Killers Fact No.1
The Killers could have been named after a 1981 Iron Maiden album. Or a 1982 Kiss album. Or a French hair metal group. Or a book by Ernest Hemingway. Or a convention of Jerry Lee Lewis impersonators. But they weren't. They were in fact named after a fictional band in the video for 'Crystal' by New Order. "It gave me the ambition that our actual band should be as perfect as their fictional band," said Brandon. Since The (real) Killers don't just mime along to New Order songs, we think this ambition has been more than realised.
Killers Fact No.2
Before their sat-in-front-of-the-telly moment of inspiration, the band were nearly called The Genius Sex Poets. Which is a bit rubbish. People with nothing better to do might have noticed their former rubbish name is scrawled on the drum kit in the American video for 'Mr Brightside'. Amazing.
Killers Fact No.3
Brandon is a Mormon. But he still drinks and smokes, which occasionally gets him a slapped wrist or two. Maybe even from his wife Tana Munblowsky who he married in Hawaii last year. We couldn't tell you for sure.
Killers Fact No.4
'Sam's Town' is in fact a casino hotel in the band's home town of Las Vegas. Mormons reject gambling as "a pernicious evil to society". But a footnote in the Book Of Mormon adds: "It is perfectly OK to name your second album after a casino, though."
Killers Fact No.5
We all know him as the big haired guitarist and founding member of The Killers. But there was a time when Dave Keuning wanted to be known as 'Tavian Go'. This was clearly ridiculous, so he changed his mind. He is also a fan of The Cure but insists he "doesn't eat bats". It sounds like he's thinking of Ozzy Osbourne, but let's not tell...
Killers Fact No.6
Further blurring the boundaries between fiction and reality, The Killers once played 'Smile Like You Mean It' at The Bait Shop, the legendary - if entirely made up - venue in teen TV show 'The OC'. During their performance, it becomes obvious that Seth and Lindsay have little in common, and are unable to smile in the manner advised by the band.
Killers Fact No.7
Mark Stoermer was so good at being a fan of The Killers that they eventually invited him to join the band. See kids, it really can happen. He once played trumpet in a marching band, but there wasn't much call for that when recording 'Hot Fuss', so they asked him to play bass instead.
Killers Fact No.8
Brandon's former band was called Blush Response. But when the rest of the group moved to Los Angeles, his response wasn't to blush at all, but to quit and answer an advert by guitarist Dave Keuning in the 'Las Vegas Weekly'. They soon formed a new band with a temporarily rubbish name.
Killers Fact No.9
Las Vegas, where The Killers were born, is Spanish for 'The Meadows'. It is also the setting for many brilliant movies including 'Viva Las Vegas', 'Leaving Las Vegas' and, um, 'Honey I Blew Up The Kid'.
Killers Fact No.10
Everywhere The Killers go, a natural disaster is sure to follow. While recording 'Believe Me Natalie', drummer Ronnie Vannucci Jr was knocked off his stool by an earthquake. When recording 'Change Your Mind', they were nearly engulfed in brush fires. And, most amazingly, when flying to the UK to tour in 2003, they thought they were all going to die. Only it was just an air pocket. Phew.
Bonus fact!
Because it's always good to have a trade to fall back on, Brandon has a neat little sideline which you can find out about on his website.
Watch The Killers videos
