Shannon KeoughKings of Leon is made up of three brothers, Caleb, Nathan and Jared Followill, and their cousin Matthew Followill. Over the past year they have risen from an unheard band to playing on the radio almost every hour.
This Tennessee-bred alternative-rock band has jumped over the Atlantic from European rock stars to America’s new rock sensations.
“Kings of Leon is the musical equivalent to swine flu,” Matt McGuriman, junior undeclared major, said.
Kings of Leon went from no-names to everyone knowing who they are in only a couple months and their popularity is growing more everyday.
“The band pretty much came out of nowhere,” Matt Cusmian, sophomore accounting major, said.
Most people only started hearing about the band recently, yet the band has already been through three albums and, according to the Kings of Leon Web site, has been touring for about five years.
The band may not be well known here in America, but they are close to Led Zepplin standards in England, selling out their December show in the 02 Arena in less than an hour.
“I don’t know them well,” Susan Schmidt, junior psychology major, said. “But their new song, ‘Use Somebody’ I really like.”
Kings of Leon started making waves in America about a year ago when their song ‘Sex on Fire’ was released. Caleb jokes on their Web site, that all their music has some form of sex to it; ‘Sex on Fire’ just sums it all up for one CD. But it’s their new song ‘Use Somebody’ that has made them known throughout the country.
“I only know one song, and that’s because of VH1’s Top 20 countdown,” Katie Magenney, junior biology pre-med, said.
“They are a good band. I have heard of them before when my brother an I saw them open for Broken Social Scene. They haven’t changed much in their music but what they have changed I like.” Mike Gallagher, freshman criminology major, said,
This likable family band has not only opened for Broken Social Scene, but also for U2, Bob Dylan and Pearl Jam. Their new album ‘Only by the Night’ was mainly written by Caleb when he was on pain medication for his shoulder. On the Kings of Leon Web site he jokes how it allowed him to open up more with his writing and not hold back.
Combined with the lyrics people have grown to love the sounds that Kings of Leon create. This freedom combined with lyrics people have grown to love the sound that Kings of Leon create, will surely make for a good album.
Even though the band is new, most students do agree that they are a good band and can’t wait to hear what else they will do.
