Nashville, T.N. based band Kings of Leon is having an award winning year. The alternative rock band is having great success with their latest album, Only by the night. At the 2009 Grammy Awards their single, “Sex on Fire" won a Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
Kings of Leon is a family band with three brothers and a cousin making amazing music. Caleb Followill is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist. His brothers Nathan and Jared provide drums, bass guitar and additional backing vocals. Their first cousin Matthew is the lead guitarist and back up vocalist.
They all grew up in a very religious household. Their father was a Pentecostal minister who traveled to other churches from time to time. They all learned how to play instruments by performing at churches with their father.
In 2002 they signed with RCA records and began working on their EP, Holy Roller Novocaine.
The band’s first album Youth and Young Manhood was released in August 2003. That album made them a success in the United Kingdom and Australia. It peaked at number three on the U.K. charts. The album had three singles: “Molly’s Chambers”, “Wasted Time” and “California Waiting” all entered the U.K. charts throughout the year.
Their second album Aha Shake Heartbreak was released in the U.S. in February 2005. Every band members wrote the songs on the album. They received the help of producer Angelo Petraglia on this album as well as their first one. The song “Taper Jean Girl" was used in the 2007 movies Disturbia and Cloverfield. The band also received much respect from several of rock musicians, including Bob Dylan. The band toured with Pearl Jam and Bob Dylan for much of 2005 and 2006. The album was produced by Angelo Petraglia and Ethan Johns.
Their third album Because of the times was released in the U.S. on April 3rd 2007. This album was also produced by Petraglia and Johns. The album gained mixed reviews from many critics. Some said that the band failed to show them that they matured; others said it was their greatest work. However, the album debuted in the U.K. at number one. The album featured the singles, “Charmer”, “Fans” and “On Call”.
In early 2008 the band started working on tracks for their fourth album Only by the night. In an interview with the U.K. magazine NME Jared said that the album would "rock harder" and that they were "ready to tackle their southern roots...again." For inspiration the band listened to bands like Crystal Castles, My Morning Jacket and Radiohead. The song "Crawl" from the album was released as a free download on the band's website on July 28. "Sex on Fire" was then released as the second single in later the next month. The song became the band's first top 10 hit and first British number 1 and it also reached the top spot in Ireland. It was also their first song to chart number 1 on the Billboard Hot Modern Rock chart in the U.S.
The album went five times platinum in the U.K. and remained at number for four weeks. The album was released a few days after that in the U.S. and reached number 5. The second single "Use Somebody" achieved worldwide chart success. The album was named the UK's 3rd biggest selling album of 2008 and the biggest selling album of 2008 in Australia. At the Brit Awards 2009 they won Best International Band and Best International Album where they also performed the song “Use Somebody”.
Currently the band is touring throughout the U.S. and U.K. They will be performing in N.C. at the end of April.
Here's a performance of "Crawl" from the "Only by the night" album. Yes, there are other good songs than just "Use Somebody" on the damn album.
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