FANS
OF THE
LEONS
Kings of Leon are an American rock band that formed in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1999. The band is composed of brothers Caleb, Nathan and Jared Followill with their cousin Matthew Followill. They named the band after their grandfather, Leon.
Prologue
When I was just a young'n ... Just kidding. It wasn't THAT long ago. (Or was it? đź¤)
East Tennessee 1980's:
- Mom and Dad listened to country music and would dance to George Jones, Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers and Merle Haggard.
- My older brother, Casey listened to R&B and Hip-Hop and you'd hear the latest from Prince, Run-DMC, Grandmaster Flash and N.W.A. usually the DAY their albums were released.
- I listened to primarily 50's, 60's and 70's music such as The Temptations, Creedence Clearwater Revival, James Brown and Led Zeppelin.
- My younger brother, Chris listened to metal and you could find him usually in his bedroom woodsheding the licks of Randy Rhoads.
As you can imagine, car rides were usually filled with arguments over who had control over the radio. Sometimes it got pretty heated especially if one of us criticized the other's taste in music.
Then one summer day in 1986, Casey had purchased Paul Simon's "Graceland" album and talked Dad into popping that one into the car stereo during our next outing.
Now, I'm not going to review THAT album here but it needs to be noted that it had everything. The whole family loved every song. The title track,
"Graceland"
called out to us with something familiar. It was like "Hey! This New Yorker actually SEES us!"
When "You Can Call Me Al"
came on, the whole family would sing in unison.
Our father would (purposely) BUTCHER the lyrics on the song
"Homeless"
as performed by Ladysmith Black Mambazo. My brothers and I would eagerly anticipate our father's performance as he would make up whatever came into his head when he sang along as he didn't quite understand all the lyrics from their native South African accents. There was something else about that song though.
You could tell Dad really felt this one.
You could tell Dad really "felt" the Graceland Album.
It wasn't until many years later that I learned much of the music was written by Paul, grieving his divorce from his then-wife Carrie Fisher.
Although Dad would laugh and joke over that song, sometimes you'd see him tear up. Soon later, we learned Mom and Dad were splitting up. I think he knew the words quite well and was feeling quite homeless himself as things were slowly slipping through his fingertips.
Nevertheless ... always the entertainer, he kept us smiling even through his pain.
We played the heck out of that album for years and were just about getting tired of it until "The Rhythm of the Saints" came out and we got to do this dance all over again.
When the stars aligned
Funny how GOOD things come in GOOD timing
A little over 20 years later, with children of my own ...
Anyone who knows me, knows that I'll always call Tennessee home. I had lived in South Florida for quite some time and was now in living in Dallas, Texas. Usually when I was feeling homesick, I'd put on my favorite Tennessee boys, the "Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies" led by the STILL amazing Mike Farris.
Early 2009, I was doing another Street Painting Festival in Lake Worth, Florida. It was there that I ran into two High School classmates,
Charlene and Thom
and we got together later that night to watch Thom do a set at the Comedy Improv. Being covered in chalk, Charlene gave me a K.O.L. t-shirt to wear that she had in her car. As we waited for
Thom to come on stage,
Charlene was telling me about how she had just saw this band in concert. Me being the music snob I was at the time, wasn't really paying much attention. That was until months later, she reached out to see if I still had the shirt and that I return it immediately! She was a huge fan of this "K.O.L." group, I guess.
Later that year, I was feeling more and more homesick. I had played all my Mike Farris tunes to death and I was starting to look for an excuse to go home even if it was a funeral of a distant relative! Then one day, as fate would have it ... I got an offer to come do a Street Painting Festival in LaFollette, Tennessee! Prayers ... Answered!
Our super-awesome hosts for that festival,
Manuel and Dana Mesa,
had recently moved from South Florida to Tennessee and bought a beautiful lake-side home that was once a bed and breakfast so we (the artists) stayed with them for the weekend, each with our own room and bathroom. We celebrated the end of the festival at their home over a few cold beers and some good music. My brother, Casey met up with me there too. For me, it just felt so extra speical to be back home.
Sitting on a porch swing enjoying the crisp fall air, Dana, along with her teenage daughters went on and on about this new band I had never heard of called "Kings of Leon" to which I replied ...
"Hey! My middle name is Leon!"
I had spent most of the last decade away from the radio and just wasn't too keen on what people were calling "Music" these days. Hearing that name got my attention because:
- I didn't hear the name Leon very often and
- not too many folks know my middle name and
- I also learned that they were fellow Tennessee boys!
Slow Nights, So Long
Music is a substance ... it fules the SOUL!
Do you butter your biscuit or do you prefer JAM?
I work in the creative field. Inspiration isn’t always 24/7. Sometimes I have a normal 8 hour day while many others play out with me in front of a computer designing or editing the night away. Funny observation while putting on Kings of Leon, full blast in my headphones ... My feet and hands got to moving! and well ... the days and nights began to get a little less long. I think I prefer JAM!
When I like a band, I’ll want to get to know them as well and I found these guys fascinating.
- Their father was a revival pop-up tent type preacher and their roots were in gospel music as are so many of the greats like Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, Elvis Presley and even the forementioned, Paul Simon.
- Although signed to a major record label they were not doing too well in the U.S. but once they got to the U.K., they blew up over there. So much, that it was THEN that U.S. listeners started raving about this “new band” from the U.K. and couldn’t wait for them to tour the U.S. I personally found this irony HILARIOUS!
- Like many smaller, unheard-of bands, most of their fan-base coveted them as their “privately-own” piece of entertainment ... That is until the release of their most known hit single “Sex on Fire”. Of course it was THAT one to launch them into mainstream radio. 🙄
- It was also ironic that with their new commercially successful album “Only by the Night” that they did a home-movie style documentary that heavily illustrated their humble beginnings featuring their family at a back yard, hillbilly barbecue. Ah man ... I think I love these guys.
- All of their album titles are 5 syllables ... I know, I know you say “but what about WALLS?” Turns out that one was an acronym for “We Are Like Love Songs”. So there!
We Are Like Love Songs
The Road Trip Soundtracks ...
Over the course of the next several years between 2010 - 2019, my children and I traveled our annual road trip to what became called another chapter in our "Tales from Tennessee" where we would jump on a plane or often even drive home to the "Heartland".
The car rides were long. We'd toggle between The Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies, Mike Farris, Imagine Dragons and of course ... Kings of Leon. Songs like Wicker Chair, Rock City, Family Tree, Back Down South, Last Mile Home and Radioactive always had a way of invoking nostalgia and a bit of spiritual tones with gospel choir like verses such as:
It's in the water, it's in the story of where you came from. Your sons and daughters in all their glory, it's gonna shape 'em. And when they pledge and come together, and start rising. Just drink the water where you came from
Although grueling and tedious, these long road trips felt pure and truly full of all sorts of bonding moments.
Over the years, the kids moved from the back seat to the front seat and as of recently, the DRIVER’S seat.
I smile real big when my son reaches over to the stereo while I'm napping in the BACK SEAT and puts on Kings of Leon and in a matter of seconds, we’re all singing along.
My father took me to my first concert (Jackson 5 Reunion Tour - 1984) and in 2018, I felt quite honored to take my son to HIS first concert ... Kings of Leon "WALLS" tour.
What a great drive. What a great show. What a great memory.
What a great moment.
Epilogue
When You See Yourself
For those that know me, I was a HUGE Prince fan but what you may not have known is that I’m ACTUALLY a huge fan of LIVING artists. Supporting those who are putting out their craft in the PRESENT.
Although 2020 cancelled tours, that didn't slow down these Tennessee titans from picking up their instruments and get to writing and recording.
Their latest release “When You See Yourself” is EXACTLY what prompted me to write this. I caught a glimpse of myself while listening to this album. Some of what I saw was a little scary but most of what I saw was a beautiful journey. Thanks fellas.
To each their own, but I think a real testament to good songwriting is when it crosses generations. Congratulations Kings of Leon, you did that.
