Overview of 1012. - Kings of Leon
In this episode of How Long Gone, Chris Black and Jason Stewart chat with Jared Followill of Kings of Leon ahead of the band’s new album and upcoming tour. The conversation starts with their usual mix of sponsor banter and lifestyle talk, then moves into football culture, gambling as emotional hedging, touring logistics, hotel preferences, fashion regrets, and the band’s early years in Tennessee. Jared comes off as funny, self-aware, and deeply rooted in Southern culture, with plenty of stories about life on the road, working with legends, and how Kings of Leon evolved from scrappy kids into a polished arena band.
Key Topics Discussed
Football, tailgating, and emotional gambling
- Jared explains his unusual betting strategy: he often bets against his own team as a way to either win money or feel less bad if they lose.
- He describes himself as a “bad luck” fan who believes his presence at games can affect outcomes.
- The hosts ask for advice on attending a high-stakes college football weekend in Austin, and Jared gives practical guidance on drinking, timing, and how to survive an all-day tailgate.
Touring life and hotel preferences
- Jared says Kings of Leon have spent years staying in rough accommodations and now appreciate the reliability of places like the Four Seasons.
- The band prefers consistency on the road: good gym, predictable room service, and a calm environment.
- He contrasts that with the chaos of boutique hotels and early touring days, when they lived in cramped, often unpleasant spaces.
Early band history and music education
- Jared recounts joining the band as a teenager and having to teach himself bass from scratch.
- His first “live performance” was essentially an audition in front of the record label.
- He learned by listening to bass lines in short bursts and gradually building his skills.
- The band’s musical background was heavily shaped by church, family, and Southern life.
Fashion, image, and the “indie sleaze” era
- The hosts discuss the band’s early fashion choices, which Jared says were driven by poverty, rebellion, and a desire to avoid looking like a polished label product.
- He admits they dressed strangely on purpose, and now looks back at those outfits with embarrassment.
- The conversation touches on how those looks now feel like they belong to the “indie sleaze” revival.
Food, Southern identity, and family traditions
- There’s a long riff on Southern cooking, canned vegetables, pumpkin, peaches, and chocolate gravy.
- Jared explains that chocolate gravy is a real family recipe served over biscuits and that many of his food associations come from Southern home cooking.
- The hosts and Jared also talk about how the South is defined by preservation, canning, and prepping for hard times.
New album and production
- Jared says the new Kings of Leon album comes out on November 6.
- He notes that it was the first album the band fully produced themselves, though they still worked with someone handling engineering and technical production.
- The band spent a long time learning how to make a record this way, but Jared says it was worth it.
Notable Stories and Quotes
On never canceling shows
- Jared says he has never canceled a show for being sick.
- He shares a bizarre early-career story about getting mono as a teenager.
- He also tells a memorable story about a pigeon repeatedly pooping on him mid-performance, which finally forced the band to stop the show.
On Bob Dylan and touring with legends
- Jared says Bob Dylan had “the softest hands” he’d ever felt.
- He recalls Dylan telling the band he loved one of their songs and briefly stopping by backstage.
- He also reflects on how touring with U2 changed the way Kings of Leon thought about writing and performing, pushing them toward bigger, more anthemic songs.
On what makes a good live show
- Jared is firmly against overly long concerts.
- He argues that a good show should be tight, well-paced, and leave room for dinner or a night out afterward.
- The hosts agree that a shorter, earlier show is often the better experience for fans.
Main Takeaways
- Jared Followill is comfortable being both self-deprecating and thoughtful about fame, touring, and success.
- Kings of Leon’s evolution is tied to their Southern upbringing, church music, family life, and years of grinding on the road.
- Their current phase is about comfort, control, and experience: better hotels, self-production, tighter shows, and a more mature creative process.
- The episode mixes music industry stories with sports talk, food nostalgia, and plenty of Southern cultural texture.
Sponsor Segments Mentioned
The episode includes promotional reads for:
- Yahoo Scout
- A View From A Bridge
- Squarespace
- Quince
- Revolve Man
- Camtasia Pro
- PreNuvo
- S&S Roofing
Episode at a Glance
- Guest: Jared Followill of Kings of Leon
- Album release date mentioned: November 6
- Core themes: football, betting, touring, Southern identity, food, fashion, and music growth
- Tone: funny, conversational, self-aware, and lightly chaotic in classic How Long Gone fashion