Shorty-Short Shorts! Backstage Pass with Kings of Leon

Kings of Leon have made the most of their downtime while recording their second album in L.A. When not out nightclubbing, the hirsute southern-rock quartet have been frightening old ladies. "We're living in an apartment-style hotel," drummer Nathan Followill explains. "It's got a tennis court on the roof, so we can stay in shape. We're absolutely horrible at tennis, but we like to put on our little shorty-short shorts and gross out all the women laying by the pool."

 

Kings of Leon have made the most of their downtime while recording their second album in L.A. When not out nightclubbing, the hirsute southern-rock quartet have been frightening old ladies. "We're living in an apartment-style hotel," drummer Nathan Followill explains. "It's got a tennis court on the roof, so we can stay in shape. We're absolutely horrible at tennis, but we like to put on our little shorty-short shorts and gross out all the women laying by the pool."

Brothers Nathan, Jared, and Caleb and first cousin Matthew, who hail from Tennessee, relocated to "the city of the velvet rope" (as Nathan calls it) in May to begin recording the tentatively titled Ah Hah Shake Heartbreak (again with producer Ethan Johns). Due later this year, it features a generous, family-style portion of the Kings' retro sound.

Nathan describes "Paper Jean Girl" as "a little boogie-ish. You can get down and shake your ass to that one." This time, however, there's also some experimental noise (or "controlled chaos") on "Slow Night So Long," plus a few production techniques that postdate 1973. "There's one song called 'The Bucket,'" adds Nathan. "I don't wanna say it's modern sounding...." How about "less classical"? we suggest. "Wonderfully put. That's why you're a writer and I'm a dumbass who gets to beat on a drum head."