The Killers' Ronnie Vannucci Jr. Returns as Big Talk

Big Talk shot by Catherine Asanov. Ronnie is the topless one.

Straight In No Kissin' is the best album title I've heard in at least seven and a half months. At least. Probably more. I would wear that phrase on my chest—NP. A smutty statement of intent? A style of seduction? Hmmm, on second thoughts skipping the foreplay is, by and large, a no-no, but sometimes, just sometimes, straight in no kissin' will hit the spot.

According to Big Talk singer, Ronnie Vannucci Jr.—you know him, the affable pearly-white flashin', hard-hitting drummer from The Killers. Well, according to him the phrase was actually once talked about as a Killers title "but everyone was too chicken." Factoid number two: it's a common phrase in Ireland.

"Like, 'How was work today?' 'Oh you know, straight in no kissin'," Vannucci explains. "But I like it when people go to the gutter with it." Quite. It has, for the record, absolutely nothing to do with the way Big Talk deliver their love. "No Kim," says Vannucci disapprovingly. "I work the long game."

Over the course of The Killers decade plus long, five album strong career only Brandon Flowers and Mr. Vannucci have strayed into solo territory, with Vannucci releasing Big Talk's first record way back in 2011, (which I believe is around the time that this photo was taken, but don't hold me to it). In any case Big Talk's eponymous first record bristled with riffs and melodies that invoked wide open roads (listen to "Katzenjammer" or "Getaways" for evidence). Good time, classic rock 'n' roll in the vein of Springsteen or The Cars. Now he's back with his boys and their new full length out on 7.24, via Oil Records/Pledge Music, and below is the premiere of the second song from the record—the surging power-pop of "I've Been Sentimental Lately."

"It's a collection of experiences rolled up into one little song," explains Vannucci. "I remember an old girlfriend, when she was done telling me about whatever she was talking about, she'd say, 'So how's your little band?' And me being the gentleman that I am, I decided to write a song lamenting those old experiences. [Laughs.] But it's not just her, it's just me writing about old girlfriends. This was before The Killers. I'm really not scorned by the whole thing, it was just something funny to write about!"

Whereas Big Talk released their first record via Epitaph and Vannucci's own Little Oil offshoot, this time they've opted for the Pledge Music route, which offers them more freedom in all respects. He also says it affords the band a closer relationship with the people who want to hear their music. How close? Plenty close. Pledging towards the Big Talk record will offer up such delights ranging from a signed CD, to a Lambroghini tour of Vegas with guitarist Taylor Milne, to a shopping/makeover session with keys-dude John Konesky, to an exclusive acoustic sessions to, wait for it, your chance to have a bubble bath with any member of the band.

"I like the idea of being able to pair an album, with say, a bubble bath," he says. "Naked would be a little weird, and I'm a bit a germaphobe, so we'll still have to figure out how that's all going to work out in terms of the CDC. I don't want to get any ringworm! There's some people out there who may actually need a bath, but the idea is to get it all on tape: so the more awkward the better!"

One of the hazards of being a drummer is that post-show you walk offstage with wet butt, which means the rear of your jeans is sweat-soaked straight through. (Wet butt, by the by, is an affliction hamsters can die from.) So when I spoke with Vannucci last week I suggested that perhaps being a frontman was preferable for that reason alone. "Man, I tell you what, physically it is so much easier to be out front," he says. "I'm not complaining—I like the physicality and the commotion of playing drums—but stick me in a room with good people and good musicians and I'll be playing the cowbell. It doesn't matter! I just like playing music, and this is going to sound way too jazzy, but I like to be able to have that conversation with people. I wish I could have it more."

It's understandable, really, as this is how Vannucci, who studied classical percussion, came up: playing with more experienced, older musicians. Unfortunately it's something his hectic schedule makes it tough to accommodate. "I can't find anyone to play with, or everyone else is in their own sandbox!"

As for the genesis of this record, snippets began to take shape during the last Killers tour. "I was getting older, so I wouldn't party as much, so I just brought a guitar and a laptop and I would go and record ideas, in Amsterdam, at 4 AM, trying not to make too much noise!

"But I'd find that whenever there were people in the house, and some commotion—it's the weirdest method, but it works for me—I don't need to be in a mountain cabin by myself to reach inside and bring something out," he continues, "I'm much better in a kitchen, with a bunch of people, eating pizza and drinking wine. So there were some songs that were born that way and I like the genesis of that better. I'm not a tortured artist. I'm not even an artist! I'm just a drummer who knows five chords on the guitar."

Whatever his take on it is, Straight In No Kissin' is crammed with pop hooks, and this more collaborative experience in terms of the way it was recorded has served both the music and Vannucci well. He calls the first album "a layer cake of overdubs and experimentation," whereas with the tunes from Straight In… were cut mostly live, and this vibrancy bleeds through, as on the LP's standout track "Animal Husband"—a synthy sugar rush you don't ever want to end—and the melancholic, but ultimately uplifting cruise of "What the Night Can Do." Oh, and the new album artwork will feature an illustration of the band in drag. "I have really big boobs and a sunburn," says Vannucci enthusiastically.

Big Talk aside, of course the big question, especially when two band members have solo records out within months of each other, is are The Killers dunzo? "The reason Brandon and I do these side projects is because we have a different temperament than the other guys," he explains. "They need a break, and rightly so—look who they have to deal with! I'm not the worst guy in the world by any means, I think I'm alright, but I'm not a piece of peach pie. [Laughs.] I think it's important to scratch your itch creatively. If it were up to me I'd just be doing Killers records, getting better and better, and working and working, and making sure to hone our craft. But what can you do? I think everyone wants to get back together, just nobody's rushing into the practice room!"

Given that Brandon's LP, The Desired Effect, is already out and Big Talk's is imminent, it seems to make the most sense (to me) for them to join forces and tour like crazy. "I know right, we'd probably clean up," he laughs. "We'll call it the 2015 Fuck It Why Not Tour!" The petition for this to actually happen starts here.

Tune in to Kimmel on 7.21 to see Big Talk live in action.
Straight In No Kissin' is out on 7.24. If you watch very closely, you can see Kim Taylor Bennett in The Killers UK video for "All These Things That I've Done." Her dye job at the time was somewhat tragique. She's on Twitter.