A Conversation with Nathan Followill (continued)

PM: I haven't been fortunate to catch the band live. What kind of amps are you guys up with? I used to be very into the amp game, so that's interesting to me.

NF: Matthew plays an Ampeg Reverb Rocket, I think is what it's called. And Caleb plays--I think it's a Vox.

PM: Beautiful. So you guys, I mean, are totally living the rock 'n' roll dream. Is there anything missing?

NF: No, man. We've taken some time off and been able to chill out here. We're about ready to get back to enjoying the perks of the rock 'n' roll lifestyle, for sure.

PM: [laughs] What do your folks think about the unbelievable shit that's happened for you guys?

NF: Oh, they're super proud.

PM: Of course, right?

NF: We come from a great family. They'd have been proud--anything we did together, they were proud of. So, yeah, they're very supportive, very loving. They're getting a little too comfortable, now, like having a box of the CDs sent to their house that they promised everybody they've met in the last six months that they would have their boys sign it for them.

PM: [laughs] Where are they living?

NF: Well, my mom lives in Lebanon, and my dad lives in Oklahoma City.

PM: Oh, your mom is down the road, that's great. Do you like living in Nashville, and do you get--I don't know how to say it--do you feel like you get the respect you're due in your hometown?

NF: I love living in Nashville. We all love it. It's great. It's a good place to come off the road to. All of our friends, they live in L.A. and New York and stuff. And the last thing I want to do when I come off the road from three years is to go to a party every single night, or just you get caught up in the whole scene, and you never really take a break on yourself. I mean, either you've got to slow down or your body is going to slow down whether you want it to or not. So we like living in Nashville. L.A. and New York are a plane ride away.

PM: Exactly. Yeah, they're not far away. It's well documented, of course, that you guys grew up sons of a preacher. Are any of you spiritual in any way today, or even religious?

NF: Yeah, we all believe in God, for sure. I think we all still have a lot of the morals that were instilled in us growing up. We're no saints, by no means.

PM: It's early for that.

NF: I like to think we're good people and have good hearts, I guess.

PM: Anybody have a political bone in their body, or not really?

NF: No, not really. Bono and Eddie Vedder I think saw me and Caleb as the next great leaders of the musical political front--no, I'm joking.

PM: [laughs]

NF: No, not really. This is the first election that the whole band could actually vote.

PM: Wow. That's a trip.

NF: Yeah, I don't know, man. None of us are super political.

PM: Not so much, yeah.

NF: I watch my fair share of Fox and CNN.

PM: What about reading? You personally, or does the band make time for that much on the road, or at home?

NF: Yeah. I do more comfort reading. I'll read the same book 50 times just because it makes me feel good and reminds me of the way I felt the first time I read it.

PM: I don't think I've ever heard that phrase before, "comfort reading." That makes a lot of sense to me.

NF: Like a favorite song that you like, that takes you back.

PM: Yeah, or a certain food.

NF: Yeah, anything. I like Catcher in the Rye. That's probably one of my all-time favorites.

PM: Wow, that's the one you'll do over and over again.

NF: Yeah.       continue

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