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Brandon Flowers @ Ancienne Belgique, Brussels – Videos

27 September 2010 by Cider Leave a comment

27 September 2010 – Ancienne Belgique, Brussels, Belgium

Crossfire

When You Were Young

Filed under Uncategorized Tagged with Brandon Flowers, Brussels, Flamingo, Videos

Brandon Flowers Talks to Vanity Fair About Flamingo

13 September 2010 by Cider Leave a comment

Complete Transcript: Brandon Flowers on His Solo Debut, Flamingo

by Marc Spitz SEPTEMBER 13 2010

Image courtesy of Press Here Publicity.

The October 2010 Fanfair section features a brief profile of Brandon Flowers, lead singer of The Killers, by music writer Marc Spitz (“Gambling Solo”). In this VF.com exclusive, Spitz shares the transcript of his interview of Flowers, whose debut solo album, Flamingo, comes out tomorrow.

Marc Spitz:While listening to Flamingo, someone following your career might say, “Here’s a guy who has finally become a master of a certain quality of song.” You can tell that it’s you and I’m not sure that’s always been the case.

Brandon Flowers: As I get older I wanna find that niche and ride it. I’m starting to get excited by the fact that they’re starting to be recognizable as mine. Has it been a struggle to get to that point?

It’s been an evolution. I was so young when the Killers started. I was 21. I’m proud of those songs, but there’s no way I would write “Somebody Told Me,” as I get older. Especially after having kids.

Do you feel older?

I feel older, yeah. (Laughs.) It’s not something that I am sad about either. I’m embracing it.

Are you 30 yet?

Turning 30 next June. Embracing the gray hair.

I read that some of these solo songs were going to be possible early material for a future Killers record. Why put them out now?

It’s still how indefinite how long our break is going to be. I thought, I can’t sit on these songs. I love to write and I don’t want to come to the table the next time the Killers get together with 50 songs. That would be unfair to them and it would be difficult for me. I really want the next Killers album to be a collaboration.

As a fan of pop-music history, you must know there are some artists who do that solo record that’s as big or bigger than the band records. Phil Collins is probably the quintessential example. And there are some that are consciously smaller efforts, like, “I’m gonna go play jazz with these guys.” Yours already has a hit single and seems consciously high-profile. Was it something you discussed with them? The size of the album.

They know me well enough to know I’d be going for it. I always thought it’d be strange that people would not go for it. Or that people would limit themselves or only want a certain demographic to listen to their music. So it’s definitely no surprise to the other guys that there’s going to be a couple of big songs on this record.

The Phil Collins option.

(Laughs.) Yeah.

If you listen to songs from New York artists they’re not really conflicted as far as good and evil. But with West Coast pop there seems to be a long history of writing about sin and redemption—The Gilded Palace of Sin, “Hotel California.” There’s always such a struggle, and Flamingo mines that same struggle in a modern way.

It’s always been a part of my life. Growing up in Las Vegas, it was the ultimate rock ‘n’ roll city. It prepared me for this life that I was thrown into. That I dove into. It’s always that push and pull as I’ve gone out into the world and travel and meet people I think a lot of imagery that adapts nicely to those experiences I’ve had.

You can’t escape it. There are slot machines in the convenience stores.

It’s everywhere. Even in the grocery store there’s a room that has 10 or 15 slots.

Being from Vegas has always a calling card but you seem to be writing about the city much more explicitly than ever before.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve wanted to represent Las Vegas more. Represent the Southwest. It’s a magical place. The desert. I do understand people’s criticisms, but it’s a magical place and a beautiful city even thought there are a lot of things that are wrong with it. It’s something that I wanted to be all over this record. It’s what I am. It’s where I’m from.

You’re like the Lou Reed of Vegas. Writing portraits of its denizens in a novelistic way with a lot of confidence.

At first it was a reaction to Hot Fuss. I’d never heard the word “Anglophile.” I had to look that up. Then I realized, “Yeah, O.K., so, who am I? What the hell’s going on here? I’m from Nevada and Utah and people think I’m British.” So it did make me look inside myself.

There’s more gambling metaphors on this record than on Exile on Main Street. It’s a great motif in rock ‘n’ roll. You don’t gamble yourself, do you?

People that grow up here, there’s always one or two that are messed up from gambling. I see it in my dad. You get addicted to gambling. He has the tendency and I believe I have the tendency too. There’s a real excitement that comes from it. So I try to stay away from it.

A lot of songs on this record really remind me of that period in the very late 80s and early 90s when bands like Cutting Crew, Mr. Mister, and Level 42 released these great pop singles that will be played forever, but it wasn’t really about being dandy or New Wave anymore. It was more about the songs. Kind of post-haircut New Wave.

It’s exhausting to try to keep up with the fashion that’s involved with it. It is something I’m conscious of. I’d rather let the song live and, as I get older, I’m less absorbed with the clothing. The older I get, I just wanna write good songs.

So are you de-dandyfying? Not the peacock you were when you were 25?

Especially as the kids keep coming. I have two boys now and another one on the way.

You can’t play catch in sequined jackets and feathers.

I’m still conscious of an aesthetic—the rock ‘n’ roll pomp, it’s very important. Morrissey’s pompadour. Robert Smith’s makeup. Ian McCullough’s overcoat. I’m just trying to find that balance

So what are you wearing now?

Ralph Lauren. It’s always been something I’m attracted to. I feel very good in it. I feel like I belong out here in the Mojave Desert when I’m wearing it.

Original Interview at Vanity Fair

Filed under Uncategorized Tagged with Brandon Flowers, Flamingo, Interview