Brandon Flowers: Chelsea Studios 2026

This  FUV Live session is also available as a podcast, "FUV Live Sessions." We're elevating WFUV's long history of live sessions and interviews via a podcast that you can find on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon Podcasts. New episodes drop every Monday.

When Brandon Flowers began writing songs for his latest solo album, Thrasher, the direction quickly became clear. Drawing heavily from his teenage years in Utah, the album’s storytelling is rooted in personal history, while a country-western sound ultimately shapes its musical identity.

I had the chance to sit down with Flowers at Chelsea Studios in New York City this past July to discuss the album and premiere much of its new material for WFUV. 

Our conversation touched on his Utah upbringing, his musical brothers Shawn Everett and Jonathan Rado who produced the album, and the daunting experience of recording at Nashville’s RCA Studio A alongside a roster of legendary musicians. It was an open, engaging discussion with Flowers offering thoughtful insights and a clear sense of pride in the new work.

Listen to the conversation as well as two livesongs recorded at Nashville's RCA Studio A:  "Paradise" and "Plans."

[Recorded: 7/21/26. Engineered by Jim O'Hara and produced by Meghan Suma. Live songs recorded at Nashville's RCA Studio A.]