The Killers

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Lore & Background

The Killers' story begins in 2001 when Brandon Flowers was fired by his first band, a synth-pop trio called Blush Response. After attending an Oasis concert at the Hard Rock Hotel during The Tour of Brotherly Love, Flowers realized his calling was to be in a rock band. He found an ad in a Las Vegas newspaper placed by Dave Keuning, a 25-year-old guitarist who had moved from Iowa a year earlier. When they met in summer 2001, they bonded over similar musical influences and began writing songs together in Keuning's apartment. The first time they met, Keuning gave Flowers a four-track tape recording that contained an early riff of "Mr. Brightside". Flowers returned the next time with the lyrics and vocal melody. In November 2001, they recorded a demo at Kill the Messenger Studio in Henderson, Nevada, with drummer Matt Norcross, cutting two tracks: "Mr. Brightside" and "Desperate". A month later, they recorded "Under the Gun" and "Replaceable" with Keuning's roommate Dell Neal on bass. The band's name comes from a fictional band in the music video for the New Order song "Crystal", which Flowers was a fan of. Their first live show together was at an open mic night at Cafe Espresso Roma in Las Vegas in January 2002, advertised simply as "Killers". The band brought a unique style to the small Vegas music scene, which was dominated by punk, nu metal, and rap bands. One local reviewer wrote, "The Killers, thankfully, don't come across like any other band in town," describing their sound as a mix between the "pop styles of British music and the lo-fi fuzz of modern indie rock." By summer 2002, the band had fired Norcross and briefly replaced him with Brian Havens, who was also eventually fired. Neal later left for personal reasons. Ronnie Vannucci Jr. began practicing with the Killers shortly before Neal's departure. Vannucci was well known in the Las Vegas music scene, having played in bands such as Attaboy Skip and Expert in October since he was a teenager. He met the Killers in 2002 while playing in another local band called Romance Fantasy. Vannucci was initially reluctant to officially join, but agreed once he got to know Flowers and Keuning, who "were crazy as I was—maybe even crazier" about rehearsals. Vannucci's first show with the band was on August 30, 2002, at a club in Las Vegas called The Junkyard. Filling in on bass that night was Mark Stoermer, who was the lead guitarist for local progressive rock band the Negative Ponies. Vannucci had previously played a gig with Stoermer, and the band wanted Stoermer to join them permanently as their second guitarist. They had first approached him when they were considering turning the band into a five-piece, "possibly more like the Strokes, with a keyboard." Stoermer later said he could also play bass. The band continued as a three-piece, trying out other bassists until November 2002, when Stoermer accepted the invitation to join. Ryan Pardey, who booked many of the band's early shows, described them as "a great band when Ronnie and Mark joined. That's when they finally became a cohesive unit. What Ronnie did—he was the discipline—and Mark was just a solid musician." While walking through a Virgin Megastore in Las Vegas in 2002, Flowers noticed the album artwork on the then-new Elvis Presley compilation album ELV1S: 30 No. 1 Hits. Inspired to use a marquee sign motif as the band's logo, the band hired Vannucci's roommate's girlfriend to design it, and the logo has been used ever since. The four members began working on song ideas in Vannucci's garage by the end of 2002. After Vannucci sold his house, they snuck into the band room at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (where Vannucci was studying classical percussion) at night to practice. Despite most members still working day jobs, the group practiced from "midnight to four in the morning" for months. During this period, the band wrote much of its debut album, including the singles "Somebody Told Me" and "Smile Like You Mean It." The band continued playing at small venues around Las Vegas, often playing at the transgender bar Sasha's (later renamed Tramps). After label executives began flocking to Las Vegas to see the Killers perform, the band held a label showcase at Sasha's in May 2003. There, they caught the attention of Braden Merrick, an A&R rep for Warner Bros. Records who had come across their demo on a website dedicated to unsigned bands in the Las Vegas area. After attending a live show, he offered to help the band find a record deal, and eventually became their manager. He took the band to Berkeley, California, to record demos with former Green Day manager Jeff Saltzman. They sent the demo tapes to major U.S. record labels, and the band was invited to perform at a number of showcases but was not signed. The band then caught the eye of Alex Gilbert, an A&R rep from the United Kingdom. Gilbert took a demo with him to the UK and showed it to his friend Ben Durling, who worked at the newly formed independent label Lizard King Records. Despite not meeting the band in person, Lizard King offered the band a deal based on the strength of the five song demo. The Killers signed with Lizard King Records in the summer of 2003.

In Their Own Story

On August 19, 2003, the song "Mr. Brightside" premiered on DJ Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show in the UK. The Killers traveled to London the following month to spend a week playing at live music venues across the city. On September 29, 2003, "Mr. Brightside" was released in the UK on a limited number of CDs and vinyl records. Critical reviews were positive: NME noted the band's retro sound, commenting "The Killers steal so smartly, and with such mind-boggling variety." As a result of the buzz generated in the UK, a number of major labels in the US began showing strong interest, and they were invited to play at the ASCAP CMJ Music Marathon in New York City. They eventually signed with Island Def Jam. The band finished recording Hot Fuss in November 2003 with Jeff Saltzman. They decided to keep many of the previously recorded demos, as they felt they had a spontaneity that re-recordings would not have. Shortly afterwards they returned to London, having been invited to support British Sea Power on their UK tour. The band also worked with Alan Moulder at Eden Studios and Townhouse Studios mixing tracks for their upcoming album. They continued playing support slots during the first half of 2004, including touring both the US & UK with Stellastarr and opening for Morrissey on two occasions. The band filmed their first music video for the Spring 2004 release of "Somebody Told Me" which was to be the band's debut single in the US and second single in the UK. The band's first headline tour started in the UK in May 2004. During the spring and summer of 2004, the group played well-received sets at festivals across Europe and North America. The Killers released their debut album Hot Fuss on June 7, 2004, in the United Kingdom on Lizard King Records and a week later in the United States on Island Records. The track listing differed depending on territory: in the UK and Australia "Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll" replaces "Change Your Mind" as track eight. Upon release, Hot Fuss received generally favorable reviews from critics. Extensive touring and the success of the Grammy Award nominated singles "Somebody Told Me", "All These Things That I've Done" and "Mr. Brightside" led to the album becoming a commercial success. Hot Fuss reached number one in the UK in January 2005, seven months after its release, and has been certified 7× Platinum in both the UK and Ireland. It went on to spend more weeks on the UK Albums chart than any other album that decade, 173 weeks in total. In the US, the album reached its peak position of number seven in April 2005 and has been certified 3× Platinum. It reached the top spot in Australia in March 2005, where it was certified 3× Platinum. It has also been certified 3× Platinum in Canada, Platinum in New Zealand and Gold in Argentina, Belgium, Germany and France. "Mr. Brightside" has been downloaded 3.7 million times in the United States as of July 2017 and certified Diamond. The Killers were named the World's Best Selling New Group at the 2005 World Music Awards.

Reader's Guide

The Killers' music is available as downloadable content in the Rock Band video game franchise. Players can perform tracks like "Mr. Brightside" and "Somebody Told Me" using the series' signature instrument peripherals. The game mechanics translate the band's signature vocals and driving guitar riffs into note charts that players must synchronize with on-screen scrolling notes to maintain score multipliers. Success is measured by accuracy meters and crowd reaction animations. As players master these tracks, they unlock higher difficulty settings. In Rock Band, players do not control pre-made versions of real-world artists like The Killers directly. Instead, the franchise emphasizes user-generated identity through its avatar creation suite found in the band setup menu. Players build their own virtual band members from scratch, selecting specific features for vocals, guitar, bass, and drums roles. Customization options include hair colors, clothing styles, and accessories. While no official Brandon Flowers avatar exists, players often choose sharp suits or retro sunglasses to match the band's signature look during performances. Instruments are also customizable with different finishes and colors. The integration of The Killers' catalog serves as a challenge for these custom bands. High-difficulty charts require coordinated play across all instruments, simulating the energy of a live concert experience. Players can record performances to share with the community.

Did You Know?

• The band's name comes from a fictional band in the music video for the New Order song 'Crystal'.
• Brandon Flowers was fired by his first band, a synth-pop trio called Blush Response, before forming The Killers.
• The first time Dave Keuning and Brandon Flowers met, Keuning gave Flowers a four-track tape containing an early riff of 'Mr. Brightside'.
• The Killers' logo was inspired by the album artwork on the Elvis Presley compilation ELV1S: 30 No. 1 Hits, and was designed by Vannucci's roommate's girlfriend.
• Hot Fuss spent 173 weeks on the UK Albums chart, more than any other album that decade.