Singer Brandon Flowers Talks About the Band’s Formation, Rejection and Turning to Bono for Songwriting Help

The Killers are among the biggest rock groups in the world, but they tell CBS SUNDAY MORNING they’re not going to fall into the trash-the-hotel-room stereotype because members of their families work in the service industry, and in the past they have too.

“No hotel room. My mom cleaned hotel rooms,” Killers lead singer Brandon Flowers tells Kristine Johnson in an interview to be broadcast Sunday, July 15 (9:00 AM, ET) on the CBS Television Network. “I wouldn’t trash a hotel room.”

The Killers, best known for their hit song “Mr. Brightside,” were formed in Las Vegas, and many of their family members work in the hospitality business. Indeed, drummer Ronnie Vannucci tells Johnson his mother was a cocktail waitress at Caesars. Flowers also worked as food runner at a local restaurant.

“The service industry is a big part of this town,” Flowers tells Johnson while giving a tour of Las Vegas. “And it’s how a lot of our family make their living, still, yeah.”

Flowers talks with Johnson about the band’s roots, the rejection they faced early on, their success, Flowers’ Mormon faith, and coming to terms with the band’s fame and the new celebrity circles he finds himself in these days hanging with the likes of Elton John and Bono.

In fact, Flowers shares with Johnson how he turned to Bono for help breaking through writer’s block.

“Can I just name drop him?” Flowers asks Johnson. “I emailed Bono. And in the subject, I put: ‘Have all the songs been written?’ Question mark. And then I poured my heart out about how I was in a slump. His answer was: ‘Have All the Songs Been Written’ is a fantastic song title.’”

CBS SUNDAY MORNING is broadcast Sundays (9:00-10:30 AM, ET) on the CBS Television Network. Rand Morrison is the executive producer.

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