There's always an excitement around the Strip whenever something new being built. It was always the biggest and the best hotel or, you know, over-the-top things. And so, family would be coming in from out of town, and it was such a thrill to be showing them this, you know, erupting new volcano or whatever it was.

Brandon Flowers

Categorized in : You Best New Family

When I was younger, I was chubby. It gave me a terrible sense of self-image, and I guess I carry that around with me still.

Brandon Flowers

self-image chubby sense me

Something happened in the nineties. There was a shift. I don't want to blame it on grunge or the rise of indie - but that was basically it. It was seen as dirty and kind of ignorant to have these ambitions, to want to be a big band.

Brandon Flowers

rise blame band want

I grew up with 'best-of' cassettes. My first Smiths record was 'Hatful Of Hollow,' and I had hits albums by Elton John and The Cars.

Brandon Flowers

hits first up hollow

In 50 years, I don't think you're gonna look back at 2006 and say, 'The good old days.'

Brandon Flowers

good look you good-old-days

I think people become reliant on coffee. And that can't necessarily be a good thing.

Brandon Flowers

good think coffee people

I've struggled with an identity sometimes; I don't know what exactly I am. I love so many types of music, and I don't want to commit to going down one road.

Brandon Flowers

i-am music identity love

I'm looking forward to getting older. I look at people like Peter Gabriel and Sting and even Tom Petty, Don Henley. People that didn't lose it. I'm hopefully going to join that club.

Brandon Flowers

looking look getting-older people

I live a normal life. But I'm always thinking about what I'm going to do next, musically. 'Do I need a fresh producer? What was Peter Gabriel doing when he was 32?'

Brandon Flowers

live doing life thinking

I have the same thing every day. I find it comforting. I have a banana, but I can never eat the whole banana. And I'll drink a couple of Actimels. And some kind of cereal with almond milk. And then after that, I have a Coke.

Brandon Flowers

every-day never day drink

'Human' was controversial within The Killers way before it was controversial to the rest of the world! It caused some problems within the band. Not to throw anybody under the bus, but it was pretty much me and Dave against Mark and Ronnie for a little while. We were standing up for the song.

Brandon Flowers

problems me song world

I'm definitely gonna do another solo record at some point. 'Flamingo' wasn't just me dipping my toes in the water. I really loved it. It was successful, and that helps, but I love those songs, and I miss singing them.

Brandon Flowers

me singing love water

Bands that say they don't care about how their records sell are liars.

Brandon Flowers

dont-care say how care

At home, I'm not a rock star. I wear dad-appropriate attire. I drive a truck. And we go out to the mountains to light fires and have barbecues. Even then, The Killers are usually in the back of my mind.

Brandon Flowers

drive light mind home

I understand what songs like 'Mr Brightside' mean to people. They will last forever.

Brandon Flowers

will understand forever people

You can't save the world with music. But I can try. I have the same job as Bruce Springsteen. I have to go as far as I can with it.

Brandon Flowers

job you music world

You can't compete with hip-hop. That doesn't mean I don't want to be as big as a rap star. I do - I'm always competitive. But there's this weird perception of me as someone who's sitting around plotting like a devil. It's not like that.

Brandon Flowers

weird me you devil

'Hot Fuss' was all based on fantasy. The English influences, the makeup - they were what I imagined rock was. I'm a dreamer, you know? So I dug into that dream and made 'Hot Fuss.' But hearing people call us 'the best British band from America' made me wonder about my family and who I was.

Brandon Flowers

best me you family

I think of talent as being God-given. I know that contradicts what a lot of people believe, but that's how I see it. I think the Beatles were meant to be, you know? So when I listen to Paul McCartney, I think, 'Here's the person that God gave the gift of allowing him to write 'Let It Be.'

Brandon Flowers

gift you god people

For the most part, the first thing people I meet that aren't Mormon say is, 'I grew up with a Mormon family. They're the nicest people I know.' So when I see these statistics that it's the most hated religion, I don't know where they're getting that from.

Brandon Flowers

know family people religion

The feathers have been retired to the London Hard Rock Cafe. I don't obsess about it as much. Also, it's strange - the better physical shape I get in, the less I care about what suit I'm covering myself up in. I'm not really out to flaunt it, but I'm just more comfortable in my own skin.

Brandon Flowers

skin better myself care