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Artist Profile of the Killers

By Bill Lamb, About.com

Killers Hot Fuss album cover

Hot Fuss

Formed: 2002 in Las Vegas, Nevada
Members:

Brandon Flowers - Vocals and Keyboards
David Keuning - Guitars
Mark Stoermer - Bass
Ronnie Vannucci - Drums

Quote from Drummer Ronnie Vannucci:

"I think people are really going to enjoy listening to music like ours again. I hope it will awaken those feelings that were awakened before when they listened to a really great record."

Trivia Fact: Drummer Ronnie Vannucci was knocked off his drum stool by an earthquake while recording "Believe Me, Natalie."
Before the Killers: Vocalist Brandon Flowers's first band was a synthpop group called Blush Response. He was asked to leave them when he refused to move with the group from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. Looking to form a new band he answered an ad by guitarist Dave Keuning. The pair clicked and listened to a number of bass players and drummers. They chose medical courier Mark Stoermer on bass and classically trained percussionist Ronnie Vannuci for the drums.
Rise Of the Killers:

In 2003 the Killers came to the attention of independent British record label Lizard King and the band traveled to England for their first performances outside of the Las Vegas area. The buzz surrounding them was intense and they found themselves signed to a worldwide record deal with Island Records by the end of the year.

The band recorded material for their first album and continued to tour through the first half of 2004. The album, titled Hot Fuss was released in June. Their first single "Somebody Told Me" reached the pop top 30 in the U.K. and the top 3 of the modern rock chart in the U.S. Buzz around the group continued to build through the end of the year.

In early 2005, "Mr. Brightside," the first song written by Brandon Flowers and Dave Keuning, appeared as the next single from Hot Fuss. Radio airplay was strong and a dance remix of "Mr. Brightside" appeared as well. Soon "Mr. Brightside" was simultaneously a major pop, rock, and dance hit.

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