The Killers’ Brandon Flowers says he almost got an Oasis tattoo

Virgin Radio

18 Aug 2021, 16:14

With the Las Vegas band having just released their new album, Killers' frontman Brandon Flowers has revealed just what an influence Oasis had on him in the early days of his music career.

Their seventh studio album, Pressure Machine, is sure to be another hit, and The Killers can unquestionably be described as rock ‘n’ roll stars, but it was another Oasis song which helped shape the future of Brandon's band. 

Speaking to The Guardian, Brandon Flowers said, “I was hell-bent on having a synth pop band. Then I saw Oasis play at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas in 2001. Listening to the crowd during Don’t Look Back in Anger, I realised I wanted guitars as well.”

Looking further back (but not in anger), the vocalist explained how “pumped” he was about the Manchester band as a teenager. “I was definitely Oasis over Blur,” he said. “Liam is the ultimate frontman and Noel such a great songwriter, and they just captured Britain. Even being so far away, they were appealing. I even batted around the idea of getting an Oasis tattoo.”

Brandon said that The Killers are one of the lucky bands who have not been “completely dismissed” by the Gallagher brothers. He described one of the band’s first times over in the UK, where they were playing the NME Awards. “Noel came backstage and said he’d worked out how to play All These Things That I’ve Done,” the singer said. “It was so surreal, because less than a year before, I was sitting on my bed with a guitar, without a record deal, trying to work out Oasis tracks.”

Having met his heroes in the UK all those years ago, Brandon and his band have announced on Twitter that they are offering fans the chance to meet them at one of the shows on next year’s rescheduled UK stadium tour, which is taking place in May and June. 

Meanwhile, in his interview with The Guardian, The Killers’ charismatic frontman also spoke about his love of TV sitcom Cheers, The Goonies, discovering David Bowie, and about shopping for records at Virgin Megastore in Caesars Palace, Las Vegas. 

He also explained how the first Strokes EP, The Modern Age, “was a pretty big moment in my life, because I realised that I wasn’t good enough.” 

Seven albums in, we think it’s fair to say that The Killers are definitely good enough now!