Kings of Leon

What you get when you mix three sons of a Pentecostal preacher and a cousin from Tennessee.

An episode of the The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos Audio Podcast podcast, hosted by George Stroumboulopoulos, titled "Kings of Leon" was published on July 30, 2009 and runs 11 minutes.

July 30, 2009 ·11m · The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos Audio Podcast

Summary

How did a bunch of home-schooled boys from Tennessee go on to sell out stadiums around the world? Well, Caleb, Nathan and Jared Followill are brothers and along with their first cousin Matthew they are 'Kings Of Leon.' The brothers grew up driving across the south with their dad - a Pentecostal preacher. They didn't really have a home, they lived on the road, going from one church service to the next, sleeping in hotels, churches, even their car. They didn't listen to rock music, or watch TV. But just over ten years ago, everything changed. Their dad left the church and divorced his wife. So, the boys started to get into music, formed a band and by 2002, 'Kings of Leon' had interest from nine labels. After a bidding war, the guys released their debut EP in 2003. Five years of touring and four records latern'Kings of Leon' sells out arenas now, in under an hour. They're huge in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. And are starting to hit it big in the U-S. They've opened for U2, Bob Dylan and Pearl Jam. 'Rolling Stone' magazine recently asked "How good can these guys get?"nTheir new album is called 'Only By The Night.' It debuted in the top 5 in Canada, with the hit single 'Sex on Fire.'

Episode Description