Kings of Leon, who exploded onto the music scene in 2008 with songs like “Use Somebody” and “Sex on Fire,” are back with a fresh new sound and a newfound energy.
The rock group, which dropped their ninth album “Can We Please Have Fun” in May, has garnered significant buzz and climbed the Billboard charts again thanks to songs like “Mustang.”
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“I will say I’ve never felt this good in my life. And I feel like all of us could say that this is the best we’ve ever felt as a band,” lead singer Caleb Followill told NBC News in an exclusive interview from their studio in Nashville, Tennessee. “After success... it just feels like you’re trying to kind of match something or meet people’s expectations. With this album, I feel like we just kind of shed all that and just wanted to make something that excited us and us alone. As selfish as that sounds.”
But the group says that their latest album title isn’t ironic.
When asked if there was a time when they weren’t having fun, Caleb said: “Several times I think before this album ... it felt like things were kind of coming to an end or maybe the inspiration was kind of fizzling out.”
The group, which consists of brothers Caleb, Nathan, Jared and cousin Matthew Followill, said that in the years following their smash hits and mainstream success, they began to lose their initial excitement. It nearly caused them to go their separate ways.
“I think there have been times when we’ve all felt amongst ourselves like, ‘Yeah, this isn’t as fun as it once was, and it feels like work,’” Caleb said.
But after the death of their mom, Betty-Ann, in 2021, the group began to find their spark again.
“I do believe that her passing was the key to us finding that inspiration. So all of this is because of that,” Caleb said.
And for the band, a new beginning also meant leaving their longtime record label RCA and moving over to Capitol Records.
“Just getting rid of some of that kind of corporate feel, which, you know, they were always good to us,” Jared said. “It was not a bad relationship whatsoever, but just being able to do it ourselves. ... It felt like an indie record, and that’s when we had fun.”
Kings of Leon made a name for themselves in their early days with their songs that oozed sex appeal and were rooted in their rock ’n’ roll lifestyle. But a lot has changed since then. These guys now are proud dads with a combined nine kids between them.
“It’s great. It’s an added layer to tour life,” Nathan said. “As far as another thing we have in common that we can kind of commiserate with, or, you know, sit there and be sad that we’re missing them.”
Instead of pulling all-nighters, Jared laughed, “We like to party until the sun goes down.”
Their kids even at times inspiring songs on their new album, like in the lyrics of “Mustang”: “There’s a Mustang in the city / And it’s calling me out / Are you a Mustang or a kitty?”
“It would be like, what are they wearing? It’s like, ‘Oh, he’s wearing a Mustang T-shirt. Okay, I’m gonna sing about a Mustang,’” Caleb explained. “She’s watching a video about cats. I’m gonna compare a Mustang to a kitty, you know?’”
For these guys, who kicked off their North American tour last month, it’s always been about family. They began dabbling in music when they were on the road with their parents, as their dad, a traveling preacher, took them to small Southern towns.
“Everything about our childhood is the reason that we’re here,” Caleb said. “The fact that we grew up in a car, as opposed to a house. The fact that we had windows instead of television, you know? We were sponges soaking it all in, even if we didn’t realize it. We didn’t have the latest games and toys. So we had to make up our own things ... it formed us to be creative."
It was through performing in churches that they realized maybe music could be more than just a hobby.
“I don’t know if anybody knew what to expect ... they were almost just like, ‘Go do it,’ ‘Go see what happens,’ and ‘We’ll be here when it, you know, maybe, probably doesn’t work.’ But yeah, our mom and dad were both just kind of cautiously optimistic,” Jared said.
The Followill family bonds run deep. The boys named their band after their late grandfather Leon.
“He was the biggest fan,” Caleb said. “Whenever we were coming up with band names, something with kings popped up. And then when ‘Kings of Leon,’ when that was said, we realized that it was something that was going to tie us all together because he’s all of our grandfather.” The singer and guitarist added: “He was very proud. And it’s a great, great feeling when you can make your grandparents proud.”
As they cross the country again, this time hitting stages in cities like New York, Austin, Texas, and their hometown, Nashville, they realize that putting on a show for fans is more important than ever because these days going to a concert isn’t cheap. According to Pollstar, the average ticket price for top tours this year hit a record $123. Something the guys say gives them even more of a reason to provide their fans with a show they’ll remember.
“It can’t just be something they’ve seen before,” Caleb said. “So for us, in every aspect of what we do, we have stepped it up ... Otherwise, we kind of look around [and] it’s like the conveyor belt.”
Ways they are spicing up their tour is by debuting an exclusive song in each city and adding visuals to their music on stage.
As they reflect on their 20-year journey, they’re just grateful to be making music and, of course, having fun.
“Fun looks like all this ... what we’re doing,” Matthew said. “You know, it’s not lost on us how lucky we are and what we do. We’re just so lucky to still be here doing it.”
