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	Related Links The Killers' official Web site Sharon Steel reviews the Killers' Hot Fuss Carly Carioli and Will Spitz on Bravery’s battle with the Killers

Q: Was that refreshing?

A: It’s great. I mean, we’re all lovers of English rock. To go there and have our first gig there was something that will stand out forever. NME was there, and that was such a big deal to us. And we’re playing in places where Blur and Oasis started playing. We were just so excited.

Q: Once things got cooking over there, you had to move the buzz back over to the States. Did you have a plan?

A: We didn’t know what was gonna happen. NME decided to do a feature on us, and that was all it took. You open it up and there was this whole Killers thing, and that was all it was. Then we came home and it was just like, "Who didn’t want to sign us?" It was really strange.

Q: It just took that one story?

A: It was the one story, that’s all it was. We put out an EP and they sold out really quickly. So all of a sudden it was this huge buzz.

Q: When you’re inside it, is that sort of buzz an exciting thing or a stressful thing?

A: I’ve always just been happy when any of it happens. There’s so many people that are looking for the bad in everything: "Oh, there’s hype about you." "I don’t wanna have this hype." A lot of bands don’t ever get that; a lot of bands don’t ever get out of their garage or out of their bars. Somebody’s talking about you, and we took advantage of it. It made us want to live up to it and to beat it and to make them believers, you know?

Q: When during this time did you settle down to make the album?

A: The weird part about the album was that when we were trying to shop it to American labels, we were making demos. We went to San Francisco to do that with the A&R guy who ended up being our manager; he knew this guy that had a studio. And then we worked out a deal with them where we would record at the studio and they would help shop it and blah blah blah. So we did three songs, and then Warner Bros. said, "Okay, these are great." It was "Mr. Brightside," "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine," and something else, I forget what it was. And they said, "These are great, do three more." So we did "Somebody Told Me," "Smile like You Mean It," and then they said, "Okay, these are all right, but we need three more." So we only had to record three more songs or something to finish the album. We just used those demos. It was already pretty much done. I’m glad, because there would’ve been a lot of pressure with all the people talking about, "What are they gonna do?"

Q: The album doesn’t sound like a bunch of demos.

A: A lot of people think it’s overproduced, but it’s just us doing it. I would like some parts to be a little more stripped-down when I look at it, but I’m happy with it.

Q: Are you comfortable with the touring life? Is it something you can deal with?

A: Yeah, I’m getting used to it. I’m getting tired now. It’s been over a year and half since we’ve been touring. We love Hot Fuss, but I think we’re all ready to kiss it goodbye. We’re looking forward to making the next record. I always have much more fun in the studio than on stage or on the road.

Q: Why is that?

A: I don’t know. That’s just where I feel most alive, I guess. The excitement of what’s gonna happen, I could get up at six every day. I love it.

Q: Are you guys able to write on the road?

A: Yeah, we’ve got a ton of ideas, a few that are done. I’m hoping it’ll come in around 10 songs. We’ve probably got four or five that are really done, that we’re happy with.

Q: Is it more difficult to turn that part of your brain on when you’re in the middle of a tour?

A: For me, I don’t think I’ll ever stop. Because I’m nervous about it. I don’t think you can . . . well, some people can — people like Jack White. I talked to him once and he hardly had anything written, and then a month later the album came out. And there’ll be three hits on it. It’s unreal. I think we’re more worrywarts. The second this next album’s done, I’m gonna be thinking about the next one and starting to write. It’s not just about being prolific; it’s about getting better and better.