and spun off three hit singles , catapulting the group into that elite fraternity of bona fide rock bands that enjoy airplay on both pop and rock stations . These days , the Followill four -- brothers Caleb , Nathan and Jared , along with their cousin , Matthew -- are fulfilling the promise that so many critics predicted early in their career . Their majestic , tension-filled brand of Southern garage rock has its roots in , of all things , the church . The brothers ' dad , Ivan , was a traveling Pentecostal preacher who led raucous , revivalist-style congregations . Both he and his father went by the name Leon . His boys have carried on in his road warrior tradition . The stage is their pulpit , their congregation , 20,000-seat arenas . The following is an edited version of our interview . CNN : It 's been a great couple of years for you . Do you feel your lives have changed ? Caleb Followill : Absolutely . It 's just a strange thing for us , because we 've had success in the past , but a great majority of it has n't
WEST HOLLYWOOD , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- We halfway expect the four members of Kings of Leon to roll into Bar 1200 drunk and brawling , a burly tour manager leading them in by the scruff of their necks . Kings of Leon is a family affair , consisting of three brothers and their cousin . Instead , a uniformed valet ushers them in , one by one , offering each a flute of champagne -- which Caleb Followill , the singer , and Nathan Followill , the drummer , politely accept . `` We have a bunch of rooms at the hotel , and the valet came with the floor , '' they explain , shaking their heads in amazement . The hipster lounge we 've gathered in is in the lobby of the Sunset Marquis in West Hollywood , California . A framed black-and-white photo of the Kings hangs in a spot of honor : closest to the bar . It 's autographed , with a inscription that reads , `` Scene of the crime ! '' Kings of Leon 's fourth album , `` Only by the Night , '' has sold 5 million copies worldwide