Happy Birthday Hot Fuss

Happy birthday Hot Fuss. 10
Years old today.

I was a bit late to the party. It was early 2005 when I first heard 'Somebody Told Me' in that student night club 'Ocean' in Nottingham with the sticky carpet, expensive drink (we never bought as were already absolutely wasted) and smoke machine we always seemed to end up standing in front of.

In the morning my recollection would only go as far as "that great song that's always played at the end of the night, before baywatch's theme tune was really great again last night".

It wasn't until I starting hearing 'Mr Brightside' as well that I got intrigued with the band. Started to think they were something. But it was still in this same nightclub when I was wasted. I still don't know this band was called 'The Killers'. Unbeknownst to me, this band were about to conquer the world.

Then I went home for the summer and I turned on an indie music channel (MTV2 as it was called then) and the new single 'smile like you mean it' was on. That was it. Something clicked. I fell in love with the band, the song, the video, and Brandon Flowers.

The very next day I got up early, got the bus into town and went into Woolworths and bought 'Hot Fuss'. It was one of the best things I've ever done. It had been a while since new music or a new band had excited me. I spent the summer in the kitchen with Hot Fuss on repeat. And I loved the entire album, bar 'Jenny Was A Friend of Mine'. 90% of the time it was played from track 2 until the end. The second half of Hot Fuss thrilled me as much then as it does now. 'On Top', 'Glamorous Indie Rock and Roll', 'Andy You're A Star', 'Midnight Show', 'Believe Me Natalie'..

This band stole my heart and ran off with it. I joined the forum, went to the tours, joined The victims fan club, and I'm still around almost 9 years later. I never knew then that this band would be so integral to my core, connect to my soul and continue to make my heart sing so many years later. I've seen them play the 1000 capacity 'Scala' and The 90,000 capacity Wembley stadium.

I'm a victim through and through. Until the end. Thank you, Brandon, Ronnie, Dave and Mark.