The Killers are an American rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada. Formed in 2002, the group consists of Brandon Flowers (vocals, keyboards), Dave Keuning (guitar, vocals), Mark Stoermer (bass guitar, vocals) and Ronnie Vannucci Jr., (percussion, drums) with Ray Suen often providing support during live performances.Part of the post-punk revival movement, The Killers draw influence from music styles of the 1980s and 1990s. The group's debut album, Hot Fuss (2004) brought the band mainstream success. The Killers' second album, Sam's Town, was released in 2006, and the compilation album Sawdust containing B-sides, rarities, and new material, was released in 2007. The band's first two albums have sold in excess of 12 million copies worldwide combined. The group is currently working on their third album, entitled Day & Age, which is being produced by Stuart Price.In 2001, Brandon Flowers was abandoned by his first band, a synthpop band known as Blush Response,after he declined to move with the rest of them to Los Angeles, California. He then met David Keuning after responding to an ad that Keuning had placed in 'The Sun' newspaper. Ronnie Vannucci Jr. and Mark Stoermer were approached by Flowers and Keuning with an offer to join "The Killers", a name which comes from the bass drum of a fictional band in the music video for the New Order song "Crystal". Initially, The Killers played at large clubs in Las Vegas, Nevada. With the band's lineup stable and its repertoire of songs expanding, the band attracted the attention of a British representative for Warner Bros. Though the Warner Bros representative passed on the band, he took the demo back with him, showing it to a friend who worked at UK indie label Lizard King. The Killers signed that summer to the British label.The Killers released their album Hot Fuss in June 2004 in the United Kingdom on London-based indie record label Lizard King Records, and in United States on Island Records. Hot Fuss has been classified 4x Platinum by the BPI and 3x Platinum by RIAA.The band also had chart success with its singles "Mr. Brightside", which reached the Top 10 in the UK when released, and "All These Things That I've Done" However, their main mainstream success came when they scored a number three chart position with their re-release of "Somebody Told Me".The members of the band appeared as themselves in a 2004 episode of the teen television drama The O.C..In July 2005, The Killers performed on the London stage of the Live 8 concert. They performed "All These Things That I've Done". To their surprise, Robbie Williams incorporated the song's refrain "I've got soul but I'm not a soldier" into his own performance. Coldplay and U2 followed suit, and at their separate concerts played in Las Vegas, with The Killers in the crowd, they incorporated that famous line into the songs "God Put a Smile Upon Your Face" and "Beautiful Day", respectively.The Killers' second album, Sam's Town, was released in October 2006 under Island Def Jam Music Group. Brandon Flowers said that Sam's Town will be "one of the best albums of the past twenty years", though the album has received a mixed response from critics and fans. The album sold over 700,000 copies worldwide in the first week of release, with a number two debut on the Billboard chart.The record has sold over a million copies as of January 2007. The album has produced four singles in the United Kingdom and United States: "When You Were Young" released in September, "Bones" which was released in November, "Read My Mind" which was released in February, and "For Reasons Unknown" which was released in June. The first single from Sam's Town, "When You Were Young", entered the chart on downloads alone at number five, and the following week on its official release went to number two on the UK Singles Chart. The Killers recorded a live session at Abbey Road Studios for Live from Abbey Road on November 29, 2006.They performed an almost totally unplugged set, which included a rendition of the Dire Straits hit "Romeo and Juliet". In February 2007, The Killers attended the BRIT Awards in the United Kingdom, where they performed "When You Were Young". The band won two awards - International Group & International Album.The band released a compilation album called Sawdust, containing B-sides, rarities, and some new material, in November 2007. Sawdust has been classified Gold by the BPI. The album's first single "Tranquilize", a collaboration with Lou Reed, was released in October 2007. The band released a cover version of Joy Division's "Shadowplay" on the American iTunes Store that same month. The album also contains the songs "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town", (a The First Edition cover), "Romeo and Juliet", (a Dire Straits cover), and a rare demo version of "Move Away" which Brandon Flowers later stated was a mistake on the part of the band's record label; the proper version the group intended to put on the album was previously available on the Spider-Man 3 soundtrack. The Killers released a Christmas song called "Don't Shoot Me Santa" that December. The song, like "A Great Big Sled", benefits Bono's Product Red campaign to fight AIDS in Africa. The recording was not included on Sawdust.The Killers have been finishing work on a third album, which is scheduled to be released on November 24, 2008 in the UK and on November 25 elsewhere. Brandon Flowers confirmed the album's title as Day & Age in an interview with NME. The first single from the album was "Human", released on September 22. The band are reportedly releasing a third Christmas single in 2008, entitled "Joseph, Better You Than Me". The single, due to be released in December, is a duet with Elton John and does not feature on Day & Age.Much of The Killers' music is based on British influences and on the music of the 1980s. They appreciate post-punk bands that sprang up in the late 70s and early 80s, such as Joy Division (having recorded a cover of their song "Shadowplay"), other main influences include: The Cure, Pet Shop Boys, The Beatles, Oasis, New Order, Boy George ,Duran Duran, Dire Straits, David Bowie, The Smiths, Morrissey, Depeche Mode, U2, Queen, Electric Light Orchestra, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, Pink Floyd, Eagles, The Strokes, The Cars and Smashing Pumpkins.Since going platinum, the band (and principally Flowers) has incited a few rivalries - most notably with The Bravery and Fall Out Boy, who are both labelmates (Island Records). Flowers has said that these bands, especially The Bravery, are riding on the coattails of the success of The Killers. Additionally, in an article of NME, Flowers claimed Fall Out Boy was hogging the A&R man both bands share, setting off Fall Out Boy's bassist Pete Wentz. However, after Wentz made a couple of rants on his blog in September 2005, he offered a virtual cease-fire. Flowers has since apologized to The Bravery, Fall Out Boy, and Panic! at the Disco, saying "I'd like to take it all back - these people are just doing what they want to do, just like I am," and said that he was "not proud of" his occasional jealousy.In February 2006, The Killers' former manager, Braden Merrick, filed a lawsuit alleging breach of contract when he was fired in May 2005. Merrick's contract was to have run through 2007, and the two sides had been negotiating a settlement before the lawsuit was filed.[30] The Killers are currently fighting a lawsuit against ex-manager Braden Merrick under the California Labor Commissioner. Merrick is suing The Killers for $3 million for unpaid commissions. The band claims that Merrick booked employment without a license, and thus are seeking to void their management contract. Flowers was seen on camera outside the court with Keuning on TMZ.com on in December 2007 saying, "Well, we like people to be honest."
