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It’s safe to say the Kings of Leon boys have come a long way from the days of Holy Roller Novocaine. Their transformation from sons of a traveling preacher man and anointed saviors of The South, to a multi-platinum major label arena rock act has been well documented, but perhaps never so well documented as it’s about to be with the release of Talihina Sky: The Story of Kings of Leon. Out tomorrow, this rockumentary details various aspects of the Followill’s lives including their strict Pentecostal upbringing in Oklahoma and Tennessee, a trip back to Talihina for a family reunion, candid interviews with parents and extended family and extensive footage of performances, backstage rituals, whiskey drinking and good times on the Range.
Times haven’t been the best for KOL recently. Reports of band infighting, bailing on packed venues due to insanitary amounts of pigeon shit from the rafters (we had nothing to do with that) and excessive substance abuse above and beyond what would typically be expected for rockstars of their status have all left some fans with a poor taste in their mouths. Coupled with a shift in artistic direction from the raw aggressive sound of their early releases, to the more radio friendly material of Only by the Night and Come Around Sundown, I can see how some would choose to give the cold-shoulder. Frustration and disappoint can fester and bubble into an ugly sense of distain for artists we once loved, but we must remember that the glimpse we’re granted into these people’s lives is very finite and out of context with the rest of their reality. What they do for us on stage represents a tiny fraction of who they are and what they deal with behind closed doors, together as a band and alone as individuals. Talihina Sky should help peel back that layer of separation between musician and fan, and hopefully provide some clarity behind what has fueled the epic transformation of Kings of Leon into the band they are today.
After the jump view a video of Caleb, Nathan, Jared and Matthew performing a mesmerizing live rendition of the song “Talihina Sky”, which of course opens with disagreement and some initial verbal spatting. Typical KOL.
