Killers Frontman Brandon Flowers' Mother Loses Cancer Battle

The Killers frontman Brandon Flowers' mother Jean passed away on February 11th following a two-year battle with brain cancer, the Las Vegas Journal-Review reports (via Spinner). Jean Flowers was 64. In her obituary, she is credited with leading her children toward music.

Citing "unforeseen circumstances involving a serious illness of a close family member," the Killers canceled appearances at both the Good Vibrations Festival in Sydney and the Good Vibrations Festival in Perth in the days leading up to Jean's passing so Flowers could rejoin his family. At press time, the band is still scheduled to perform at a pair of Down Under shows this upcoming weekend.

When news of the Killers' nixed shows broke, many fans worried the band was going on a lengthy break. However, the group wrote in a statement on their official Website, "The Killers would also like to take this opportunity to assure their fans that any concerns about the future of the band are unfounded. They are all looking forward to some time off at the end of this tour as they have been on the road for a long time, but there are no plans for an indefinite hiatus."

Related Stories:
• The Killers Go Mariachi For New Christmas Single, Cast a Bearded Luke Perry in Video
• Killers' Flowers Joins Springsteen Onstage for "Thunder Road"
• The Killers, M.I.A. and Mastodon Deliver Big Sounds on a Big Scale at Coachella

• 
  MUSIC The Top 25 Teen Idol Breakout Moments
• 
  MOVIES & TV 'Game of Thrones': The Show Vs. the Books
• 
  POLITICS Matt Taibbi: Facebook IPO vs. Shareholders
• 
  VIDEOS Exclusive: Garbage Rip Through 'I Think I'm Paranoid'

Song Stories

“Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Nirvana | 1991

"Smells Like Teen Spirit," named after a brand of deodorant marketed to girls, was Kurt Cobain's attempt to "write the ultimate pop song," he said, using the soft-loud dynamic of his favorite band, the Pixies. Cobain "had that dichotomy of punk rage and alienation," the song’s producer, Butch Vig, told Rolling Stone, "but also this vulnerable pop sensibility. In 'Teen Spirit,' a lot of that vulnerability is in the tone of his voice." Sadly, by the time of Nirvana's last U.S. tour, in late '93, Cobain was tortured by the obligation to play "Teen Spirit" every night. "There are many other songs that I have written that are as good, if not better," he claimed.

More Song Stories entries »

Twitter