The Killers Seek To De-Throne Led Zeppelin, Nirvana

The Killers have thrown down the gauntlet to American music fans, declaring they will knock Led Zeppelin and Nirvana "off their pedestals".

The Las Vegas band are currently in the middle of a north American tour, and frontman Brandon Flowers has told Nme.com he will use the dates to help repeat the success the band have already enjoyed in Britain. But first, they'll have to overcome the US public's listening prejudices.

"We’ve been embraced in Britain in a way that I’ll never understand, and it’s such a wonderful thing," he declared. "But over here [in America], people are still so obsessed with Led Zeppelin and Nirvana, those sorts of bands, that nobody else is allowed [to grow]."

He added: "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. I’m tired of it, you know? I just want to knock them all off! And people don’t like that attitude. 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. With this last album ['Day And Age'], there’s been a noticeable shift but we’re still nowhere near where we are in Europe."

Thanks for the report to Nme.com.

Comments

[Restlesscow]

Good for him.

[kalamari]

I welcome the wave of criticism that is about to hit this page

[str84ever]

kalamari wrote:

I welcome the wave of criticism that is about to hit this page

Good. Brandon needs to get off his ****ing high horse. I read in one interview that he said grunge was a load of shit and how it was overrated.

Then i sat back and thought "what a contradiction.." if grunge hadn't made it's way into the mainstream then alternative rock wouldn't have been established as a popular genre and where does that leave the killers?

Non existant.

Though on this article the title is a bit mis-leading he just sort of says that he wants to be recognised as a great band.

Though on my opinion of him when he says

"they don’t believe that it’s possible that anybody else can be the real deal."

It's quite possibly because your a run-of-the-mill band. Your songs are bland and boring. There are hundreds of bands out there at the moment doing the exact thing as the killers, they are nothing special.
When this wave of indie has died off no one will remember you and you will be reduced to an underground band who will play random gigs everywhere.

The killers aren't anything new they are just a product of a recycled genre - post rock revival or indie revival or whatever you want to call it.

Do you honestly think you will recieve critical acclaim from a genre which has all been done before 20 years ago?

[tancanada]

The guy above me said it. Led Zeppelin and nirvana at least played outside of their realm. The Killers just play radio friendly pop.

[Admiral Petty]

I don't really think that the bands he mentioned are really that much competition for modern bands. If they were, Fall Out Boy wouldn't be so popular. The U.S. embraced all kinds of new bands these days, he's just mad that The Killers aren't viewed as rock gods or something.

[brantley23]

Nirvana and Led Zeppelin were GREAT bands. Killers will never be in the same breath and there is a reason for that and it has already been mentioned above.

[Jet_Black88]

I used to think that I liked the Killers...

but as I've been listening to them on Pandora, I realize that they're far too poppy.

I'll pass on that, and they'll fail to knock down legendary bands like Zeppelin.

[Minkaro]

I prefer the Killers to either band. Good luck to them.

[Raizer Sabre]

lol good luck there. led zeppelin and nirvana have a page in history because they were revolutionary with their music. stairway to heaven and smells like teen spirit are classics that everyone knows. if the killers think they can do better, they're welcome to try, but as far as i'm concerned, they have neither the attitude nor the ability to do so

[mlukeroberts222]

WTF??? REALLY? What an egotistical maniac. Add dumbass to that and you've obviously got "The Killers." Only thing they have ever killed was my poor eardrums!

[jamie_hough]

Stairway to heaven...ok...Smells like teen spirit...yep... Mr Brightside...hmmmmm... how retarded are they to think they can knock such iconic bands off the pedestals of fame they rightly deserve? I understand what he means to an extent, like these big bands from the past are clinged on to for dear life by alot of people who fear to grow musically, but they WILL NEVER be replaced by bands like the killers!

[R@fa88offspring]

who does this guy think he is?? I mean I like their music, but I admit that as a guilty pleasure, it is just trendy pop rock that no one will pay attention to in a few years, or maybe they will, but what innovation have they achieved to be The Real Deal. Fu ck them

[James_Het_Rules]

I'm not even sure the Killers really know how to play their instruments... and i know for sure they can't write good music... but i mean, good luck to them with the whole "Hey, we'll be better than Zeppelin and other bands that we'll never be better than someday" thing. At least they're trying to come up with a goal in their lives. Maybe something more along the lines of going the Kiss route, and getting the Killers coasters, or condoms or something. I'd buy one. Always need something to set my Coke on.

[Fatally Jon]

I think Flowers has a point. A lot of bands are forced to live in the shadows of these older established bands and sometimes it really affects their success. I personally think the Killers make great music. I don't think they'll be doomed to obscurity. They already have a huge fanbase, and I think they'll be around for quite sometime.
That being said, I also think that Brandon Flowers should not verbalize some of the things he thinks.

[_bacon_]

I thought this would be a massive amount of douchery from the title, but i do kind of agree with them. America is still kind of hung up on these certain bands more than Europe.

With that said, I really would rather go see Zep or Nirvana because the Killers kind of suck.

[wouldyakindly]

James_Het_Rules wrote:

I'm not even sure the Killers really know how to play their instruments... and i know for sure they can't write good music... but i mean, good luck to them with the whole "Hey, we'll be better than Zeppelin and other bands that we'll never be better than someday" thing. At least they're trying to come up with a goal in their lives. Maybe something more along the lines of going the Kiss route, and getting the Killers coasters, or condoms or something. I'd buy one. Always need something to set my Coke on.

I think you're mistaking restraint for "lack of talent". Frankly, other than brandon, the members of the killers are incredibly precise musicians who could probably pass as session players.The funny thing about UG of course is that, because they don't play long or complex guitar solos, they must be "sucky musicians". The reality of course, is that the non-guitar playing public don't want to hear Dave Keuning shredding (in case you're wondering, he's actually quite the metalhead), they want to hear catchy melodies and good lyrics, which is what the killers (try to) deliver.

Of course, Brandon is an idiot for saying what he said, but like Kurt Cobain before him, he sees himself as a man of the people, fighting his own personal "evils of music" with pop hooks. Again, he's an idiot for thinking it and he's wrong to think he can make a difference anyway, but I admire his guts, if nothing else.

[alexjohnston]

haha, why is he so bothered about the killers becoming bigger?! Music shouldn't be about that; he's quite clearly let the fame side of things take over the original passion...

Plus a lot of new music seems to have nothing unique about it; it just is different to older ,usic in a number of ways; not just the music itself but the ideas/motivation behind it.

[alexjohnston]

You can't please everybody hah, you'll never get everyone to favour you over other bands

checked.

[Rodders]

Yeah I agree with him. Led zep and Nirvana were great, but people have to allow new music to flourish. Killers last album is shit, but the first two are pretty good. I thought they were great live at Reading. Alot better than Metallica. Not as good as Rage tho. A lot of people go on about Brandon being a twat but throughout rock there having egotistical twats as frontmen, it's interesting, it's entertaining. Surely that is what music is meant for.

James_Het_Rules wrote:

I'm not even sure the Killers really know how to play their instruments... and i know for sure they can't write good music....

They can play their instruments quite obviously. Just because they don't shred everywhere or show off doesn't mean they can't play. Infact the drummer for the Killers is actually very good and inventive. As is the guitarist who uses some chords that most mainstream indie bands wouldn't go near. I also think Brandon can sing pretty well, not perfect but he's got a nice quirk to his voice that can be quite captivating at times.

[korbhag]

Worst thing to say in America... Look what happened to Trivium, they were about to get really huge and them they started talking about "becoming the next Metallica" and a whole lot of their fans (dumb elitist metalheads) stopped listening to them. The Killers are lucky that most of their fans don't even know about Led Zep and Nirvana...

[JS5150]

James_Het_Rules wrote:

I'm not even sure the Killers really know how to play their instruments... and i know for sure they can't write good music... but i mean, good luck to them with the whole "Hey, we'll be better than Zeppelin and other bands that we'll never be better than someday" thing. At least they're trying to come up with a goal in their lives. Maybe something more along the lines of going the Kiss route, and getting the Killers coasters, or condoms or something. I'd buy one. Always need something to set my Coke on.

You can't possibly be saying that they are worse instrumentalists that Nirvana can you? Besides, he never said they were better, he said he wanted to be great, but people are still so focused on Zep and Nirvana that they don't get the chance. Read more than the title of the page.

[JRowe3388]

Fat chance. These guys are a psuedo-disco pop band.

[demonchild90]

HA HA HA! Please! They say what? They haven't redefined Rock in any way whatosoever and some of their music sucks. Led Zepplin inspired so many great musicians and bought a new edge to hard rock, Nirvana are the kings of Grunge, these guys? Obviously the only things their the king of is talking shit, I'm not even offended, this is absoloutly comical, what a joke, but credit where credits due it takes atleast a small set of nuts to say that.

[jkassel]

regardless of how you feel about the killers, this is unacceptable. sure, led zeppelin was filled with cocky egotists (that's why zoso was released without a title; they knew it would sell even when no one knew about it) but i can't remember them wishing they were bigger. even john lennon, who was quoted saying they were more popular than god, NEVER wished that they were bigger. a good f*cking band knows they're a good f*cking band, and doesn't wait for the rest of the world to catch up. they play what they love, and love what they play...and have a damned good time doing it. get off your high horse, brandon, and just play the music you love to play, eh?

[kud666]

cant stand the killers there just like every other indie (or whatever they are) band and dont like his voice, and i bet he wont be saying that in 20 years if they become that famouse and some young band are saying exactly what he says about them.

[Metal Massacre]

I'm not too fond of the Killers, but I agree with what he has to say COMPLETELY.

He's not on his "high horse." If you would have read the full interview, you would have read that 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."

[kxy1992]

Now watch as a few years go by and people are like "the killers? who are they?"

[xcmasta91]

honestly i like both the killers and led zeppelin and nirvana but i agree with brandon that many new bands are living in the shadows of led zeppelin and nirvana and all of those great rock bands because of that im not even sure there will ever be a new band as popular like led zeppelin and nirvana 20 years from now

[grungemetal717]

Zepplin and Nirvana were great because they worked HARD to get as big as they did and didnt bitch about their struggles(well, mabye nirvana did). Thats a problem with alternative music today: its just a bunch of spoiled crybabies who get paid to bitch about their problems along with music. Honestly, this can be traced back to Nirvana; they were not very skilled musically, they introduced bitch-about-how-your-life-sucks lyrics, and could not even deal with their fame. I do like some grunge like Alice in Chains and Soundgarden because they truly capture the grunge feeling without going poppy. Rock was about having a good time and freedom and while Nirvana did have rebellion, it was more of complaints than anything else.

[loganpwns]

personally,
I've never liked Led Zeppelin nor Nirvana.

But respect is given when it is deserved, and both of those deserve it.

This guy is a fool for thinking his pop band can "dethrone" such iconic bands.
As mentioned earlier, if it wasn't for Nirvana really establishing grunge, many bands now would be shit out of luck.

[Henkdemachtige]

Jet_Black88 wrote:

I used to think that I liked the Killers...

but as I've been listening to them on Pandora, I realize that they're far too poppy.

I'll pass on that, and they'll fail to knock down legendary bands like Zeppelin.

Good for you, disliking a band because they are poppy, even if you like the music. I hope you enjoy your opinion

[Henkdemachtige]

BTW that picture looks like Cliffy B (Lead designer of Epic games)

[bassist_king1]

its not like theres anything wrong with listening to older music. you cant blame an older band for taking away your fame. you earn fame by being a great band, not by getting rid of older classic bands. besides, the killers arent even that great. led zeppelin was amazing and influenced many people.

[\m/(-_-)\m/]

"" The Killers have thrown down the gauntlet to American music fans, declaring they will knock Led Zeppelin and Nirvana "off their pedestals". ""

What pedestal? They aren't even around to put themselves above every other band anymore. Maybe Brandon, they have something called talent and replay value. STFU.

[hawkdude9]

they need to change their name. theyre about as "killer" as avril lavigne

[bassmannick]

look, WHO CARES!!! any band out there would like to be considered bigger and more influential than zepp or nirvana, but we are too hung up on these bands. seriously, nirvana had about a 8 year time span releasing 4 albums, zepp released 10 albums over a 10 year span, the beatles released the same amout of albums over an 8 year span. good music, but time has past and we still talk about these bands like it's 1962, 1972 or 1992 respectivly. do i think the killers are going to be bigger than any of these bands, i can't even fathom a guess, only time will tell. but we seriously need to stop holding bands up on pedastals like flowers said in the interview. let him have his opinion, it's a valid opinion.

[Xanadu_ROCK]

Unless they get a hit song that controls the airwaves, then maybe we can talk. Until then, the Killers haven't changed a thing in rock history. And it's not true that people are way too hung up on those bands. In Metal, there are many bands that are getting really quite huge, by inventing their own styles, like Slipknot and Disturbed for nu-metal and Lamb of God also. So it IS possible to carve your own spot with your own sound. you just have to be creative

[2ndsons]

WOw. just wow. First off, this guy is a moron, theres a reason why they got put in the pedestals! Because they changed music. And if america holds these bands like flowers says they do, then how do you explain the shit like Fall Out Boy, AAR, ThE Gay jonas Brothers and all those shitty pop bands that cant play a good riff to save their life. Second, music is not about being recognized as an icon, its about doing something you love and to get a message across. The only message he gives me is "Im a fag who wants to seem like the band im in can trick the people of the world that we are good." third, If we didnt have these bands up there, who would influence us????? These bands provide a uniting influence that defines the different genres of music. Im in a band, we just starting. No one disagrees that it would be nice to be famous. But for me personally, its the thrill of being on stage and pleasing the people that we know like us. Fourth and finally:Maybe if people had guitar solos and stopped playin with Lil wayne we would have new pedestals for bands to be put on!

[2ndsons]

Oh yeah by the way: He doesnt have a very rock name: Brandon Flowers???? No one wants an idol with that name

[LegsOnEarth]

i understand the attitude.. But The Killers have no right to say this or make it their aim.

[PanteraBread]

relayer74 wrote:
ARE WE HUMAN? OR ARE WE DANCER?

i don't even know what this means, but i would rather be dancer. haha

[lunaticfringe93]

The reason we listen to zep and nirvana instead of the killers is that Zep and Nirvana's music doesn't suck.

[kurtshapedbox]

This guy sounds like a complete idiot...and a narcissistic one at that.

He should realize that the killers aren't as big because they flat out aren't even close to being as good. In my opinion thery aren't even close to being good period.

[kurtshapedbox]

they*

[UnsungPlayer42]

I like the Killers,I like Nirvana,I like Led Zeppelin,but Brandon Flowers needs to shut the f**k up for once.

[$Roland$]

I have to side with Brandon. Sure, the Killers aren't as good as Zeppelin or Nirvana. Not many modern bands are. What people need to realize is that so much more comes from supporting new music. For example, NEW MUSIC. The old bands don't often make new albums, and when they do, it's almost never as good as their old ones. And with newer bands, you get cheaper, more accessible live shows. The people obsessed with older bands are just as arrogant as he is.

[HenHouse]

zeppelin is eternal, killers r not

[Ironpriest]

It's quite possibly because your a run-of-the-mill band. Your songs are bland and boring. There are hundreds of bands out there at the moment doing the exact thing as the killers, they are nothing special.

THIS!

[RCH15]

I ****ing love The Killers, but god damn it. Why can't Brandon just be humble like any other musician? He's a great writer and an even better singer. But...

Dammit, Brandon.

The man makes a point about people holding on to the old stuff. And he never actually says he WILL knock LZ and Nirvana off their pedestals in that interview- maybe in the full magazine interview, but I haven't read it- he simply states that it's a goal that he wants to work towards. He isn't being stupidly arrogant- he's simply setting a target. Hell, he's simply going for the goal that so many other people, icncluding almost everyone here I bet- to be in the greatest band in the world. It's every musician's dream at one stage or another. The only difference between Flowers and us is that he's tasting success and doing it.

[Dreiken]

Lol, I can't take a guy who's name is Flowers seriously, as immature and naive as that sounds.

On a different note, agreed 100% with the guy above me.

[Life Wasted]

I would like to see the killers play like Nirvan or Zeppelin, there fingers would bleed and the singers voice would horse.

this CRAP can not stand up to a Nirvana or Zeppelin b-side.

[liam1107]

str84ever wrote:

kalamari wrote:

I welcome the wave of criticism that is about to hit this page

Good. Brandon needs to get off his ****ing high horse. I read in one interview that he said grunge was a load of shit and how it was overrated.

Then i sat back and thought "what a contradiction.." if grunge hadn't made it's way into the mainstream then alternative rock wouldn't have been established as a popular genre and where does that leave the killers?

Non existant.

Though on this article the title is a bit mis-leading he just sort of says that he wants to be recognised as a great band.

Though on my opinion of him when he says

"they don’t believe that it’s possible that anybody else can be the real deal."

It's quite possibly because your a run-of-the-mill band. Your songs are bland and boring. There are hundreds of bands out there at the moment doing the exact thing as the killers, they are nothing special.
When this wave of indie has died off no one will remember you and you will be reduced to an underground band who will play random gigs everywhere.

The killers aren't anything new they are just a product of a recycled genre - post rock revival or indie revival or whatever you want to call it.

Do you honestly think you will recieve critical acclaim from a genre which has all been done before 20 years ago?

yeah he is a douche, but hes right, so many bands raised up on pedestals, and a lot of them, completely undeservedly. a lot of bands are only there because of a lucky series of events, it would be amazing to see more new bands growing, and to be honest, i think thats what the apparent 'emos' and 'scene kids' are doing. accepting new bands and giving everyone a chance is what a lot of these kids are good for.

lets be honest, music changes, so lets stop comparing new bands that are coming along to the likes of metallica, aerosmith, led zep, etc...

[Dr Funkenstein]

Music enthusiasts like good music dude. If you ever make some (of which i think is seriously unlikely) i'll listen to it.
This guy needs to be thankful for the exposure he gets with this band. As far as I'm concerned the killers are "holding back or confining" other modern bands that are more creative and talented.

[Eulogy4Rose]

Nirvana and Zepplin are forever nothing against the killers but they should never compair themselves to such great bands cause they can never make it happen sorry guys you just dont have what it takes to replace Cobain with Nirvana and Plant with Zepplin enough said

[lachis]

korbhag wrote:

Worst thing to say in America... Look what happened to Trivium, they were about to get really huge and them they started talking about "becoming the next Metallica" and a whole lot of their fans (dumb elitist metalheads) stopped listening to them. The Killers are lucky that most of their fans don't even know about Led Zep and Nirvana...

that is not what happened to trivium at all and they haven't even fallen off the map, their latest album is quite possibly their best work and has won over a lot of the people that talked shit on them due to the crusade. They were called the next metallica by some magazines, they themselves have never said it...

Another check.

A word of advice. If a comment is deleted, it is the height of stupidity to post it again.

[flaphead325]

If ever this band beat Led Zeppelin and Nirvana, I think I will quit the modern society, and find myself an place faraway

[tom0466]

People bashing on this article sound so uneducated. All three bands are great, and they're all completely different genres of rock, so you can't really compare them. The Killers can definitely play their instruments very well, so I'm not sure why people are saying they can't. Just because you don't like a band does not mean they aren't talented. He was simply saying he would like to leave his mark on the music industry just like the bands before him have. Sorry, ignorance and close-mindedness annoys me.

[interpol1988]

this guy is like the kanye west of rock music; sure the killers have talent, but when you start to turn art into a competition, everything just goes down the toilet. If brandon stoped caring about what people think and he just focused on falling deeper inlove with his music, maybe we'd have allot more albums like "Hot Fuss"

[interpol1988]

If theres any band that should be the icon of our generation, it should be THE STROKES, they've paved the way for many "indie bands"(yes i said it and eff all you whom think theyre not indie) And besides they dont care about selling records or being on mtv(they dont even like being on tv) they just want to make good music, and thats the stuff that real bands like nirvana are made of.Whenever a band becomes a media ***** and embraces all this mtv bs , They lose their recpect and musical integrety, and bands with out that will never become legands

[Scorge]

Listen. The guy is just blowing smoke up everyone's ass. This article alone lessens my opinion of him. No further comments are necessary for this article.

[gerbil_mastr]

i know it was said a few times on this page but i'm gonna go ahead and say it again anyway. if it wasnt for nirvana the killers sure as hell wouldnt be around along with about 90 percent of these crappy emo bands that are out today. whether or not you like nirvana you cant deny that

[gerbil_mastr]

Colohue m :
Another check.

A word of advice. If a comment is deleted, it is the height of stupidity to post it again.

I lold at this

[Tool_46n2]

How dare they

[darkslde91]

i like the killers but i gotta say that was something REALLY stupid to say seriously how does he think nirvana got up to that level?? not by bitching thats for sure and they still had the competition of led zepp. not only them but pearl jam, smashing pumpkins, and a shit load of other guys its stupid that he says hes tired of it if he wanted to stop it then he should write something AMAZING if he can make an orgasmic solo like jimmy page, or make meaningful lyrics like billy corgan then maybe JUST MAYBE he would be able to say that he could knock em off til then he should just jack em off cause thats what bitches do!

[darkslde91]

One more thing
THEYRE ONLY BIG BECAUSE OF THE RADIO!
**** mainstream media! selling out to be big is just lame

darkslde91 wrote:

One more thing
THEYRE ONLY BIG BECAUSE OF THE RADIO!
**** mainstream media! selling out to be big is just lame

How the hell else do you think Led Zeppelin and Nirvana got so huge? RADIO PLAY.

You don't get successful from radioplay if you're sh*t at what you do. Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce Knowles, The Killers... all big, lots of radio play, but they're good at what they do. You say f*ck mainstream media... let's not forget that Led Zeppelin allowed Whole Lotta Love to be used as the theme tune to Top of the Pops., You can't get more mainstream than that.

[lukegjpotter]

I hate The Killers, now I hate them even more.
I live in Ireland, They're everywhere, My housemate plays them non-stop.

Their song Human is a ****ing synthesizer, thats not rock, thats not even close.

I heard that they're next album is going to be a covers album, The Killers are done.

[bigtimmy]

whole lotta hate on this page....

[Baby Joel]

To everyone that thinks the Killers is pop.
Listen to 'Tranquilize' and 'Don't Shoot Me Santa Clause".
Far from pop.
Everything Flowers said there is true. People obsess over the old stuff, and bash the new stuff because it isn't the old stuff. Which is basically what everyone here is doing.
Congratulations UG, you just proved Brandon's point.

checked

[James_Het_Rules]

My comment had nothing to do with whether or not they shred. I listen to more genres of music than most people care to, and shredding doesn't = greatness. Michael Angelo Batio and Malmsteen can shred, but i hate their music, but in my opinion the Killers have nothing. They don't do anything new or inspiring, and there's hundreds of other bands out there that play the exact same things that they play. Nirvana was great because they brought in a new sound along with Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains and Soundgarden. Nirvana was new to the genre, and made good music. Led Zeppelin was the first to make their style of music, and between the 4 of them, they made amazing music. There's numerous great bands out there, because they made great memorable music. The Killers (In my opinion) don't make memorable music, they do the same things every other pop/rock band does, and make the same music. Therefore, they will NOT have the longevity of bands like Sabbath, Metallica, Zep, Nirvana, or Cream. Hell, even SOAD at least has their own sound. No one likes bands that sound like everyone else, so again, i say good luck to the Killers for attaining a goal, that they will never reach.

[foopeppers]

James_Het_Rules wrote:

My comment had nothing to do with whether or not they shred. I listen to more genres of music than most people care to, and shredding doesn't = greatness. Michael Angelo Batio and Malmsteen can shred, but i hate their music, but in my opinion the Killers have nothing. They don't do anything new or inspiring, and there's hundreds of other bands out there that play the exact same things that they play. Nirvana was great because they brought in a new sound along with Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains and Soundgarden. Nirvana was new to the genre, and made good music. Led Zeppelin was the first to make their style of music, and between the 4 of them, they made amazing music. There's numerous great bands out there, because they made great memorable music. The Killers (In my opinion) don't make memorable music, they do the same things every other pop/rock band does, and make the same music. Therefore, they will NOT have the longevity of bands like Sabbath, Metallica, Zep, Nirvana, or Cream. Hell, even SOAD at least has their own sound. No one likes bands that sound like everyone else, so again, i say good luck to the Killers for attaining a goal, that they will never reach.

dude you talk some sense!!

[foopeppers]

bessides if the killers were a proper band, then they wouldnt feel the restraint and they would play wahat they wanted to even if they did have the talent to play something good...what im saying is that their only holding themselves back

[jacklaver]

if we really think about it , music is just another form of art. The media just turns it into a big contest telling people whats good and what's bad according to their taste in music. That should not matter.
The greatest musicians didn't give a **** about what a certain audience thought about them, they played music that they wanted to play "pop" bands like the killers obviously take music way too seriously. Our society has created this illusion of 'who's bigger'. so stop bitching about other bands especially the bands who gave birth to your generation of music and use your skills to make the sound YOU want. because we're tired of your pop music attitude!

[Krusader187]

I personally don't think that Led Zeppelin or Nirvana are holding The Killers back. I think The Killers might be though.

[Cwolf]

This guy is a tool everytime he's in a bad mood he has to shit on other bands he's been doing it for years.I try to keep an open mind when it comes to music i give everything a chance and if i like it i listen to it. sadly the killers were one of the bands that ended up in my never again pile.Way to reminiscent of 80's new wave.Plus with a name like brandon flowers i'd keep my mouth shut or change it to "rock strongo" or something more manly b4 i went and talked shit in an interview.

[massive melee]

He really shouldn't blame those bands. There not even in the same genre.

[TSngRemainTSame]

Nobody in this genaration with music can really knock Zeppelin and Nirvana of thier pedestals there are just too many crappy kinds of musicand bands these days, its all pop. And who are the killers.

[CaptAwesome15]

Pshh good luck with that Mr. Flowers

[aedmiston]

First off, The Killers suck.

But the reason everyone loves Zeppelin, Hendrix, Nirvana, etc. is not because they were fantastic artists(ex. KISS), it is because they were pop-culture icons. At this point it doesn't have much to do with the music anymore. Sure it's good, but there are other bands. Point is, they did something different and made a lasting impact. The Killers are a cookie cutter band and until they decide not to be they will have no place in mainstream American pop culture.

[2trouble]

Smells Like a Whole Lotta jealousy. Ive never heard of someone blaming their lack of success on the success of others 15 and 40 years ago. I thought it's best to stand on the shoulders of giants, not attack them. Guess we'll have to wait a few decades to see if the music of The Killers stands the test of time like that of LedZep and Nirvana, but I already have my prediction.

[glfmetallica]

Ok I know you guys have already ripped this dumb F*** a new one. But I'll throw in my two cents. People like this fellow from the killers need to realize that without bands like Led Zeppelin rock music wouldn't be as we know it today. And Led Zeppelin didn't look like fags either.

[arcticradiohead]

he has a lot of good points. i love zep and nirvana, but i do get sick of them still getting as much attention as they do. the killers however aren't "the real thing" that he's talking about. doesn't change his point though. maybe he should've ripped into bands that are put on pedestals that don't have talent instead. that's what is hurting bands that could potentially be the real deal these days more than zep and nirvana comparisons ever will.

[dcj438]

i just have one thing to say, the killers will never, ever, i mean never be mentioned in the same breath as Zeppelin and Nirvana as far as music. the headline of this topic will be the only time, sorry killers, if you wanna be in the top tier of bands, make some better music, and that, will never happen.

[Baby Joel]

You guys are all complete idiots.
pop=/=bad music.
pop can equal rock.
And if you actually cared to listen to The Killers, you'd know they aren't cookie cutter songwriters. Compare Hot Fuss, Sam's Town, Sawdust, and Day and Age. There is a huge diversity of music throughout those albums, more diverse than Nirvana ever got.
Brandon isn't saying he is going to knock LZ and Nirvana down. He isn't even saying he should be up there. He's just saying that Led Zeppelin and Nirvana have had their time. Neither band tours anymore. Neither band makes music anymore. Neither band exists anymore. There's a new generation of music, and I agree that Led Zeppelin and Nirvana are holding that music down.

[rockstartony08]

OMG!!!!! F*** these ni**as
The only reason I read this article was because of the names Nirvana and Zepellin. I wouldn't have read it if it was an article on a killers album.
I agree that its hard to make it in the Biz
but If you aint great, too bad. settle for being good.
and being liked ( In Britain)

[SynthSilver]

Fun fact: to be recognized as a talented band, you need to be more than a singles band that got lucky.

[Powerchild]

Led Zeppelin and Nirvana brought us music that lives on because people still believe in everything that their music brought them. It isn't holding anyone down because we choose to listen to that rather than listen to Brandon Flowers who enjoys writing songs that barely tingle his vagina. I think he should keep his mouth shut so he doesn't let the ignorance come out (I'll be glad to sew it up for him), and focus what little brainpower he has on trying to write something that sounds like him, and not like the genre which he plays into.

Furthermore, in the church of Rock and Roll, I declare that Brandon's Statements are straight blasphemy, and I motion to the pope and the papacy to find him guilty of heresy, thereby excommunicating him and sentencing him to death by spoon tune torture. This is a new technique I just made up that involves gouging forks and spoons into him, and tying him up in the middle of a small vocal booth where they blast random Robert Plant Vocalizations in it for hours on end. That way, he'll realize he isn't the best thing since Nirvana.

[2ndsons]

Furthermore, in the church of Rock and Roll, I declare that Brandon's Statements are straight blasphemy, and I motion to the pope and the papacy to find him guilty of heresy, thereby excommunicating him and sentencing him to death by spoon tune torture. This is a new technique I just made up that involves gouging forks and spoons into him, and tying him up in the middle of a small vocal booth where they blast random Robert Plant Vocalizations in it for hours on end. That way, he'll realize he isn't the best thing since Nirvana.

GReat idea. The church hereby finds one loser pop singer Brandon Flowers Guilty of Heresay to the church of rock and roll and will sentenced to a life time of spoon tune torture

[MelvilleStudios]

Brandon's an IDIOT. And how can anyone include Led Zeppelin and Nirvana in the same sentence, as though they were even equals ... Nirvana is great but they are definitely not in the same Pantheon of Rock as Led Zeppelin.

[Adyson88]

I personally love the killers. I also love Led Zeppelin and Nirvana. Believe it or not regulars of UG, it is possible to like more than one type of music! Shocking, I know. But i digress. I think Brandon is trying to say that it is tough to be "that band" anymore in the states. We are all too focused on the greats of the past to ever get into many newer bands. But at the same time I agree, the killers won't ever be on Led Zeppelin's level.

As for the state of music now, I think that we are so over-saturated with musicians from myspace/online sites that it is hard to stand behind one band like it used to be. Maybe we could find a band to call "great" if we had someone to back rather than being overstimulated. Now before the flaming begins, I think that the emergence of new music is great for striving musicians, but relatively bad for having a "great" band anymore. You will never see people back a band like people did to Elvis, Led Zeppelin, or the Beatles. We are too overstimulated to back one group. Maybe if Led Zeppelin came out tomorrow as a new band, would we pay as much attention to them? If Nirvana just released their first album today would they be such superstars? I'm not trying to take anything away from either of them, because i love both greatly! I'm just trying to get people to maybe think before they turn on someone like Brandon. You may not agree, but by attacking their music and/or skills as musicians you aren't really accomplishing anything. Just showing that you have closed your mind or (as most people of UG are) you hate anything that might resemble or contain pop music. But then again, if you think it through with an open mind and still don't like the Killers, it's cool. Just say they aren't for you and be done with it. Also, before you take the Killers as a "singles band that got lucky" you should check out Sawdust or anything else that wasn't on the radio and see the range of musical tastes and talents those men possess. Lyrical genius and good music to go along with it. Again, if you listen to it and still don't like it, cool. Just please don't call the rest of us idiots for enjoying certain types of music. We aren't idiots, we just aren't you. [/rant]

[2ndsons]

Well pop music is crap. I mean, i listen from franz ferdinand to the who to led zeppelin to nirvana to metallica to sepultura to dream theater. You cant get much more diverse than that. i also like the old rap like run dmc and public enemy. the fact is that almost all modern music is the same. u complain about a girl or whatever or partyin in the case of rap or how the world hates me in the case of emo music. honestly, ive heard the killers and they cant even match up to prince, who i personally think is not very good.

[MrSir4]

I like the killers, but I also like Nirvana and The Killers. Brandon, and anybody that agrees with him, I have to say, are wrong. And here's why

1. I see where people are coming from, including Brandon, when they say that it is hard to be "that awesome band everyone loves" these days because we are so focused on Nirvana and Led Zepplin. But I want you to think, have there really been any bands that original since the grunge era? That is why there are hardly any bands these days that have the same kind of praise, today's music everyone's heard before, including the killers. Maybe of somone does something original for once the hype will get going again

2. Alrighty Brandon, do I have a little something to say to you, buddy. First off when you say these kinds of things about bands that produced songs like "Stairway to Heaven" , "Smells Like Teen Spirit", "Good Times, Bad Times", "Come as You Are", "Kashmir", "All Apoligies", and the list can go on, keep in mind the only REALLY big hit you have under your belt is "Mr. Brightside". Which, really, doesn't hold a candle to the classics I just mentioned. and even if you did achieve this goal of yours, you would want poeple to worship you forever like they are Nirvana and Zepplin. You wouldn't want some random, and unoriginal pop band 20 years later to "Knock you off your pedestal" would you? Try writing something nobody has heard before and I may consider it to be a small possibility that you will even be remembered in a decade.

[MrSir4]

I also like Nirvana and Led Zepplin* I meant to say lol

[JuiceMogly]

ha.
all that needs to be said is that Whether you like killers or not, or if you like Zeppelin or Nirvana, (Which the only thing they have in common are the fact that they influenced generations, Nirvana not as many for obvious reasons) This guy seems to be holding himself as high or higher than "america" is "holding" Zeppelin and Nirvana's music. And for that, his whole argument and opinion means absolute shit to me. I have listened to this ass holes music before, and taking into acount of the music that is being over produced now adays, is nothing short of Mediocre at best. Nothing that could ever, EVER, Influence people such as Plant, Page, Bonham, and Cobain and others have.

what a dumb, ignorant man.

[Somnambulance]

MrSir4 wrote:

I like the killers, but I also like Nirvana and The Killers. Brandon, and anybody that agrees with him, I have to say, are wrong. And here's why

1. I see where people are coming from, including Brandon, when they say that it is hard to be "that awesome band everyone loves" these days because we are so focused on Nirvana and Led Zepplin. But I want you to think, have there really been any bands that original since the grunge era? That is why there are hardly any bands these days that have the same kind of praise, today's music everyone's heard before, including the killers. Maybe of somone does something original for once the hype will get going again

2. Alrighty Brandon, do I have a little something to say to you, buddy. First off when you say these kinds of things about bands that produced songs like "Stairway to Heaven" , "Smells Like Teen Spirit", "Good Times, Bad Times", "Come as You Are", "Kashmir", "All Apoligies", and the list can go on, keep in mind the only REALLY big hit you have under your belt is "Mr. Brightside". Which, really, doesn't hold a candle to the classics I just mentioned. and even if you did achieve this goal of yours, you would want poeple to worship you forever like they are Nirvana and Zepplin. You wouldn't want some random, and unoriginal pop band 20 years later to "Knock you off your pedestal" would you? Try writing something nobody has heard before and I may consider it to be a small possibility that you will even be remembered in a decade.

1. Have their been original bands since the grunge era? Yes and grunge really wasn't all that original. It was classic rock dumbed down and distorted. Not saying it's bad, but that's what it is. There is also plenty of praise for modern music, it just exists outside of the suburban, rock purist mentality.

2. The Killers have had a steady stream of hits. As much as I only like half of them, they are well constructed pop songs. If anything, all Brandon needs to do is kill himself and he'll be the next Kurt Cobain. Truth is that suicide pushed Nirvana to classic stature, even if they were an above average pop band. Also, Led Zeppelin was notorious for "borrowing" old, obscure riffs, so I don't know how original that makes them, even if their music is also well constructed. If originality was really the concern, kids would be wearing Miles Davis t-shirts or something, you know?

[Deacon Blues]

people in europe still listen to cher and madonna. nuff said. the killers are OK but c'mon

[MethenyRules]

being not a massive fan of any of these 3 bands but being quite familiar with their work, i have to say, brandon has a point. i'm all for innovation and keeping things moving forward, which is why i dont listen to a lot of old music. i think brandon has a point about the old rock bands (esp g'n'r i think!). the killers, just because they have synths and wear sparkly outfits does not mean they play radio friendly pop and are sell outs or anything. their music is genuinely every bit as good as nirvana or led zeppelins. everyone should listen to more jazz anyway, cats :P

[angusyounglove]

Led Zeppelin and Nirvana are great bands and I quite like the Killers; they're just nowhere as legendary as the other two bands,IMO. sounds to me like Brandon's just pissed that he's not as popular in the USA as in Europe and he blames it on the people there, and I'm pretty sure not all Americans still claim Led Zep are the best band ever. Surely all the teenagers like bands like the Killers? wasn't Mr Brightside a huge hit all over the world?

[Stratogibson]

Until a band comes along worthy enough to be mentioned in the same sentence as Nirvana and Led Zeppelin, people are still going to marvel at their accomplishments. People like them because they have good music and they were amazing artists with true talents. Flowers must be desperate for album sales cause he's bashing other legends so he can be associated with them. The Killers have the appropriate name because they are helping kill rock music right now. Wait...thier not rock.

[guitargirl313]

The Killers are a decent band but they cannot and will not ever be as legendary and as epic as Led Zeppelin, they pioneered today's rock music and The Killers are just some alternative/pop band that thinks they're better than they really are

LONG LIVE LED ZEPPELIN!

[kmister]

Well lets just think about this okay, Led Zeppelin was influenced from the origonal rock bands (Stones, Who etc) And Nirvana are influenced by Led Zeppelin and the Pixies then where would the Killers be? they play decent music but its all becoming samey and dull, people have driven the genre to the ground the pop rock scene you know? i think the fans would disagree but deep down they know its not rock at all and they also know it is just getting worse and worse, Mr. Bright side was the best song that came out that year, it was the closest thing to a master piece since the 2000's, the whole first album was good apart from that last track which i thougt was damn stupid. The next album was worse with just a couple of good songs, When you were young was a good song but the rest was cleshay. The next album 'Saw Dust' Is the most rushed, corprate, cleshay album i have ever heard. And finally 'Day & Age' Urghhh what happen to the killers of 05-07? where did they loose it, and why does the singer keep trying to make his voice as brittish as possible, i noticed while listing to a song, iv'e forgotten which, there was an early version with his Robert smithy kind of tone and then on Saw Dust with this awful High pitched noise. They need to stop making albums with what ever crappy cleshay techno bull shite and go back to there origonal album stuff.

[roland_96]

kmister wrote:

Well lets just think about this okay, Led Zeppelin was influenced from the origonal rock bands (Stones, Who etc) And Nirvana are influenced by Led Zeppelin and the Pixies then where would the Killers be? they play decent music but its all becoming samey and dull, people have driven the genre to the ground the pop rock scene you know? i think the fans would disagree but deep down they know its not rock at all and they also know it is just getting worse and worse, Mr. Bright side was the best song that came out that year, it was the closest thing to a master piece since the 2000's, the whole first album was good apart from that last track which i thougt was damn stupid. The next album was worse with just a couple of good songs, When you were young was a good song but the rest was cleshay. The next album 'Saw Dust' Is the most rushed, corprate, cleshay album i have ever heard. And finally 'Day & Age' Urghhh what happen to the killers of 05-07? where did they loose it, and why does the singer keep trying to make his voice as brittish as possible, i noticed while listing to a song, iv'e forgotten which, there was an early version with his Robert smithy kind of tone and then on Saw Dust with this awful High pitched noise. They need to stop making albums with what ever crappy cleshay techno bull shite and go back to there origonal album stuff.

Actually, Led Zeppelin influenced the Who and the Stones more than the other way around. Soul, country, pyshedellic rock, funk, and blues influenced them the most. You cant really put them in one genre, but they could be compared to Muddy Waters. Nirnava chose the grunge aesthetic of loud/soft form, and were huge fans of punk rock, heavy metal, and pop. They tried to be like Iggy Pop, Black Sabbath, and The Beatles. But this d-bag in The Killers has said two of the stupidist things i've ever heard. One- They said that Green Day was anti-american (In my book 1-Led Zeppelin 2-Green Day 3-Nirvana), and Two- this shit. No one can ever be better that Led Zeppelin and thats final. Bands like The Mars Volta can compare (pretty well i think) but to think you can be better is stupid conceded and ****ed up. The greatest bands in the world knew that they can never be better. The only song the killers ever had was Mr. Brightside, and what ever the b-side was for it. Fuckers.

[ZeppelinRulez77]

OK now I love me some Killers music, but this is stupid.

[Cobain91]

good luck with that lol the killers suck ass they're not going to kill anyone

[DeathByMetal]

Jimmy Page has more talent in one strand of hair than the Killers entire band.

ZoSo

[SamuraiDanny]

DeathByMetal wrote:

Jimmy Page has more talent in one strand of hair than the Killers entire band.

ZoSo

Amen

[Radz117]

Good Luck

[Posiedeon]

they have said the worst lie any one can say, no one, AND I MEAN NO ONE can beat Nirvana and Led Zeppelin