The Killers
The Killers is an American alternative rock. Originally from Las Vegas in Nevada, was established in 2002 and consists of Brandon Flowers, David Brent "Dave" Keuning, Mark Stoermer and Ronald "Ronnie" Vannucci Jr.
Their music is influenced by the unavoidable references 80 and 90 years as Depeche Mode, Oasis, David Bowie, Duran Duran, New Order and The Smiths. With this mix and musical maturity, their first album Hot Fuss (2004) is a critical success and worldwide. The group soon not have to begin recording and the release of their second album Sam's Town (2006). Follows a compilation of new songs, new and B-sides entitled Sawdust (2007). The combined sales of these 3 albums reached the 12 million copies and assured the Killers as a value on the international scene. They returned to lead it with the release of their latest album Day and Age on 24 November 2008.
Group members
* Brandon Flowers (born Brandon Richard Flowers in Henderson Nevada on 21 June 1981): songwriter, vocals, synthesizer, piano, bass (occasionally). Benjamin a Mormon family of six children, he is old Scottish and Lithuanian. Before joining the group, he was groom to the Gold Coast Hotel-Casino.
* Dave Keuning (born David Brent Keuning to Pella in Iowa on 28 March 1976): songwriter, vocals, guitar. He moved to Las Vegas in 2000 to be closer to the latest musical trends. He took the opportunity to work in a clothing store "Banana Republic" at the hotel and casino The Venetian.
* Mark Stoermer (Mark August Stoermer born in Houston, Texas on 28 June 1977): songwriter, vocals, bass, guitar. Of German origin and born of an Australian father, he moved to Las Vegas where he took some courses in music and philosophy at the University of Nevada.
* Ronnie Vannucci Jr. (born in Las Vegas in Nevada on 15 February 1976): songwriter, drums. Originally from Italy, he won a first prize of drums at the age of 10 years. He joined the University of Nevada, and gives drum lessons while integrating groups like "Atta Boy Skip" or "Romance Fantasy." It finally becomes the newest member of the Killers and allows the formation of new practice on the premises of the university. After endless rehearsals, he decided to stop his work as a photographer at the Little Chapel of the Flowers."
The Beginnings (2001-2003)
It all began in 2001 when Brandon Flowers was abandoned by his first band Blush Response for refusing to follow the rest of training in Los Angeles. After their departure, he read a local newspaper named "Las Vegas Weekly and came across an announcement of future guitarist Dave Keuning in which he expressed his desire to form a group that would include in its influences Oasis. Citing this group, Brandon sees a sign of destiny and the two men meet. The current passes between them very quickly and the two musicians quickly up their first hit "Mr. Brightside." They will be looking for a drummer and a bassist to complete the training. After several auditions, they found Ronnie Vannucci Jr. and Mark Stoermer qualified for these roles. The quartet is now trained and their choice in the name of the group is focused on "The Killers": a name on the bass drum of a fictional scene set in the clip video "Crystal" by New Order.
The group plays for the first time in a bar in Las Vegas "The Ritual". While foaming halls of the city, they catch the attention of a British representative for Warner Bros., to whom they offer their demo. Do not follow their meeting, the representative still shows this demo to a friend working for the English label Lizard King, who they eventually sign.
Hot Fuss (2003-2006)
The Killers released their first album Hot Fuss on June 7 at 2004 Lizard King Records, and the United States and France on 15 June of that year with Island Records and Universal. The success is not coming: 1 number of charts in England, Ireland and Australia, a 7th place in the United States and the album will become world even in 8th position in the charts hexagonal. The group is illustrated especially with their first two singles "Somebody Told Me" and "Mr. Brightside" real cards in the UK and overseas. Their follow "All These Things That I've Done" and "Smile Like You Mean It". In addition, the buzz is powered by blankets, topics and interviews with magazines such as Magic, revue pop moderne, Les Inrockuptibles, Rolling Stone or NME encensent that their first opus. The medium of television is no exception: the clip of "Somebody Told Me" and "Mr. Brightside" are in heavy rotation on MCM, M6 Music Rock and MTV to name a few.
It was at this time that the four boys make an appearance in the second season of American Newport Beach where they play their own role. In July 2005, they are making a notable appearance at the Live 8 concert where they perform "All These Things That I've Done" whose motto "I've got a soul but I'm not a soldier" will be taken over by U2, Coldplay and Robbie Williams during their performance. On November 5 2005, Bono invites Brandon on stage in Las Vegas during their Vertigo tour to sing "In a Little While", a title that appears on their tenth album: All That You Can not Leave Behind.
In the end, Hot Fuss elapse of almost 6 million copies worldwide, including 3 million in the U.S. and 150,000 copies in France. In England, the album has a nice life, being regularly in the top 100 weekly.
Sam's Town and Sawdust (2006-2008)
The group's second album Sam's Town, was released on 2 October 2006 in Europe and October 3, 2006 in the United States. This opus, described by Brandon himself as "one of the best albums of the last twenty years", has received rave least, which does not include sales of spiral: a week of operation, Sam's Town sold over 700,000 copies in himself at the top of charts English, Irish and Canadian. He obtained an honorable including 2nd place in their country but a disappointing 30th place in France. However, the symbolic one million copies is quickly reached in January 2007. This album are four singles from the first "When You Were Young" hangs 5th place on the platforms for download in England, then at its physical output, it herself second place. Then a "Bones" succeeds him in November. Its output is especially noticed by her video clip directed by Tim Burton. Eventually in February "Read My Mind" and June "For Reasons Unknown."
In the middle of their world tour, the group stopped in London to record a Christmas song "A Great Big Sled" - whose entire profits back to Product Red - but also an acoustic session in the legendary Abbey Road Studios . There are several tracks on their latest album but also a title that has been the success of Dire Straits "Romeo and Juliet." This recovery will be among the dozens of songs that make up Sawdust. On 9 November 2007, this compilation is born. There are B-sides, new songs as well as new and takeovers. The first single is "tranquilizer" a collaboration with Lou Reed released in October 2007. The compilation consists among others of "Shadowplay," a reprise of the group Joy Division, which will be used as soundtrack of the film about the life of the leader Ian Curtis: Control, "Leave The Bourbon On The Shelf" which closes the trilogy of murder with "Midnight Show" and "Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine", and "Move Away" used as a soundtrack for Spider-Man 3. One month after the release of "Sawdust", the group released their second Christmas song "Do not Shoot Me Santa" whose funds are once again returned to "Product Red".
After these two years the group has participated in over 200 concerts and festivals together, more than 4.5 million copies of Sam's Town have been sold worldwide. As for Sawdust, it has a sales exceeding 500,000 copies.
Day and Age (2008-present)
This third album, was released on 24 November 2008 in Europe and on 25 November 2008 in the world. Produced by Stuart Price - who has already worked with the group on the 'Thin White Duke' remix of 'Mr Brightside' and Sawdust - the first single is "Human" and was released on 23 September. The band released as every year for the third time, a Christmas song in December 2008, this is "Joseph, Better You Than Me", a collaboration with Elton John.
Albums
* 2004: Hot Fuss
* 2006: Sam's Town
* 2007: Sawdust
* 2008: Day and Age
Singles
* March 2004: Somebody Told Me
* May 2004: Mr Brightside
* August 2004: All These Things That I've Done
* May 2005: Smile Like You Mean It
* September 2006: When You Were Young
* November 2006: Bones
* December 2006: A Great Big Sled
* February 2007: Read My Mind
* June 2007: For Reasons Unknown
* October 2007: tranquilizer
* December 2007: Do not Shoot Me Santa
* September 2008: Human
* February 2009: Spaceman
* May 2009: The World We Live In
* June 2009: A Fairytale Dustland
Read also Scorpions
wikipedia
