw ideas out of you. And I think it worked out really well, because we really don’t want anyone else to get in our creative circle before.â€

 

Platinum

 

Despite initial mixed reviews, “Sam’s Town†has gone on to dispute the curse of the sophomore slump. It debuted at No. 2 on Billboard, and at No. 1 on the UK and Canadian charts. It looks like The Killers are making their detractors cringe. In its four months in the market, the album has become platinum, selling more than 2.5 million copies worldwide.

 

“When You Were Young†topped the US Modern Rock charts and is a unanimous perfect single to set the tone for the album, showcasing Keuning’s crafty guitar work and the heavier beats from Vannucci that make Flowers’ warble seem, well, endearing. The follow-up “Bones†is a frenzied cacophony of organs, horns and synths interspersed with a multi-track chorus. Albeit not as successful as its predecessor, its music video is in itself a masterpiece, directed by cult favorite Tim Burton (“Edward Scissorhands,†“Charlie and the Chocolate Factoryâ€).

 

Perhaps the gem to be unearthed from “Sam’s Town†is the latest release, “Read My Mind.†According to Flowers in a recent radio interview, this is “the best song they have ever written†and even Rolling Stone would have to agree, honoring it No. 12 on its list of The 100 Best Songs of 2006.

 

There is only one word to aptly describe it -- fun. During the band’s impressive sold-out concert at Festival Hall in Melbourne, “Read My Mind†got the 7,500-member audience dance like there was no tomorrow and singing “I don’t mind if you don’t mind/ ‘coz I don’t shine if you don’t shine†in pristine unison, which is commendable for a song that hasn’t even been out at radio as of press time.

 

Directed by the renowned Diane Martel, “Read My Mind†was shot in Tokyo during the band’s Japan tour in early January. Why Japan? “Japan is always interesting,†said Stoermer. “We love it so much there, probably ‘coz it’s the most different from where we come from.†The video is quintessentially quirky Japanese: from arcades, Shibuya crossing and a green Gachapin mascot to geishas, capsule hotels and a dancing Elvis impersonator. I asked if there was any thought put into the video concept, to which he laughs. “It was just our attempt to make a light-hearted video. I guess [the video] is our concept, or our perception about being in Japan. It wasn’t meant to be over-analyzed.â€

 

This sort of carefree thinking was applied to “Sam’s Town’s†birth process as well. “I don’t think you could force something if you tried, it wouldn’t be very good if you did. People were always asking “What were you thinking going into this record?†We were kind of thinking the same thing when we did “Hot Fuss.†We wrote the songs the same manner as before, it’s just we’re different people now so something came out of us that’s different.â€

 

Yes, “Sam’s Town†is “different,†all right. Some people felt disappointed and alienated by the band’s obvious divergence from the sound and image that catapulted them into the musical stratosphere in 2004. But give these guys a break. If there are any comparisons to be made between The Killers’ two studio releases, it would seem that the lyrics appear to be less contrived and definitely show the members’ maturity. Chief songwriter Flowers has moved on from writing about jealousy and questionable sexual affairs to deeper, darker topics that hit close to home. “My List†speaks about his devotion to his wife Tana Munblowsky (much to the dismay of girls everywhere). On my personal favorite “Bling (Confessions of a King),†Flowers confirms in another interview that the song was written about his alcoholic father. The eponymous title track impeccably introduces us to the running theme throughout the album of superseding their former destinies of being bellhops and pedicab drivers in “a two-star town†(“Read My Mind,†“Sam’s Town,†“For Reasons Unknownâ€).

 

Like it or not, The Killers have grown up, facial hair and all, and have earned the right to sing about Uncle Sam and success while wearing their best cowboy duds. After all, they are one of the best American bands that came from America.

 

SOURCE

wow, a very interesting read :wub: thanks for posting.

 

When U2, Coldplay and Robbie Williams cover your single (“All These Things That I’ve Doneâ€)

 

huh? when did they cover it? :unsure:

Is this bloke the lead singer?

Is this bloke the lead singer?

 

lol, nope bass and backing vocals. the lead singer is brandon flowers

wow, a very interesting read :wub: thanks for posting.

huh? when did they cover it? :unsure:

 

 

am not aware of that :mellow:

am not aware of that :mellow:

 

me neither, i knew coldplay had covered WYWY last year but not robbie and U2? :unsure:

me neither, i knew coldplay had covered WYWY last year but not robbie and U2? :unsure:

 

no, i don´t know about robbie :unsure: will be sure tomorrow ^_^

no, i don´t know about robbie :unsure: will be sure tomorrow ^_^

 

Which reminds me, how rude of you to make me spend valuable time on a Robbie :puke2: sig. <_<

 

Also, you call yourself a Robbie FAN. -_-

Edited March 8, 200718 yr by John Esteban

would you please stop spamming on here?

 

it is not related, at the inc thread please

Edited March 8, 200718 yr by Mayte

Not sure about U2, but I remember Robbie singing the lines of "All These Things That I've Done" at Live8 in 2005, you know the "I've got soul but I'm not a soldier" part, and later Brandon said he was flattered that he sung their song.

Not sure about U2, but I remember Robbie singing the lines of "All These Things That I've Done" at Live8 in 2005, you know the "I've got soul but I'm not a soldier" part, and later Brandon said he was flattered that he sung their song.

 

ohh yeah, i remember that now ^_^

ohh yeah, i remember that now ^_^

 

Still clueless about U2, though :lol:

Still clueless about U2, though :lol:

 

the only thing i could find on youtube about U2 and The Killers:

 

Lol, but that's not a cover of The Killers by U2, though.... Thanks for posting, I've never seen that.

Lol, but that's not a cover of The Killers by U2, though.... Thanks for posting, I've never seen that.

 

Lol, yeah i couldn't find anything else on youtube :unsure:

 

I've never seen that before either, i've watched it a few times now, i really like it :wub:

Lol, yeah i couldn't find anything else on youtube :unsure:

 

I've never seen that before either, i've watched it a few times now, i really like it :wub:

 

Same! I'm not the biggest U2 fan, though... I like some of their songs.

Same! I'm not the biggest U2 fan, though... I like some of their songs.

 

yeah, same. tbh honest i'd never heard that song before, but i really like it :heart:

yeah, same. tbh honest i'd never heard that song before, but i really like it :heart:

 

It's quite a nice song, and a nice collab as well.