For most kids the last day of school is not a big deal – other than waiting for summer vacation. For Robin Pecknold and Skyler Skjelset, the last day of seventh grade at Kirkland Junior High would change their lives and popular music.

“He was friends with some of my friends,” said Skjelset, about the day his friendship with Pecknold began. “We hung out over the summer. We both started playing guitar at the same time. But it took a year or two to find our musical connection.”

But that connection has taken the two friends around the world with their band the Fleet Foxes. Their second full-length album, “Helplessness Blues,” was recently nominated for a Grammy.

“We never really had aspirations past just playing together,” said Skjelset over the phone from New York. “It has never been about getting somewhere with it. We just love playing music.”

The band has been around since the two attended Lake Washington High School when they played under the name The Pineapples. The band’s first show was at the Old Fire House Teen Center in Redmond.

“We played two or three times at the Lion’s Den in Bothell and Victor’s Coffee in Redmond,” said Skjelset.

The band got noticed pretty quickly after changing its name, adding a few more members to the lineup and playing their first show as the Fleet Foxes at Neumos on Capital Hill in Seattle. The band signed with the Seattle music label Sub Pop, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Records, in January 2008.

They released their first album that year, simply titled “Fleet Foxes,” and toured for a year to support it.

Skjelset said the members of the band have a pretty diverse background in styles.

“It’s all pretty eclectic. Robin is more into folk music, Morgan (Henderson) was in the thrash band ‘Blood Brothers’ in Kirkland and I really like stuff like Sonic Youth,” said Skjelset. “Our sound is pretty organic.”

The band utilizes vocal harmonies and acoustic instruments. Pecknold writes most of the vocals and music, while Skjelset brings a distinct lead

guitar sound. He has branched out to playing the mandolin and lap slide to extend the band’s sound, but also plays the bass clarinet in his free time. He said he likes branching out to new instruments to keep things fresh and it helps him to learn more about guitar.

“I think this music draws influence and inspiration from popular music and folk rock of the mid ‘60s to the early ’70s …,” Pecknold wrote on the Sub Pop website.

Pecknold sites musicians such as Peter, Paul and Mary, John Jacob Niles, Bob Dylan, The Byrds, Neil Young, CSN and Judee Sill as inspiring the Fleet Foxes sound.

“The Northwest is such a beautiful and inspiring place,” said Skjelset. “I can’t imagine the music sounding the same if we grew up somewhere like L.A. or New York. Growing up in Kirkland was part of that.”

That sound has put the band in an interesting spot between alternative music and folk music. Their Grammy nomination comes in the Best Folk Album category and pits them against some of their idols like Pearl Jam front man Eddie Vedder’s “Ukulele Songs” and “The Harrow and The Harvest” from Gillian Welch.

“We are nominated with Eddie Vedder, like the Eddie Vedder,” said Skjelset, who’s mom introduced him to Pearl Jam’s music. “It is nuts. It’s nice to know people like your music.”

But the Grammy nomination is not a make or break issue for the band.

“I am really appreciative but we would still be hanging out and playing music without it,” said Skjelset.

Along with the Grammy nomination, the band members have had some exciting moments in their young careers. Rolling Stone magazine chose “Helplessness Blues” as the No. 4 album of the year. They have also played some big stages like Saturday Night Live, David Letterman, Abbey Road Studios and the Bridge School Benefit Concert.

“When we played the Bridge School Benefit we got to meet Neil Young and his wife and kids,” said Skjelset. “We have been pretty lucky to meet some great people.”

The band is also starting to branch out with individual members working on side projects and releasing solo albums.

But despite the fact that the band has scattered a bit from the Seattle area where it got its start and is on the road a lot, they still have a connection with each other and the Pacific Northwest. Pecknold, who grew up in Redmond and Magnolia, along with the Houghton and Highlands neighborhoods of Kirkland, now lives in Portland. Skjelset recently moved to New York.

“I lived in the same house all my life,” said Skjelset about growing up in Kirkland. “And I plan to come back for Christmas to see my parents.”

The 54th Annual Grammy Awards will air on CBS Feb. 12.

For more information on the Fleet Foxes go to www.fleetfoxes.com