Brandon Flowers has spent more than two decades fronting one of rock’s biggest bands, but his latest musical chapter takes him somewhere The Killers have rarely gone before: straight down the country road.
In a new interview with Pollstar, Flowers opened up about his third solo album, Thrasher, and the personal history that pushed him toward country and Americana. Rather than simply experimenting with a new sound, the singer-songwriter sees the album as a way to tell stories rooted in his childhood, family and American upbringing.
Flowers Finds His Way Back to Country Music
Flowers says country music was always somewhere in his childhood. As he got older, he began to understand what his father’s music had given him.
That realization helped shape Thrasher, which Flowers recorded in Nashville with veteran musicians and used as a vehicle for stories inspired by his upbringing.
For Flowers, country and folk offered exactly what those stories needed: a tradition built around characters, experiences and storytelling.
‘Thrasher’ Gets Personal
The album strips away much of the glossy Las Vegas aesthetic associated with The Killers and instead leans into country, Americana and even mariachi influences. “We made two records in Nashville. We’re putting the feelers out there and doing these shows and seeing how they go. It’s just taking it one day at a time,” Flowers said.
His father, who was born in 1944, influenced his taste in country music. “He was listening to Willie [Nelson] and Waylon [Jennings] and the boys. John Conlee was a big one for him, and even Ray Charles, who’s, I think, country adjacent and people like that.”
He added, “So, it was always there, and I had gained a real appreciation for it. I would learn those songs, and I knew the words, and I knew the stories, but it just wasn’t something that I had chosen. I just didn’t fully appreciate it until I started getting older and having some life experience. It’s amazing how you mentioned the connection that it can have.”
The Killers Frontman Finds a New Kind of Freedom
Flowers also sees his solo career as a chance to follow ideas that might not fit inside The Killers.
He explained that he often writes a large number of songs, which isn’t necessarily ideal when bringing material to a band. His solo projects give those extra songs another place to live.
That freedom has clearly paid off.
Still, Flowers is grateful to be able to do both. “This was a great outlet that I’ve been able to carve out along the way. And I’m really lucky that I’m able to do both things.”
Flowers Has Some Strong Thoughts About Rock
While Flowers has embraced country and Americana, he hasn’t stopped thinking about the state of rock music. Yet, his assessment isn’t exactly optimistic.
The Killers frontman told Pollstar that rock is “almost dying,” arguing that the ease of creating and releasing music has changed the way artists develop. “We’re living in a post-rock world. I don’t think it’s going to ever die, but we’re past it. You talk about how easy it is-I think it’s too easy to make content and to make music, and there’s just not enough self-reflection going on or enough growth happening before we’re trying to put ourselves out there,” he explained.
Flowers added, “You’ve got to hone what you’re doing and make sure that it’s good enough, get out there and play, and know what it feels like to have something be great or have something suck instead of just releasing things. That would be one thought about it.”
Brandon Flowers is currently on tour, bringing Thrasher to fans in the US, UK, and Ireland.
