Hot Hot Heat Soundtrack Their Party With the Killers

Two years since the release of their second album, 'Elevator,' Hot Hot Heat are finally getting down to the business of premiering new cuts from their forthcoming third CD, 'Happiness Ltd.' thanks to a host of dates with stadium stars the Killers.

Steve Bays, frontman for the Canadian four-piece tells Spinner he's thrilled with the reception to the new tunes, including 'Let Me In,' 'My Best Fiend' and 'So So Cold.' "We're getting so psyched on how well they go over," Bays says. "We never tell anybody that it's new. We just play songs and [when it gets a] gut reaction from the crowd, that's awesome."

Those three cuts and a few others from their September-due effort have been getting plenty of play on the current trek. Aside from thrilling fans with these new numbers, Hot Hot Heat have been spending time getting to know their tourmates a bit better.

"The Killers -- they're more of an after show kind of band," Bays says. "We've always gone out on the town quite late after we played with them. As far as our pre-show regime? It's pretty much always a little party backstage -- a whole ritual we do every night. And not just with them."

According to Bays, this ritual entails a host of merriment soundtracked by a special playlist on his iPod. "Alright," he begins, ready to reveal their deepest party tune shame, "'Smokin' by Boston, 'Where the Bands Are' by Bruce Springsteen, 'Travellin' Band' by Credence and 'Ace of Spades' by Motorhead.

"We get pumped to that kind of stuff," he says. "After the show, it's fun time music. You can't really risk putting on something obscure that will bum out the vibe."