Brandon Flowers is catching a lot of blowback from a statement he made on NME.

Here is the quote:

"We’ve been embraced in Britain in a way that I’ll never understand, and it’s such a wonderful thing," he declared. "But over here [in America], people are still so obsessed with Led Zeppelin and Nirvana those sorts of bands, that nobody else is allowed [to grow]."

"It’s not just us; there are a lot of great bands that have been held down or confined by the influence of these people that we’ve put up on pedestals. I’m tired of it, you know? I just want to knock them all off! And people don’t like that attitude. It’s almost like they don’t believe that it’s possible that anybody else can be the real deal."

A lot of people are claiming he hates Led Zeppelin and that he doesn't respect their influence. That isn't what he is saying at all, just that radio over here is so stuck up Led Zeppelin's ass that new, different bands, don't get the attention they deserve. He has a very valid point.

You don't hear The Bravery over in the States not because they are not a great band, but because they don't sound like Led Zeppelin or Nirvana. Turn on any rock radio station in American and count how many times new bands (post 05) are played vs older bands. I will guarantee you won't hear many new artists. This is a problem!

This attitude leads to a feeling that rock is dead. It isn't dead, it's just not been allowed to grow. The Kings of Leon are a band that is just garnering attention in the States but are already icons over in Europe.

We used to be the front lines of rock creativity, now thanks to American Idol and Hip Hop, Europe has kicked our ass to the back. We are being force fed Daughtry and Nickelback while great bands like Kings of Leon and The Bravery are not getting a shot.

I just don't see a real viable solution to the problem either. Record companies are going to promote and push what sells and 25 million people watch American Idol every week and a shitload of people bought Daughtry's first album. But I can't honestly think that through this website people will stop consuming pop slop rock just because I said so. But that is kind of what needs to happen.

As soon as the American public stops buying the crap they are selling, American record companies will look for something else. Hopefully that something else will be quality.