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>> Review: Day and Age
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Killers: Better Than Zepp and Nirvana?
Ambitious frontman Brandon Flowers hopes to dethrone the rock legends to become the best band in the U.S.
By Melissa Goldstein 04.30.09 9:36 AM
The Killers may be popular in the U.S. -- but they're bonafide mega stars in Europe. Singer Brandon Flowers has a theory about why that is:
More Killers on SPIN.com:
>> Review: Day and Age
>> Five Artists That Should Play Las Vegas
>> Killers Dazzle in Hometown Tour Opener
"With this last album [Day and Age] there's been a noticeable shift but we're still nowhere near where we are in Europe," Flowers told NME.com of his band's U.S. popularity. "[In America] people are still so obsessed with Led Zeppelin and Nirvana, those sorts of bands -- nobody else is allowed [to grow]," he said. "It's not just us; there are a lot of great bands that have been held down or confined by the influence of these people that we've put up on pedestals."
So what's a glam-rock frontman who's buddies with Jared Leto and Kanye West to do? "I just want to knock them all off!" he declared.
But Flowers is self-aware enough to know that not everyone takes kindly to Sopranos-style talk of "knocking off" rock legends.
"People don't like that attitude," he admitted. "It's almost like they don't believe that it's possible that anybody else can be the real deal. It doesn't matter how many great songs we write or how many great shows we play. But we're slowly chipping away at it."
The Killers will always be a tiny spot on every good rock band's collective ass.
flowers is just trying to drawn the attention of U>S music fans by attacking the legends. DONT BUY IT. the killers were done after the second album came out and flowers started wearing feathers on his shoulders.
end in end the killers are a terrible sell out and should not be encourage to go on as a band
Yes. And Miley Cyrus will someday be the new Billie Holiday....
I think Brandon Flowers comes off a little smug... all the time. The Killers may be bigger in europe but there are different styles of people there that have different interests, which obviously makes up a different market. I am personally not a Killers fan, I don't think they write bad music, but I have listened to, and definitely won't buy an album. With that being said I also don't Idolize Nirvana, or Zeppelin, but I do own a few albums from both bands and it is good music, but there is much more out in North America that is great music and I wouldn't stereotype them to be "Nirvana or Zeppelin sounding". Long story short, Times have changed since the Zeppelin and Nirvana eras, Brandon get over it. Peace
did he even suggest that the Killers are better than Led Zeppelin or Nirvana?
People ignore that there are good bands out *right now* because they're too busy listen to people who are either dead or washed up.
I don't like the Killers tho
What a joke. They are by far the worst band in the history of mankind. Yes, even worse than Air Supply.
There's no way this would ever be possible.
The Killers are alright, but comparing them to Zeppelin and Nirvana is like comparing Lil Wayne to The Beatles.
Not even close.
-Stephen
The Killers don't have room to talk. They don't even come close to Nirvana or Led Zep!
The Killers are the BEST band in the world right now and over the last few years they have got better and better, that is why they are wanted to headline festivals and concerts all over the world. It is also refreshing to hear Brandon always speak his mind.
I think there are valid points for both sides of the argument. Zep&Nirvana are classics, yes. However, that doesn't mean that bands after them..i.e. The Killers can't be classified as good bands. I don't listen to either Zep or Nirvana and can appriciate they are classic bands..but I do prefer to listen to the Killers.. AND...if you like the Killers, you do happen to like The Killers, You should check out this band called Malbec from LA ( http://cli.gs/VZmvrM ). They are pretty Legit and are rather refreshing...they can't be compared to Nirvana...that'd be like comparing apples and oranges..can't be done.
20 years from now there is going to be a band that wants to knock My Chemical Romance and the Killers off the charts. You just wait ;)
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