An open letter

[amycakes]

Hey guys

What i'm about to write may be considered as a bit of a rant, so if you don't want to hear people "badmouth" KOL, don't read on.
I've just finished reading the Q article about the boys, and i have to say i think i've come to the end of the KOL road. There was a time when i'd have taken a bullet for these guys. I'd defend them til the last breath, god forbid anyone should say a bad word against them. Their show at the Warfield in San Francisco in setp 2007 was the greatest night of my life, and i looked up to them the way you look up to the cool older kids at school. They were the people i wished i could have been. However, over the last year i've been finding it harder to defend them.
I'm so tired now of reading articles based on the same 3 subjects: drink, drugs and their religious upbringing. I understand how the latter played a big part in their lives, and it's an interesting subject, but i'm just so disappointed that they seem unable to discuss much else than how much they drink and how many drugs they used to take. I feel like i've read the same damn article 5000 times. I understand that they can only answer what the journalists ask them, but come on guys, change the record. I'm sick of the same old shit. Congratulations Caleb, you clearly have a drink problem. Maybe if you sorted that out you wouldn't throw up before, during and after shows. Maybe if you just put the bottle down your brothers wouldn't be afraid of you. You wouldn't have an "alter ego". You disappoint me more than i can express. You claim that drink helps you write, well then you need to get a fucking life mate, because personally i think that's pathetic. It's not inspiring or cool, it's just sad, and i'm afraid that you're gonna beat this band into the ground on your quest to be the ultimate moody, enigmatic rockstar.
The thought of Matthew getting wasted on his own, while his girlfriend despairs just saddens me. I sincerely hope he's not taking pointers from Caleb. As Jared is younger than me, i can't help but feel a little protective over him, but i'm tired of his stories about how he was hooked on cocaine at such a young age. Well fucking done mate. What an interesting story, and how inspiring you are. Now please can you tell us about something else, or has your Dior Homme clad celebrity lifestyle become so vacuous that you can't remember anything past your haircut?
The only member of this band who i genuinely have limitless respect for is Nathan. I know it's corny but he is a real man. He's intelligent, he's talented, he's obviously a loving person and above all he has the most patience i've ever witnessed in a man. I feel like he's looking after these guys, and that without him the band would just completely fold. Please Nathan, just stay exactly how you are. You will be an amazing father.
I'm probably gonna get a lot of stick for this post, but i don't see the point in pretending to like a band who used to make my heart race with the mention of their name. Their music is still incredible beyond words to me, and (musically) they will continue to be my favourite band until something eclipses them, which i think is unlikely in the near future. I just can't look up to them the way i used to, because i don't respect them anymore. They've become corporate whores who peddle the same old drink and drugs stories to anyone and everyone, just to make easy money, and this totally undermines everything they used to mean. I loved KOL because they were different. They sounded different, they looked different and they had a great rockstar enigma about them. Nowadays i feel like they've become these vacant poster boys, who like to pretend they're different, but the rockstar persona has got old. It's time for them to grow up.
This isn't my resignation notice from happy alone, and i'll continue to post here because i feel like i fit in. I feel like i have a family here, and i look forward to talking to you all every day. To lose that because i've lost interest in a band doesn't make sense. I just don't want to lie to myself anymore. I feel disappointed in myself that for pretending to genuinely respect these men for the last year, when there was just a hole in my heart where they used to be.

Amy
xxx

[sxesadie]

I get what you're saying but in interviews and articles it's not the boys bringing up sex, drugs, and their upbringing. It's the interviewers because they know what sales. I can guarantee you that they are just as sick of having to answer the same questions over and over just as we are reading the same answers but what else are they going to do??

And with the alcohol thing, it's not like the drink to be cool. Caleb is insanely insecure and he being the lead singer and writer and pretty much the reason the group got started has ALOT of pressure on his hands so he deals with it by drinking. I don't think his drinking is that much of a problem, maybe a bit excessive but these are boys who were never drinkers or drug users so most people when they start do it in excess. However most people start in college/high school but they didn't.

I just think their honest and refusal to sugar coat their lives are what makes interviewers so interested in asking the same questions over and over again. No need to be angry at the boys for that.

[Savanna]

I agree with Sadie.

I'd rather have them be honest than pretend to be people they aren't.

[loveisdivine]

I agree with you on alot of those points Ive not reached the stage you have (yet) I still find them irresistably cool and I have alot of respect for them. But it is dwindling.......i think because i can see them ruining this for themselves. I just hope they work through there individual issues and come out even stronger

I truly love the kings and i hope i dont end up feeling like you do

[becs]

Amy, I don't feel the same as you but I respect your opinion and I can understand some of the reasoning behind it.

I agree with pretty much all of the stuff you said about nathan though, I think that's why I like him so much. He seems like the 'father' of the band.

I'm glad you're not leaving us though

[loveisdivine]

^^ i agree about Nathan, hes like the rock that they all lean on

[amycakes]

Nov 29, 2008 22:22:37 GMT sxesadie said:

I can guarantee you that they are just as sick of having to answer the same questions over and over just as we are reading the same answers but what else are they going to do??

say "fuck this. ask me something relevant".

i don't know what their political opinions are. i don't know what they like to read. i don't know lots of things i would love to know about them because all i hear is "we had lots of sex and did lots of drugs". it's like reading about amy winehouse, only less fun.

[Savanna]

Nathan is definitely the glue.

If he were to go away, the band would crumble for sure.

[Black Jeans]

I don't understand how you can still say they will be your favourite band but don't respect them any more.
At the end of the day, is it not all about the music? Is that not why you then go researching deeper into who they are and what they say? If you didn't read those articles, then you'd still respect them for the music which is what the whole point of them being in a band is about. Making music people love.
They've spent the past 5 years on the road. That's all they know. Their religious upbringing and then life in a band on the road. That's all the interviewers want to ask them about and that's probably all they know.
What more are you wanting?
All the new fans and people who don't go hunting for every bit of information like us guys on here, won't have heard these stories. That's why they keep getting repeated. If we'd not been members of this forum, it would all still be new to us.
I'm glad you still love the music. That's what its all about. And I'm glad this wasn't one of those dramatic "I'm leaving" posts. You're too cool for that.

[amycakes]

black jeans - as a habit, when i have favourite band i tend to immerse myself in them. i've done it since i was into take that aged 7. i like to know what's behind them music, like, what kind of person has created that sound. i dunno, maybe it's because i'm a musician myself i need to know what goes into the music, not just what comes out. does that make sense? one of the reason i fell in love with kings of leon was because as a whole package they were just so refreshing and unusual. i liked their story and i like their style, but i agree it is all about the music. that's why they're still my favourite band, even if i don't necessarily like what's behind it.

[amycakes]

i'd like to go back to this

before we knew about the addictions, and before people knew what was under the hair. i have a sinking feeling that if they were still "ugly", they wouldn't have been half as successful.

[Savanna]

^^ That's the thing. We'd all like them to be a certain way or stay a certain way, but people are gonna evolve whether we like it or not..



It's just one of those things..

[sxesadie]

Nov 29, 2008 22:27:22 GMT amycakes said:

say "fuck this. ask me something relevant".

i don't know what their political opinions are. i don't know what they like to read. i don't know lots of things i would love to know about them because all i hear is "we had lots of sex and did lots of drugs". it's like reading about amy winehouse, only less fun.

it's a double edged sword, if they said "fuck that ask us something relevant" then everyone would think they're assholes.

[amycakes]

i just feel like they're not the band i fell in love with. they're now the band the world wants them to be.

[Black Jeans]

Nov 29, 2008 22:46:13 GMT amycakes said:

i have a sinking feeling that if they were still "ugly", they wouldn't have been half as successful.

I have to agree with that. But it's not the success you're upset about, its the interviews and repetitiveness of what's talked about and the boys behind the clothes & hair.
I think we have to understand that they are lonely. They've spent their whole adult lives on the road. They are probably their only friends and yes, they have issues, with Caleb it's the drink.
Let's just hope that with this new huge fame they have, we'll start getting some new questions once everyone has heard the back story. Maybe we will get to know what their favourite book is and people will stop being so intrigued with their childhood and their famous drinks & whores stories.

[Black Jeans]

Nov 29, 2008 22:52:14 GMT amycakes said:

i just feel like they're not the band i fell in love with. they're now the band the world wants them to be.

I think we're all feeling that. But this must happen to fans of every band that has become big and successful.

[amycakes]

Nov 29, 2008 23:01:30 GMT Black Jeans said:

Nov 29, 2008 22:46:13 GMT amycakes said:

i have a sinking feeling that if they were still "ugly", they wouldn't have been half as successful.

Maybe we will get to know what their favourite book is and people will stop being so intrigued with their childhood and their famous drinks & whores stories.

i think what worries me is that i'm slightly scared they won't have anything interesting to say.

and i'm frightened for caleb. i don't want him to ruin what he has. in my opinion he's 1/4 of a genius (the rest of the band making the other 3/4), and if he destroys that with drink it would be too tragic. i'm straight edge so i can't really understand someone having such a dependency on alcohol, and i think he should really sort it out before it's too late. i'm not saying he needs to be some clean living vegan "my body is a temple" type. i just don't want him to turn into a tom waits photocopy.

[Black Jeans]

Nov 29, 2008 23:08:00 GMT amycakes said:

i think what worries me is that i'm slightly scared they won't have anything interesting to say.

and i'm frightened for caleb. i don't want him to ruin what he has. in my opinion he's 1/4 of a genius (the rest of the band making the other 3/4), and if he destroys that with drink it would be too tragic.

I think we all worry about that they are just good musicians with pretty faces, but I'm hoping there is something else behind them. There has to be. A no brainer could not write the lyrics Caleb does.
I'm really hoping they prove you wrong and you find some new respect for them.
I'm also hoping the drink habit is something that they hype up to sound more rock n roll than it actually is.

[amycakes]

Nov 29, 2008 23:18:45 GMT Black Jeans said:

Nov 29, 2008 23:08:00 GMT amycakes said:

i think what worries me is that i'm slightly scared they won't have anything interesting to say.

and i'm frightened for caleb. i don't want him to ruin what he has. in my opinion he's 1/4 of a genius (the rest of the band making the other 3/4), and if he destroys that with drink it would be too tragic.

I'm really hoping they prove you wrong and you find some new respect for them.
I'm also hoping the drink habit is something that they hype up to sound more rock n roll than it actually is.

me too

[schnucams]

Amy, I agree with some of what u said here and also disagree with some, like Black Jeans tho, I let out a big sigh of relief when I realised this wasn't an "I'm leaving" thing

Anyhoo, I think it is sad (not pathetic) that the guys drink so much or that they feel they need to do this but to be honest they are still very young and this kinda behaviour is very typical of guys their age. I'm not saying that makes it right I'm just wondering if too many people have put these guys up on a pedestal, hailing them as the best things since sliced bread. They are four young guys who play and write excellent music. I have so much respect for them in so many ways;

1. OK they did drugs but they ended that and that takes a hell of a lot of personal strength and courage.

2. They are honest, especially Caleb, and probably naive also. I have huge respect for the bravery it takes to talk about ones personal struggles and insecurities in front of anyone else, never mind the whole world.

3. They have respect for their fans, ergo they have earned my respect.

4. They have taken the risk of producing an album where they are pleasing themselves and risking alienating some fans. In my opinion it'd be easier for them not to do this and it takes a lot to be true to oneself in the face of criticism.

People on pedestals inevitably fall off but not through any fault of their own!!!!

It also made me quite sad that Matthew sat at home alone and got wasted....but Matthew is his own person and is an adult, as are the rest of the Kings and so he has his own choices to make regarding his drinking, as they all do!!

With regards to Caleb's drinking and throwing up before, during and after concerts, the two may be related but he is clearly insecure and I would guess that its much harder for him to perform in front of 20 people who aren't that interested to 20000 who are huge fans............either one would make me vomit!!!!

As for Jared. To be honest, I really feel he has a good head on his shoulders but he is so young and he talks too much Other than that I cant fault the guy, so he likes to look nice, he's a good looking bloke who can afford to buy nice clothes, I'd be buying some designer gear too if I could afford it.

I have no idea if Nathan is the glue, who knows?? Sometimes I think its Jared to be honest, he takes what he does seriously, he doesn't drink as much, he's honest!! I dunno. Nonetheless I have huge respect for Nathan also.

As for interviewers, i agree that its not so much up to the kings as to what the final article looks like!! I would be a bit put off if they were vetting and censoring every interview and article that come out about them. They have said they don't like the press stuff but its part of the package and so they do it, for them, imo, its about the music and they do that so bloody well I couldn't give a flying f**k if they say the same thing in interviews for the next 20 years as long as they keep making and playing their music!!