By Innes Weir - Ask Brandon Flowers about The Killers' recent 14-hour studio sessions and he is quick to point out the virtues of hard work.

"It's just the way I was brought up," he says. "That idea that, whatever I do, I should do it right.

"There's a great quote from Abraham Lincoln that I try to abide by - 'Whatever you are, be a good one.' I have that quote hanging in my kitchen."

New album, Day And Age, is imminent and Flowers admits that the band entered the studio with nothing planned.

"The only plan was that there was no plan," he explains. "Beforehand, it was 'what should I sing? Should there be a keyboard part here?' Not this time.

"It's a more humble album. You have to sacrifice things - there are moments where Dave's just not playing guitar, and we've never had that before."

Produced by uber-hip studio wizard, Stuart Price, Day And Age marks a change in direction for The Killers.

"We loved working with Flood and Alan Moulder on Sam's Town," he says. "So it was hard to move away, but we felt we needed to change again.

"Stuart's like one of us, really - his youth, his anxiousness. He's got a lot of the same influences and he's hungry; he's got a lot to prove."

Price has also proved to be a key influence on The Killers' Christmas single: Joseph, Better You Than Me.

"We were at his house working on it and we'd really hit a roadblock," he says.

"Pet Shop Boys just happened to be downstairs, so Stuart's like, 'Well, Neil and Chris are downstairs, maybe they could help.' So Neil Tennant comes upstairs to help on the lyrics. That was a surreal moment, just amazing."

With Elton John also featuring on the track, Flowers was soon in a state of shock; viewing two pop masters at work.

"Elton wrote the chorus," he says. "And I can't explain why he was able to do it so quickly. It was like breathing for him, I guess.

"Lyrically, I just had to mention 'Joseph' and Neil was scribbling ideas away into his notebook. Seeing those two do that, it was so humbling."

Flowers has spoken before about missing his family on the road - but what if his young son chose the same career? Imagine he wanted to try American Idol?

"Ouch! Er, I'd hope that there'd be something that comes up for my wife and I to ensure that never happened - something that would ensure he never got as far as trying out.

"I hope he loves music, but I'd rather he did whatever makes him happy."