Killers stake it all on ‘Do or Die’ CD

The Killers frontman Brandon Flowers might not agree with the critics on the success of "Sam's Town" but he's not downplaying the importance of their latest CD: "Do or Die."

"Everything is at stake on this album," Flowers tells Rolling Stone in the Aug. 21 issue. "Everything."

The group's second release, "Sam's Town," was an overseas smash but fell well short of their 2004 debut "Hot Fuss." "Sam's Town" sales of 1.3 million were about half of "Hot Fuss."

But those numbers don't tell the true story, said Flowers, who described "Sam's Town" as "a giant success. That's a misunderstood truth." Nevertheless, the third album "is stripped down in a lot of ways," said bassist Mark Stoermer. "It's our most poppy record but also our most experimental."

Added Flowers, "We've got faith in what we do, faith in our fans and faith in the soon to be converted."

A FINAL TOAST

Bob Maheu's lunch gang didn't get to say goodbye, so they came up with a chardonnay sendoff.

Local attorney Joe Brown, a longtime friend of Howard Hughes' top aide, who died on Monday at age 90, told mourners at his funeral Saturday that a group of Maheu's pals regularly gathered to have lunch with him at the Swiss Café, 3175 E. Tropicana Ave.

Maheu loved his chardonnay during the story-telling get-togethers.

About three or four months ago, Maheu started to miss the lunches. "The fun was gone," said Brown.

Saddened that they couldn't lift a final toast to the local icon while he was alive, they agreed to salute their friend one last time, by serving Maheu's favorite wine to his friends after the funeral at St.Viator Catholic Church.

Another touching moment came when one of Maheu's sons, Bill, made a point during his eulogy of greeting VirginIa Richardson and saying that she was considered "a member of our family."

Richardson and Bob Maheu were close friends.

SIGHTINGS

At Tao Las Vegas (Venetian) on Saturday: Enrique Iglesias, "Pineapple Express" actress Amber Heard, actress Tia Carrere and "America Next's Top Model" winner Jaslene Gonzalez. ... Lauren Conrad of "The Hills," hosting the night at Christian Audigier The Nightclub (Treasure Island) on Saturday. ... Herman Matthews and Friends, a seven-member group of musicians who back Tom Jones, played a late show Saturday night at the Bootlegger Bistro. ... At Fix (Bellagio) on Saturday: Boston Celtics' star Paul Pierce, doing Patron tequila shots with Jermaine O'Neal, recently traded to Toronto Raptors. At other tables: hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and his family. ... Pete Rose, delivering a chocolate cupcake and tiramisu dessert to his lady friend at their table Saturday at Cafe Martorano (Rio), compliments of Steve Martorano, the partner-chef of the restaurant. Martorano has added another tattoo to his full-body collection.

Martorano had celebrity tattoo artist Mario Barth of Starlight Tattoos at the House of Blues (Mandalay Bay) apply the likeness last week of Saint Padre Pio to his right leg. It took seven hours. The Catholic saint was canonized in part for experiencing the occurrence of stigmata -- bodily marks, pain, and bleeding in locations corresponding to the crucifixion wounds of Jesus Christ. ... Death Row Records founder Suge Knight, spotted at Drai's After Hours (Bill's Gamblin' Hall) after being turned away at Poetry nightclub (Forum Shops at Caesars). ... Actor Robert Maschio, who plays "The Todd" on NBC's "Scrubs," at Jet nightclub at The Mirage. ... Adrienne Frantz, Emmy Award-winning actress from "The Young and the Restless," at the 7 p.m. performance of "Mystère" (Treasure Island) on Saturday.

THE PUNCH LINE

"Barack Obama announced today he is going on vacation all of next week. Which is part of his strategy to behave like he's already president." -- Craig Ferguson

Norm Clarke can be reached at (702) 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com.