The Kings of Leon: Sex on Fire

ISBN: 9780857681638
Dimensions: 198 x 129mm
Paperback: 192+8pp
Publication date: 5 November 2009
Illustration detail: 8pp colour
All authors: Michael Heatley

Author Michael Heatley has written over 100 rock books, including Dave Grohl: Nothing To Lose, The Complete Deep Purple and the best-selling John Peel: A Life In Music. He was editor of the History of Rock partwork and currently contributes to Guitar and Bass and Record Collector magazines.

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Synopsis

By any standards, the Kings of Leon are unique. Consisting of three brothers and their first cousin, all surnamed Followill, the quartet from a God-fearing Tennessee background has conquered the music world on their own terms. They have audaciously mixed elements of classic rock with grunge, garage and a very contemporary attitude. The result is music that has found a ready audience between 15 and 50. It has also been used in several significant movie soundtracks, accelerating their rise. Their song-writing skills have earned the admiration of none other than Bob Dylan himself.

This book traces their rise from local hopefuls to Grammy-nominated UK chart-toppers (single ‘Sex On Fire’ and album ‘Only By The Night’ both reaching Number 1 in their respective listings in 2008). A background and lifestyle that kept them well away from popular music until 1997, when their father sensationally resigned from the church and divorced their mother, has led to some fascinating results. Exposure to the rock’n’roll lifestyle led to crises that have had to be resolved as a band and individuals, as recounted by Michael Heatley in this first-ever full-length, authoritative biography of the band.