Back in May, I had the incredible opportunity to interview two members of one of modern rock’s most successful bands, Kings of Leon. I chatted with Matthew and Nathan Followill, who play lead guitar and drums respectively for the titans of alternative rock. Their newest album, “Can We Please Have Fun,” released on May 10th to critical acclaim.
Kings of Leon started as a Southern and garage rock band back in 1999 in Nashville, Tennessee. The band was formed by the Followill family, consisting of brothers Caleb (guitar and lead vocals), Nathan (drums), and Jared (bass). They were later joined by their cousin, Matthew, who plays lead guitar. Interestingly, each member of the band goes by their middle name. The band originally started as a project between Caleb and Nathan, but soon expanded after the duo taught Jared the bass and relocated Matthew from Mississippi to Tennessee. The band’s name is a reference to their grandfather, Leon, who they all shared a bond with.
They immediately started on the major label RCA and soon gained massive momentum in the UK, scoring nine Top 40 singles in the country along with obtaining a coveted number 1 record with “Because of the Times.” They also achieved incredible success in the US, winning three Grammy Awards and earning a platinum record. Worldwide, they have sold over 20 million albums.
In this interview, I sat down with Matthew and Nathan from Kings of Leon to talk about their new album, favorite snacks, and massages from Paul McCartney.
When asked about the inspiration behind their new album, “Can We Please Have Fun,” Nathan shared, “We wanted to create something that felt light-hearted and enjoyable. The past few years have been tough for everyone, and we thought it was time to bring some fun back into our music.” Matthew added, “We experimented with different sounds and styles, but the core idea was to make music that people could enjoy and have a good time with.”
As the conversation shifted to their favorite snacks, Nathan laughed and said, “We’re all about the snacks on tour. You have to keep the energy up, you know? I’m a big fan of beef jerky and trail mix. They’re easy to carry around and give you that quick boost.” Matthew chimed in, “I’m more of a sweet tooth. I love gummy bears and chocolate. It’s not the healthiest, but it keeps me going.”
The band members also shared a funny anecdote about getting massages from Paul McCartney. “It was surreal,” Nathan recalled. “We were at this event, and Paul McCartney was there. He just came up to us and started giving us shoulder massages. We were all in shock, but it was such a cool moment.”
Kings of Leon have always had a strong connection to their roots, and this is evident in their involvement with the Music City Eats festival in Nashville. Co-produced by Barbuto’s Jonathan Waxman, the fest features two days of cooking demos and panels with chefs like Nancy Silverton, Donald Link, Edward Lee, and John Currence. The Kings themselves headlined Saturday night’s Petty Fest.
Caleb Followill, the lead singer, shared his thoughts on the festival, “It was my idea to do a little food festival, then it grew into something bigger. Throughout the years, we’ve become foodies, and Nashville’s always been on the cusp of being a great food city.” He added, “We were very involved with the local restaurant scene, and we kind of threw out some chef’s names that we wanted to be involved from around America.”
When asked about his food love, Caleb said, “I don’t take photos of my food. I hate when you go to a restaurant and everyone’s taking pictures of the food. It’s like, just eat the food.” He believes that his appreciation for food grew from years of traveling. “After years of traveling around, you have to find creature comforts that you look forward to away from home. Food became that for us. It started out more with wine, but after you’re drinking wine, you’ve got to have food with it.”
Caleb also shared a bit about his family life, “We have a few little restaurants in Nashville that our daughter can go to without making too big of a scene. She’s very social and says hi to everyone. But we haven’t found any in New York yet.”
The conversation took an interesting turn when Caleb was asked if he would ever give a Yelp review. “I don’t know, I’m really too nice. When I go to order in food and I see people’s reviews, I don’t understand how they could be so mean! Sometimes I’ll go for the food anyway, and it’s really not that bad.”
Caleb also revealed that he enjoys cooking. “From a young age, I really enjoyed it. Me and my cousin used to go hunting and camping, and we’d build a bonfire and cook over the fire. I was into it from an early age. Cooking eggs over an open fire. I’d even cook Spam. I was a Spam guy.”
When asked about his late-night snack preferences after a show, Caleb said, “If I had groceries, I would probably just do a simple pasta at the end of the night. I know you’re not supposed to eat pasta at the end of the night, but it’s the best thing.”
The interview wrapped up with a light-hearted question about whether Caleb would ever do a cookbook or create a booze brand. “I don’t think the world needs to see a cookbook with my face on it just yet,” he laughed. “As for booze, if I had a great idea or great supplier to do some sort of alcohol, I would love to create the next Patrón and ride off into the sunset.”
Kings of Leon continue to captivate audiences with their music and their down-to-earth personalities. Their new album, “Can We Please Have Fun,” is a testament to their ability to evolve and bring joy to their fans.
Source: Getty Images, 94.3 The X
