The Fanhood of Kings of Leon

The Fandom of Kings of Leon By Brandon Buckner, [email protected], 703-915-5863 (Word Count: 1292) It’s five and a half hours before kickoff the day of the 2008 BCS National Championship Game. Nathan, Caleb, Jared and Matthew are all business. As of 2:30 PM ET, the whole band was down in Miami and already well into their pregame rituals. It was more than five hours until kickoff. For those who follow the band, it comes as no surprise. The four boys, each named Followill, love their Sooners. And, like their music, tales of their extreme fanhood are growing all across the world. The band’s newest album, Only by the Night, opened in 2008 and spent four weeks atop the charts in the U.K., where the group is considered rock royalty, achieving five times platinum status and the distinction as the country’s most downloaded album ever. The album also hit No. 1 in four other countries including Australia, where it was the best selling album in 2008. Sex on Fire, the first single off the album, is the most downloaded song in U.K. history. In January of 2009, a friend recommended that I jump on the Kings of Leon bandwagon. After discovering a couple tracks that spoke to me like a Malcolm Kelly freestyle—namely, Arizona and Fans off their third album, Because of the Times (if you’re new to KOL, start here)—and learning about the band’s deep Oklahoma roots, I took his advice and rapidly became a believer. In the U.S., Kings of Leon is quickly picking up steam, recently selling out Madison Square Garden and headlining the 2009 Austin City Limits and Lollapalooza Music Festivals. In 2008, they picked up their first Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance By a Duo or Group, with nominations for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Album. Their collective Sooner fanhood is just what we’ve come to expect from these guys. When the Followill boys do something, they do it all the way. They’re the hottest band in the world right now, and some of the most intense OU fans alive. So when the king of college football meets the Kings of Leon, it’s no holds barred. Youth and Young Fanhood The Followill boys spent most of their childhoods traveling between Oklahoma and Tennessee in the back of the purple ’88 Oldsmobile of their father, Leon, a Pentecostal itinerant preacher and traveling evangelist turned house painter, from whom the band derives its name. Nathan, drummer and eldest brother, once told The New York Times that if not for the band, they would all be painting houses in Oklahoma like their father. Despite a relentless touring schedule, the band spends two weeks every year at the Followill family reunion in Talihina, the self-claimed “Gateway to the National Talimena Scenic Byway” of Southeastern Oklahoma and subject matter for a hidden track off its first album, Youth and Young Manhood. In Talihina Sky, the chorus vows to, “be gettin’ out as soon as I can fly.” Homesick by their second album, Aha Shake Heartbreak, verse three off So Long, Slow Night promises to “take you home, back to Oklahoma.” Caleb Followill Front man and lead singer Caleb Followill admits to defiling Scotland’s most hallowed ground in the name of Oklahoma football. Caleb told Scotland on Sunday that one night after a show, the band arrived at their hotel at 4 a.m. local time in hopes of seeing the Sooners play. After getting hooked up with the game on TV, snacks and adult beverages by the hotel staff, the band soon realized the restrooms were three flights down. Naturally, they didn’t want to miss a second of the game. A fairly obvious solution at the time, they opted instead to use their hotel balcony that, incidentally, overlooked the 17th fairway of the world famous St. Andrews golf course. The boys were apologetic and insisted that they stayed in the rough at all times. Matthew Followill Lead guitarist Matthew, along with cousin Nathan, represents the half of the band born in Oklahoma City (the others were born in Tennessee). He is featured on page 47 of the April 2009 issue of Rolling Stone sporting two broken bones, one hideous OU tee and zero shame. The piece doesn’t explain how he got hurt, but somehow it’s fair to guess there was another Followill or two in play. Matthew lays claim to an instantly classic line from a relatively obscure YouTube video of the band tailgating in the northeast corner of Oklahoma Memorial Stadium before 2008’s home opener against Chattanooga. (YouTube “Kings of Leon ‘Only by the Night’ Home Movies, Day 6.”) “I’ve never been to a football game, neverbeen to a tailgate, never been to Oklahomer, never met any of these crazy uncles…” Matthew’s girlfriend whines, in a heavy British accent, before he abruptly cuts her off. “First of all, it’s not ‘Oklahomer’”. Nathan Followill Speaking of that video, let’s just move right on to the obvious. Namely, that Caleb and Nathan (drummer) are rocking killer pairs of jorts, with Nathan pairing his with an adult jersey and a foam finger, all while securing his beverage in a jersey-shaped koozie borrowed from a man called Nacho (KOL roadie and Followill cousin.) Yes, it’s confusing that once you’ve seen the boys looking crisp on the cover of Rolling Stone, you’ve got to believe they consult their GQ. But while it’s somewhat painful to see them unapologetically disregarding tailgate fashion protocol, I have to admit that if there’s one man that can pull this off, it just might be Nathan Followill. Nathan is perhaps known to represent the Sooners most frequently, displaying “OU” on his kit during every performance (when it’s not taped on the front of his kick bass, it’s on the mini OU helmet on top of the drum.) The night following the death of Wayman Tisdale, the Sooner legend’s No. 23 was taped alongside, in tribute, during the band’s The Tonight Show performance, and not a dry eye was watching that night from Sooner Nation. (YouTube “Kings of Leon Tonight Show.”) Recently Nathan donated a drumhead to the Oklahoma History Center’s rock & roll exhibit, Another Hot Oklahoma Night. The drum was signed “Boomer Sooner,” along with a few choice, and far less than complimentary, words about the University of Texas. Jared Followill There’s a video interview with Rolling Stone where the band gives the magazine an exclusive tour of their respective Tennessee homes (which, not surprisingly, are bachelorfied, man-cavean shrines to rock, booze and Sooner football), where we learn a fascinating little nugget about bassist Jared’s game day superstitions. Sure, we’ve all got the friend who has to wear the same shirt for every game, or eat the same pregame meal. Ready for this one? When Jared watches an Oklahoma football game, he stands in a specific spot, 45 degrees to the left of the television. Simulating a Sooners home game using NCAA ‘09 on his Xbox 360, Jared demonstrates in front of his flat panel. “I stand here the whole time. It’s bad luck if I move anywhere else,” Jared explains. In a December 2008 issue of ESPN The Magazine, there’s a column that features two artists’ take on the BCS National Championship Game, with Jared representing OU (Lil’ Wayne was for Florida). While Jared admitted that containing Tim Tebow would be key, he himself was actually the Sooners’ secret weapon. Jared explained that OU was undefeated in the 10 or 11 games he had been in the stands, and that this was due mainly to his crimson and cream shoes, No. 14 t-shirt and lucky red and white underwear. Check out Kings of Leon. Even if you don’t like their music, you’ve got to love them for their Sooner pride. Buckner is a Virginia-based graduate of Oklahoma City University and the University of Oklahoma. Copyright © 2009 Brandon Buckner. All rights reserved. .

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