Mastodon Releasing ‘Motherload’ Picture Disc; Playing ‘Letterman’ Oct. 27

With the Black Friday edition of Record Store Day coming up on Nov. 28, Mastodon will be unleashing their single 'The Motherload' on a special, limited-edition 12 inch vinyl picture disc. The song is from their latest album, 'Once More 'Round the Sun.'

The reason behind Record Store Day's Black Friday celebration is not the same as that of a typical big box store. According to their website, "RSD’s version of Black Friday is an excuse to celebrate both the pieces themselves and the special indie record stores who carry them. Cheap, mass-produced frenzy is not the goal."

Mastodon will also be making a return to 'Late Show With David Letterman' on Monday, Oct. 27, to perform 'The Motherload.' In a recent interview, guitarist Bill Kelliher talked about the first time the band appeared on Letterman.

"The most difficult I think was doing the David Letterman Show the first time," Kelliher says. "It was nerve wracking because it's such a huge show. It's something I watched as a kid, and David Letterman, he's getting up there, he's pretty old. I don't want to say he's a cranky old guy, but... (laughs)."

Kelliher continues, "I was just nervous honestly being up and being on that show because the audience is a bunch of cranky old people. There are dudes, old men out there with fingers in their ears while we were playing. What are you going to do? It is what is it. It's an iconic show, and we're getting ready to do that again, one of his last, because he's retiring pretty soon."

The video for 'The Motherload' with its twerking dancers has been drawing controversy, being described as sexist by some. Drummer / vocalist Brann Dailor says that he was “really upset” by The Guardian’s “sexist” labeling, suggesting that viewers not take the video so seriously. One of the dancers in the video is defending the band, publishing a lengthy post about her experience.