Kings of Leon

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For a list of the monarchs of the Spanish kingdom of León, see List of Leonese monarchs.
Kings of Leon

Background information
Origin Tennessee, USA
Genre(s) Garage rock-revival
Pop Rock
Indie
Southern rock
Years active 2000–present
Label(s) RCA
Website Official website
Members
Nathan Followill
Caleb Followill
Jared Followill
Matthew Followill

Kings of Leon is an acclaimed rock band made up of three brothers and a cousin, based in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. Their influences range from Southern rock, indie, to blues styles. Their critically aclaimed first and second albums have made the band a top leader in the indie rock scene, and have given them a legion of fans in Europe.

Contents

[edit] History

The group's name is derived from Nathan, Caleb, and Jared's father and grandfather, both named Leon. Jared and Caleb were born in Tennessee, while Nathan and Matthew were born in Oklahoma. The brothers spent much of their youth travelling around the American South with their father, a traveling United Pentecostal Church preacher and their mother, who taught them when they were not in school. According to Rolling Stone magazine, "While Leon preached at churches and tent revivals throughout the Deep South, the boys attended services and were occasionally enlisted to bang on some drums. They were home-schooled or enrolled in small parochial schools. Except for a five-year stretch when they settled in Jackson, Tennessee, the Followills spent their childhoods driving through the South in a purple 1988 Oldsmobile, decamping for a week or two wherever Leon was scheduled to preach."

Their father was defrocked and their parents divorced in 1997 and after various jobs, the brothers moved to Nashville in 1998. They formed a band in 2000 with their cousin Matthew. Their music is influenced by their religious upbringing and their Southern roots and also other musicians, including Matthew R. Hudson who played the drums in a similar fashion to that of Nathan.

Before trying their hand at rock and roll, brothers Nathan and Caleb sang country music. They worked for a brief period of time with label/management group Pistol Creek Productions. They spent their time with this label mainly singing at rodeos. They also were members of the West Tennessee Mass Choir for a short time. ([1])

Nathan, the oldest of the brothers, graduated from the now defunct private school, Christian Life Academy, in Henderson, TN. Caleb dropped out mid-senior year to pursue country music.

EP: Holy Roller Novocaine EP was their first release. It contained some of the songs that would later be released onto Youth and Young Manhood. However, it also included the famous B-side "Wicker Chair".

First album: They got their start with their album Youth and Young Manhood and rose to relative stardom, especially outside the United States, by being chosen by popular rock bands The Strokes and U2 to tour with them. Standout tracks included the lively "Molly's Chambers" - a title taken from a line in Thin Lizzy's Whiskey In The Jar - and soulful "California Waiting". The song "Red Morning Light" was used as the opening song for the videogame FIFA 2004. "Holy Roller Novocaine" was used in the movie Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.

Second album: Their second album Aha Shake Heartbreak was released in the United Kingdom in October 2004 to widespread acclaim. The album was praised for its mix of garage rock and Southern swagger. "The Bucket", "Four Kicks", and "King of the Rodeo" have been released as singles thus far. Aha Shake Heartbreak was released on February 22, 2005 in the United States.

Third album (under construction): In March 2006, it was announced by NME that Kings Of Leon was back in the studio, working on their third album. Drummer Nathan Followill told NME.COM: "Man, we're sitting on a bunch of songs right now that we wish we could let the world hear!" At present there are at least seven songs completely written and ready to record, with a similar number of works in progress. A number of sources have reported that the upcoming album will be titled "Because of the Times" This title, if correct, is a not so subtle reference to a large UPC ministers conference held in Alexandria, Louisiana that the brothers attended often. They also premiered a new song called "Be There" in Newcastle, Australia on the 19 November 2006. ([2]).([3])

[edit] Members

Christopher Followill, aka Nacho, is another cousin of the brothers, and frequently travels with the The Kings of Leon as a tour technician.

[edit] Trivia

  • The band, Red Light Knights, includes Tyson Followill (lead vocals and lead guitar), who is a relative of the Kings of Leon brothers (the relationship remains unclear). The two bands played at a show together with The Features in September 2006. The musical influence is easily appreciable.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

[edit] EPs

[edit] Singles

Year Song US Hot 100 US Modern Rock UK singles Album
2003 "Red Morning Light" - - 22 Youth and Young Manhood
2003 "Molly's Chambers" - - 23 Youth and Young Manhood
2003 "Wasted Time" - - 51 Youth and Young Manhood
2003 "California Waiting" - - 61 Youth and Young Manhood
2004 "The Bucket" - 23 16 Aha Shake Heartbreak
2004 "Four Kicks" 24 Aha Shake Heartbreak
2005 "King of the Rodeo" - - 41 Aha Shake Heartbreak

[edit] External links

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