Here’s WAS’ performance from this past week on Letterman. As sad as I am that the band switched out drummers for whatever reason, I really am enjoying the sound as a four-piece. I’m really excited for this show next Sunday at the Southgate House.

It’s time for another installment of “My First Time,” an interview series that asks some of my favorite bands to recall some of their musical firsts. This time we’re joined by Richard of Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s, who was kind enough to share some of the experiences that shaped his music.

MP3: Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s - Barfight Revolution, Power Violence

My First Time …with Richard of Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s

First record you bought
The blue album by weezer.

First record that changed your life
It’s a very close tie between “Graceland” by Paul Simon and The blue album.

First concert that blew you away
Weezer at the Aragon in Chicago. Sensing a theme?

First time playing live
Some sort of cookout at one of my friend’s older brother’s houses. I was maybe 14? We played by the pool. I had a little marshal 30 watt solid state amp. Title of one of the songs we wrote and played at that show: “Sweet baby girl, you’re one piece of my sunshine pie”.

First tour (horror stories, unexpectedly great shows, etc)
I played at some club in new jersey when i was 14 or 15, and afterwards, the club tried to make us pay them 50 bucks that we did not have because there was no one there. We ran away.

First instrument you learned and/or first piece of equipment you loved
I learned to play bass first. My mom’s friend came in from Florida and bought me a squire p-bass out of the blue when I was 13 or 14. We couldn’t afford one. I’ve never loved any instrument as much as that one.

First band you were a part of
A Weezer ripoff band called Joey Hamilton. We “toured” the east coast when we were freshman in highschool.

First awesome thing that happened solely because you were in a band
A girl spoke to me.

First horrible things that happened solely because you were in a band
A girl spoke to me. Close second = cocaine.

First musical obsession (band, song, singer, genre or otherwise)
WEEEEEEZER. Paul Simon. Their posters hung side by side on my wall.

Remember the other day when I posted Spoon covering the Rolling Stones’ “Rocks Off?” Well apparently there was one more cover from that show… Enjoy!

MP3: Spoon - Peace Like a River (Paul Simon)

I got to Forecastle just in time for Del to take the stage. I knew very little of his stuff, but still absolutely loved his set. He dedicated “Mistadobolina” to George Bush, compared Louisville to San Fran (because we don’t have any haters, apparently) and even treated us to his Gorillaz collaboration on “Clint Eastwood.”

What a horrible time to be stuck at work. Pitchfork just posted the first MP3 from Of Montreal’s new record Skeletal Lamping. This is one of the funkier tracks on the record — sounding like Prince/Sparks/etc — and the first single.

Download “Id Engager” over at Pitchfork

Bon Iver does a beautiful cover of Sarah Siskind’s “Lovin’s For Fools.”

I hope you guys are ready for me to spend the next few months featuring Of Montreal on every third or fourth post. Now that we’re somewhat near the Skeletal Lamping release month, details about their many projects are starting to trickle in. The newest is that the band will be releasing the “Id Engager” seven-inch next month in advance of the album.

Order the “Id Engager” seven-inch from Polyvinyl

Unless my command of the English language has failed me (yet again), it looks like you get three copies of this record all on different colors of vinyl for $10 + s/h. What a deal. I don’t remember the last time I ordered something online, but I sure did snap this up with no hesitation.

Can’t wait for the new record? Why not go read (or re-read) my interview with Kevin Barnes.

Guys, there’s a new bar set for kindness in the blog world. No, don’t worry; this isn’t about me. Rather, I’m talking about Melissa, a fantastically kind NYC reader and music fan who gave me two tickets to We Are Scientists’ show at the Bowery this Friday to pass along to one lucky YANP reader!

To enter, leave your name and email address in the comments.

I’ll be picking a winner tomorrow morning before I skip off to Lollapalooza. I’ll email the winner to let them know they won and to pass along their contact info to Melissa, who will be meeting them at the Bowery door with two (2) [dos] tickets.