Quotes from Brandon Flowers

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.

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.'

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.

I'd rather let the song live and, as I get older, I'm less absorbed with the clothing. The older I get, I just wanna write good songs.

I believe in God. It's a big part of my life. You can bring it up and talk about it without being 'Christian Rocker.'

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.

Dance music cannot compete with a really great rock n' roll song. There ain't no DJ that's gonna play something that can take 'Mr Brightside' or 'Don't Look Back In Anger.'

I've always had this thing about it not really mattering where you're from, because there's always been this big cloud over America saying you have to live in L.A. or you have to live in New York to make it. I always knew it didn't matter as long as you had the songs.

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.

It's seen as dirty to be ambitious. What if U2 weren't ambitious? We wouldn't have that gift we have from them.

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?'

My dad is a big dreamer, so I got that from him. Golf was my main thing when I was a teenager, and that's what I wanted to do.

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.

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

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.

I'm raising my family in The Church, and I'm proud of that.

'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.

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.

'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.

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.

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

The thing that's really kept me on my toes is how my mom would always tell me - it's not the best thing for a mother to tell you - but she'd never tell me after I'd lose a soccer game, 'You'll do better next time.' She'd always say, 'There's always somebody better.'

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.

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.