The Killers Record Collection from Q Magazine (scans)

Sitting on the dock of the bay – from the F8 party

22 September 2011: F8 Conference Party

Sitting On The Dock of The Bay

Brandon and Dave Play at F8 Party

To celebrate the announcement of Facebook Music, Sean Parker hosted an exclusive party at the end of the F8 conference in San Francisco which featured half of The Killers. With Ronnie on tour in Europe with Big Talk and Mark absent, Brandon and Dave took the stage with Jake and Darren from Brandon’s Flamingo band.

The Killers Q Magazine Cover

Q Magazine turns 25 with their November 2011 issue and to celebrate there will be 25 different covers to collect, including one featuring The Killers.  Q Issue 303 goes on sale 27th September, and to ensure that you get The Killers cover you can order it online at Great Magazines. They will ship worldwide.

This issue is also the issue which includes a copy of U2’s Achtung Baby covers album, which The Killers are said to have contributed to.

Big Talk at Neon Reverb Review from Las Vegas Weekly

Neon Reverb: Big Talk’s big surprise

By Corlene Byrd

Big Talk helps close out Neon Reverb Sunday at Beauty Bar

Photo: Corlene Byrd

A couple years ago I ran into Ronnie at the airport. We hadnʼt seen each other for a while at the time, so as a token of our friendship, I offered him half of my sandwich. Can you believe this megaplatinum drummer from a world-renowned rock band actually ate half of my sandwich. The nerve of that guy. Then, he bought a sandwich, and offered me half.

Thatʼs Ronnie Vannucci. A real charmer. Iʼd be faking you out if I said I wasnʼt a fan. I have seen every band heʼs been in. Attaboy Skip, Expert on October, Romance Fantasy and a band called The Killers. But I’m used to him being the drummer. He looks different now. I can see his shoes.

Big Talk is his newer-than-not solo project. When RV takes a break from music, he passes the time by playing more music. This is his first known project where heʼs not the drummer. Heʼs the one singing the songs now. What better way to acclimate yourself to a situation than to just jump in, guerilla style. Play a local bar or two, without a powerhouse touring/booking/promotion agency behind you, and relive the burn of grassrooting. He seemed thoroughly entertained by the quaintness and intimacy of the stage vs. audience setup of this venue, taking advantage of the awkwardness of the situation by engaging in conversation with a few fans watching close to the stage.

Big Talkʼs “surprise” set was sandwiched right between Dude City and Rusty Maples for Neon Reverb’s wrap party. The show was announced informally, through social networking sites late Sunday afternoon, so the attendance was no different from an average Beauty Bar show, maybe 100 people, give or take. That’s not very many when you’ve played to millions, but RV seemed right at home, pouring his heart out.

He sounded good doing it despite the technical difficulties. The stage monitors were making it hard for the band to hear it was doing, but it didnʼt seem to trouble the performance. I’m sure all of the musicians in the band are used to top-of-the-line sound systems, but this was Beauty Bar. Donʼt get me wrong, itʼs a fine place, but once youʼve played the best stages on Earth, I can see where this would leave something to be desired.

The camaraderie of the band played a big role in the performance. RV has proved he can write a song—and sing it. But more importantly, there is a brotherhood delivering these songs. The brotherhood is clearly of value to RV, and itʼs obvious to me that’s the reason he was itching to do this. He seems to get just as much joy from bantering with his bandmates as he does from performing their signature retro-pop tunes.

Vannucci has known two members of his band for … a really long time. Long enough to give his Big Talk other half and guitar player, Taylor Milne, a nice kiss on the cheek midway through the set. Knowing all that makes you warm and fuzzy. You know what makes me warm and fuzzy? The fact that RV is the person who got me started doing band photography, which is how I ended up writing this article you are reading.

Ronnie Vannucci sure looks different now, and I like his shoes.

Original article at Las Vegas Weekly

Interview with Ronnie from iPad and iPhone User Magazine

Big Talk at Neon Reverb: Videos

11 September 2011 – Neon Reverb, Beauty Bar, Las Vegas

Replica

Interview with Ronnie Vannucci from NME

September 9, 2011

The Killers: ‘The Next album is going to have more guitars’

Drummer and Big Talk man Ronnie Vannucci confirms the band will hit the recording studio next month

The Killers‘ next album will have a more guitar-heavy sound, according to drummer Ronnie Vannucci.

Speaking to NME, Vannucci – who makes music as Big Talk – hinted that The Killers‘ new sound would differ from 2008’s Stuart Price-helmed ‘Day & Age’ album.

He said: “The next album is going to have more guitars. It’s about fucking time!”

Vannucci also confirmed that the band were set to hit the studio. “In October we’re going to start recording in Nashville,” he said. “It’s up in the air who’s going to produce it, I can’t officially say.” He continued:

We have some people in mind, but I don’t want to piss people off and say who it is. All last month we’ve been writing some great Killers songs, it’s really happening. I’m really looking forward to doing this next record, it’s going to sound fucking great.

Vannucci, who is set to play some UK solo shows later this month as Big Talk, said that he was nervous about hitting the stage without his bandmates.

“I always get nerves, no matter what instruments I play, but it’s necessary, it’s vital,” he said. “It makes your voice go high, it’s nice.”

He promised the shows would be value for money. “We’re going have a good fucking time, it’s going to be a ball.” Vannucci added: “We’re going to have lots of fun – we’re going to a whisky distillery for a day!”

Asked about the success of Big Talk, Vannucci said: “Maybe [it’s successful] because it’s rock’n’roll. When you hear records by some of these guys it seems like they are more worried about their hair than the tunes and having a good time. It’s an honest record, it’s pure. It feels like I’m not trying to say anything big and it’s the right time for a record like that. ”

Big Talk play:

Glasgow The Arches (September 24)
Manchester Academy 3 (26)
London Scala (28)

Original Interview at NME

The Killers, VM World Party 31 August 2011 – Videos

31 August 2011 – VMWorld Party, The Venetian, Las Vegas

Somebody Told Me

Spaceman

Smile Like You Mean It

Somebody Told Me/Spaceman/For Reasons Unknown/Smile Like You Mean It

Human

Read My Mind

 

Human/A Dustland Fairytale/Moon River/Read My Mind

 

Mr. Brightside

 

Mr Brightside/All These Things That I’ve Done/Jenny Was A Friend of Mine/When You Were Young

 

Vote for Big Talk’s Replica on mtvU

It’s another round of voting, this time Big Talk’s Replica is in the running for mtvU’s The Freshman.  Votes determine which videos get into rotation on mtvU each week.  Big Talk are joint last at the moment with just over a day left to vote. So let’s at least make it respectable. We have shown we can do it for The Killers, now let’s show Ronnie our support too. You can vote here as many times as you want.