Set It Off: Blurring Boundaries and Embracing the Suck
Our Set It Off interview was originally in our June 2022 print issue.
Embracing not fitting into a particular space — that’s what Set It Off is doing. Sparked by their latest album Elsewhere, the band consisting of Cody Carson, Maxx Danziger and Zach DeWall recognized that people aren’t sure where to place them in the musical realm, and that’s not a bad thing!
The vibes of their pre-pandemic album Midnight are quite different compared to their March release Elsewhere, which can be seen right off the bat with the album covers.
The pandemic era played a large role in not just the making of the album, but the style of the album art as well. Transitioning from the moody, glum, blue color palette of their previous three albums to the intense, neon palette with the juxtaposing eccentric graphic of Elsewhere was no coincidence and represents more than meets the eye.
“We were just coming out of the pandemic and everything was so dark, sad and horrible, and I feel like that’s the last thing people wanted,” drummer Danziger said. “It was also kind of indicative of during that time. I wasn’t doing so great mental health-wise and started going to therapy. It helped open things up in a way that I wasn’t expecting. The reason I started going to therapy in the first place was that I felt nothing, so it almost felt kind of like walking through a dream similar to our music videos on the last [album]. When I started having these breakthroughs, I felt everything – all of the good, all of the bad all at the same time. I was navigating through my mind trying to unravel what this was. So, all of these bright colors mixed with kind of this dark imagery is kind of what was going on.”
At the tail end of the album cycle of Midnight, their fourth studio album and first under Fearless Records, the trio thought it was time to build and release a new album. Then, the pandemic began. Using almost the entirety of 2020 and 2021 — the height of the pandemic epoch — to concoct Elsewhere, they saw the timing as opportune.
“We were very fortunate the way we see it,” said Set It Off. “So, we took the time, and it was kind of weird. There’s a lot of people that gave up on songwriting because they couldn’t be in person, but the new thing soon happened. Then they created some plugins that allow you to hear high-fidelity audio live. So, we just kept working, kept writing, put together 40 songs, [and] narrowed them down to 16.”
Leaving them with around 20 songs that didn’t make the official cut, Set It Off had content for days, which encouraged them to start a fan club. There Set It Off could share some of the unreleased songs with their biggest admirers, including those who show support by seeing them live.
Amid the mostly sold-out The Blame Canada Tour with Simple Plan and Sum 41, Set It Off has experienced its fair share of blessings, but also hiccups. At the House of Blues Cleveland show — three postponed shows and one last-minute show later — the band reflected on the touring experience thus far with us.
“We had one little hiccup where we had like three shows postponed, but in the interim period of that, we booked our own last-minute show in New Jersey,” Set It Off said. “It turned out great. We did our podcast live and had a lot of fun, minus the weather. It was the worst weather. It’s kind of a blessing in disguise that that New Jersey show happened. It was an outdoor show, and it would have been a nightmare. But, the tour overall has been great – playing for a lot of people every night. Tonight sold out. Most of the shows are sold out.”
Set It Off has no plans of slowing down anytime soon either. Back in November 2021, they announced they are officially going back to the U.K. and Europe for a leg, which they have been waiting to do since 2018 — when they were originally preparing for their tour.
“We might hold the record for the longest postponed tour that people still held on to their tickets for because 2019 is when the tour was supposed to happen,” the band joked.
One year after the announcement, they’ll kick off their eight-stop United Kingdom stretch in Norwich on Nov. 5, followed by 11 tour dates across Europe, but not before having graced the U.K. festival scene. Having taken place on June 3 in Leeds and June 4 in Hatfield, the Slam Dunk Festival occurred toward the end of the first run of their supporting tour, which took place across the United States.
Before heading across the pond in the fall, they will take the stage on the Saturday of the Four Chord Music Festival in Pittsburgh. Accompanied by acts like The Maine, Jimmy Eat World, Bad Religion and All Time Low, Sept. 9 and 10 is destined to be the perfect weekend for alt lovers and artists alike. Set It Off couldn’t be more thrilled for life on the road.
“We announced we’re playing Four Chord Music Festival, which is exciting,” the band said. “We’re about to do one festival at the end of this run, and then on top of that, we’re currently routing another tour. Can’t say where or what the details are now, but [we’re] staying on the road. Never gonna be home.”
Despite the changes Set It Off experienced in the past with switching record labels and even losing band members early on, they have truly found their stride. Since the three of them joined together in 2010 — 2 years after Carson started the band in Tampa, Fla. — they have learned a lot worth sharing with others considering a similar path.
The most notable advice they have to offer is to research! Find out your favorite songs and look up the song credits. Look for more songs by the person who wrote the music you enjoy and watch interviews with that person.
Lead vocalist and multi-instrumentalist of Set It Off Carson talked about honing in on your skills while using your influences to define your sound.
“Get an acoustic guitar. Take lessons and get really good at your craft,” he said. “ If I could change one thing about my upbringing, I would have tried to learn more piano. The songs I know on the piano are our songs and that’s it, so I’ve had to reteach myself. I think you can become a stronger writer if you have a really firm foundation in piano. As far as being an artist, find out who you are and stick to your influences. Make sure you’re not copying a sound. Try to find every influence that you’ve ever liked and put it into one, and that’ll be the closest to you.”
Guitarist, bassist, and backing vocalist DeWall added, “Just finish songs, too. It’s not going to be amazing, but just finish it and then move on to your next project.”
If you’re looking to get into this world, Set It Off has a truckload of experiences and tips to share. One that carries some weight is, as they like to put it, “embrace the suck!” Not only that, but also embrace not fitting in one box. Embrace being you and making music you like with some really cool people. That’s what they do, and it works!
Be like Set It Off and learn to not fit in.
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