NME MAGAZINE may 7,2005

The only thing Brandon Flowers hates more than his increasingly arch rock rivals The Bravery is complicated press. Flowers is the first Killer to arrive at the Viva Las Vegas Villas, the studiedly decrepit hotal on the old strip where Noel Gallagher wed Meg Mathews on Valetine's Day in 1997. He's brought his own Le Sportsac make-up pouch and must have been deep in it when the order was placed because the delivery man arrives with nothing but topping-covered pepperoni and vegetarian pies. Drummer Ronnie Vannucci, guitarist Dave Keuning and bassit Mark Stoermer obligingly help themselves to slices while Flowers complains that no-one ever consults him about his needs (plain cheese, Brandon 'watches') Fearing he's already in a bad mood, NME decides to warm up by asking something uncontroversial like how well the band knows their fans. "I think they are vary from 40-year-old men that were into the same music that we were, through girls that are 15 and going throgh alot of changes," the seemingly game Flowers summeries from behind his Nico-style shades. Over 1000 of them have sent their questions to NME, so let's get started on interrogating Vegas' finest.

Questions:

Why, in "Smile like you mean it", do the lyrics read, "looking back at sunsets on the eastside" when the sun sets in the west? - Lauren, Australia
Brandon: I know the sun sets in the west! (Laughs) Eastside refers to where you're watching the sun set.

One of your new songs "Where is She?" is yet another murderous tale. What is it about, Brandon? Flana, Scotland
Brandon: Ironically enough, it's about a girl that was murdered in Scotland. I was watching it on the news when we were in Glasgow. This teenage kid asked his girlfriend to come to his house and he was waiting in the woods on the way to his house. It was dark and he just brought her in there and cut her up. It's written from her mother's perspective.

Ronnie, my friend gave you an Animal Muppets toy - do you take it to bed to keep you company on the road? Jessie, High Wycombe
Ronnie: It's actually under my bed. Animal is one of my idols and inspirations for drumming, so I put that in a special mementos case under my bed.

How can I survive high school? - Mak Lauratne, Vancouver
Brandon: Move to America
Dave: It's your fast chance to be on the track team!
Ronnie: Don't be such a pussy, it's only high school. Life only gets worse!

Where did you get your fabulous pink blazer? - Jill, London
Brandon: New York - it's Dior

Brandon and Dave, alot of people think you are together in a gay manner because of how Brandon touches Dave's chest during live performances. What do you say to that? - Burcu Emec, Toronto
Dave: None of us are gay.
Brandon: It's hard if you narrow the question down to only that I touch Dave's chest - I touch Mark's too and sometimes the mic table's just not long enough to get to Ronnie's.

What brand of eyelinger do you use and have you ever thought of bringing out a Killers brand to sell as merchandise? ?Magli? and Kat, Stockton on Ives
Brandon: (Dead pan) I use a Sharpie (black permanent marker)
Dave: Brandon! Now someone will try that and ruin their eyes!

Who are your fashion icons? Claire, London
Brandon: I don't think it's anybody specific - we like people who change, King Bowie and U2 and The Beatles

When do we get to hear 'Leave the Bourbon on The Shelf? (The Killers' three-song high-concept mini-flim accompanying 'Jenny was a friend of mine' and Midnight Show') The suspense is killing us! Laura, Teabury Wells
Brandon: We're looking into it?

I am well aware Brandon has or is getting married but seeing as how he's a Mormon, can he have more than one wife? Laura, Burmingham
Brandon: (Laughs) No. It's illegal. They can wait for the law to pass though.

What happened to the flower brooch you used to wear - I miss it? Jessie, High Wycombe
Brandon: I still have the flower pin! It goes through a lot of stressful things, and it's been all over the world now. It's in a humidor right now, but it'll be back

What's your take on groupies and if the response is positive, please notify me immediatly as I'll take it upon myself to be their best and most dedicated. - Kate, Fleet
Ronnie: Some of them are actually cool and if they're feeling you know, randy then we pass 'em down to Wyatt. (Wyatt Boswell is Brandon's best friend and The Killers' frequent touring companion)

Pete or Carl?
Everyone: Gary!
Brandon: Will you put we all love Gary? Noy Pete or Carl, just Gary. We always have this thing with Gary - we were at the NME awards and there he was and we were just like, "Gary!!"

Boxers, briefs, or nothing? - Jennifer
Mark: ( CAN'T READ IT  ) Brandon:
and the nothing - usually the nothing because we run out of underwear and don't end up having time to wash them. The last tour, the last month, I was just turning my socks inside out and wearing no underwear.
Ronnie: Low rise black briefs!
Dave: Oh - and I like low-rise too!

What's your favourite type of cheese? Samuel, London
Brandon: American
Ronnie: Pepper Jack
Dave: Brie
Mark: Sharp chedder
Ronnie: Dave's a cheese connoesseur
Dave: Yeah, actually I'm going to change my choice. My favourite, which I've only had a couple of times is cheese with apricots in it - now that's a really good cheese.

Would Brandon like my last Rolo? Amanda, Bedford
Brandon: I'll take it!

How long did it take you to put rhinetones on your keyboard? Mariam, Canada
Ronnie: He's fucking fast now
Brandon: The first time it took forever - we were being really perfect about it
Ronnie: He nailed that whole stand in 15 minutes. I'm getting ready to buy him and give him my drum set. Go!

What exactly happened when you guys went to Japan? I read on the internet that you went on a mad coke binge and had sex with underage Japanese prositiutes, including the daughter of a Japanese ambassador - Tom, London
Dave: We were in Japan but I don't know anything about this. They probably have us confused with a different band.
Ronnie: Scratch that - our new answer to that question is: Yeah, so?
NME: The story is you guys were in some bar...
Brandon: With our penises out. Yeah, we've heard about this story. We aren't so brave.

What do you guys have against The Bravery? - Nicole, Tampa, Florida
Brandon: People compare The Bravery to The Killers and The Bravery are offended. I took offence to that. I mean, we sold them our van, they use our press people...
NME: You actually sold them your van?
Brandon: When we moved up to a bus, yeah. I mean, we've done nothing but open doors for them. That's all we're saying - they could have been more gracious about that.

When did you realise that your fans were this perverted? Claire, Paddington
Dave: You'd be surprised by what we've learned on the road...

Post-inquisition, The Killers' thoughts turn to their new video for "All these things I've done" to be directed by the legendary Joy Division/U2/Depeche Mode photographer Anton Corbijn. "We have these girls that are called the Killers sluts. We fight them with boomerangs!" Flowers explains gleefully. If cute, ???? up girls get the deadly boomerang treatment, what would the weapon of choice for The Bravery, we wonder...