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Even before The Killers delivered their second album, "Sam's Town," references to Bruce Springsteen's 1975 "Born to Run" had been littered throughout almost every website, article, or review one could get their hands on. Are the comparisons warranted? Listen to the intros of both "When You Were Young" and "Born to Run" for yourself.
"Springsteen touches on the American dream, and that idea runs through the record. It's very optimistic," was a statement made by Killers frontman Brandon Flowers himself. But where he first truly channeled Springsteen publicly was in his confidence to say that "Sam's Town" would be the "best album of the past 20 years," much like the confidence Bruce has displayed throughout his career. If he could only remember the one thing that Springsteen never forgot -- to let the music speak for itself -- during interviews about his new mustache.
Then there's the question of their live shows. Bruce has been regarded as one of America's greatest live musicians, putting on legendary three-hour spectacles. The Killers performed the song "When You Were Young" this past Saturday on "Saturday Night Live" and took an immediate hit from critics. Thanks to the rare footage that you can get in the 30th anniversary edition of "Born to Run" we can also see Bruce perform "Born to Run" in 1975 when he was about the same age as Mr. Flowers is now. Compare those -- then you can be the judge.
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You cannot possibly compare the Killers to Bruce Springsteen. They have been on the scene for 5 minutes and you want to compare them to an American LEGEND who's been producing incredible music for the past 30 years. I'm English and England has produced some fine acts but none, no not even the Beatles come close to the honesty, passion, talent and longevity of Springsteen.
If you're an American, you should be proud of being the same nationality of one of the world's finest ambassadors to music.
Enough said!!! Enjoy the rest of your day!! :-) G.
I LOVE the Killers!!! They Rock! I just got their new album on Ipod and it's really good. I highly recommend it!!
Generation X'er
Yes people still care about Springsteen! Have you checked his attendance and receipts to his concerts? It's obvious that The Killers care about Springsteen judging by their latest album. Hey at least their not ripping off David Casidy.
Still love Bruce after 24 years:
I always read these blogs and NEVER post, but I must stand by my man. I have been a Springsteen fan since 1982 when I was 16 years old and all I wanted for my birthday was Born To Run and back then it was albums! !! Thus began my love affair with The Boss. I still to this day prefer to listen to him at times and my favorite songs are from Born to Run and Greetings From Asbury Park New Jersey which came out in 1973. His writing is incomparable as is his sound. I love his madman lyrics, harmonica and saxaphone (Clarence). There is only one and he is it, no comparison, not even close.
Let's see the best rock and roll album of the last 20 years...
1. Welcom to the Jungle - Guns and Roses
2. Nevermind - Nirvana
3. Joshua Tree- U2
4. Ten - Pearl Jam
5. Automatic for the People - R.E.M.
6. Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magic - Red Hot Chili Peppers
7. Siameze Dream - Smashing Pumpkins
8. Metallica - Metallica
9. Green Day - Dookie
10. Achtung Baby - U2
Sorry, Killers that's only the late 80's and early 90's and you're not even close to the top 10.
8.
First off...Springsteen is awesome.
Maybe it's just this sampling, but I don't hear the similarities. Maybe if I heard the whole song?
I don't agree with most of the albums on your list, Vader. Popular doesnt equal best.
Find me 20 rock and roll albums that are better. Uhhh The Pixies? No. Pavement? No. Bad Religion? Suffer maybe but no! Good bands with great albums over the last 20 years but they were too obscure. These albums were popular for a reason Caroline. Because THEY WERE GREAT! Give me 10 albums that were better or will have a lasting influence 20 years from now! Sgt. Pepper is arguably the best album of all time! Boy those Beatles were pretty POPULAR! No one knew who Guns n' Roses was before Welcome to the Jungle. No one knew about Nirvana until Nevermind. Come on Caroline, don't be stupid with your ignorant remarks.
Come on Vader...give her and us a break. Who are you to claim to know what the top 10 albums of the past 20 years have been? You have compiled a fairly good list...and I pretty much like all of the music you have there, however it's a bit arrogant to claim yourself as the final word.
Anyhow...I don't really think the Killers song sounds like Bruce Springsteen and I really like them both. Hot Fuss spent a LOT of time in my player. I have, however, never heard them live. That can make or break a band for me because you can't hide talent or lack of when you are playing in front of a crowd.
If you want to see them live go here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob7jyA8071Y
and if you listen to the opening guitar riffs about 10 seconds in on each...
Of course they are not IDENTICAL but SO CLOSE.
Everything that is missing in music today is what Born To Run and Bruce Springsteen stood for in 1975. The Killers were were the one that were observant enough to realize that.
And did their best to produce it.
Hey Jimmy...thanks for the link. Is that really live? They sound pretty good, IMO. The guitar riff actually sounds MORE like Born to Run in the live version, but just in the frist 10 seconds or so. However, being a fan of both Bruce and The Killers, I have to say I never thought that one sounded like the other so much. I'm sure they are influenced by him, rock has been a series of influences since it began...however they seem to have a more "glossy" feel to their music, if that makes any sense.
Too much sense.
But there are a lot of factors that go into the gloss you speak of:
production: instead of having to physically perfect a verse on tape as Springsteen had. The Killers have the ability to click a button in protools. The last time i checked there was not a button for FEELING in protools
lryically: Springsteen is one of the greatest lyricists / storytellers / poets that recorded music has expierence
physically: it is hard to BELIEVE in a MAN that is TRYING to look pretty. To eliminate "the gloss" that you are talking about an artist has to reach a DEPTH inside their SOUL that most are too fearful to adventure to within themselves. Once you have gone to that place and understand it there tends to be an appreciation for the freedom, power, and for a TRUE artist the passion that INSPIRES them to do music in the first place.
(Too bad for The Killers that because of their drastic exterior change during the short time between albums that they have to have their credibility challanged, but then again if it is all about selling albums and it is not GENUINE and they have not gone through the work, sweat, and pain of reaching the depths that i talked about before then do not deserve to be held at an esteem as someone that has)
[The American public already has a political party that fools them enough]
