Set It Off is an American rock band formed in 2008 in Tampa, Florida. The band consists of lead vocalist Cody Carson, guitarist and bassist Zach Dewall, and drummer Maxx Danziger.
The band initially gained a large following through singer Cody Carson's YouTube channel. Set It Off was signed by Equal Vision Records after releasing a string of successful extended-play albums. In 2018, they signed with Fearless Records, which in February 2019 released Midnight, their fourth studio album. In 2022, they released their fifth studio album Elsewhere, in 2023, they announced that they had left Fearless Records and gone independent.[1]
History
Formation (2008)
Cody Carson and Dan Clermont, who met in their high school marching band, formed a band, which brushed against another band created by Austin M. Kerr and Zach DeWall while playing local shows. After high school, Carson left for Ohio to attend the Oberlin Conservatory of Music as a classical clarinet student. In his first year, after exchanging a series of YouTube videos with All Time Low frontman Alex Gaskarth, Carson asked to sing "Coffee Shop Soundtrack" at the group's upcoming concert at the Cleveland House of Blues via a YouTube video.[2][3] The performance led Carson to drop out of college and use his school money to start up the band.[4]
Dewall and Kerr were among the first to join; Dan Clermont followed as the band's lead guitar player. James Arran was Set It Off's first drummer, but financial struggles made gas purchases difficult for him, and he resigned August 24, 2008.[5] He was succeeded by Blake Howell, who soon left the band due to family difficulties.[6] Howell was replaced by Benji Panico on October 30, 2009; he left to pursue his GED and, later, start his own photography studio. Howell introduced the band to their current drummer, Maxx Danziger.
Early releases (2008–2010)
Released their first EP: Baby, You Don't Tripajaharda, on October 31, 2008.
Self-released their EP: Calm Before the Storm[7] on May 16, 2009.
Self-released the single "Hush Hush" on September 6, 2010. A music video was made to accompany the song on October 4, 2010.
Released the single "Together Forever" on November 16, 2010.
Released the single "@Reply" on December 25, 2010. A music video was later made to accompany the song.
Self-released their EP: Horrible Kids, which included "@Reply".
Horrible Kids (2011–2012)
In July 2011, the band announced its signing to Equal Vision Records[8] and that the label would issue a remastered version of its self-released EP Horrible Kids, along with the single "Chase It!" on August 30, 2011.
Carson said, "Our main inspiration in writing this album was derived from personal experiences growing up. I loved being able to turn to songs that I could personally relate to. I want to provide that same kind of coping source for people. I want people to be able to turn on Horrible Kids and pick a song that pinpoints exactly what they're going through and allows them to vent through it."[8]
The album debuted in the top 100 Alternative Albums on iTunes.[9]Horrible Kids was recorded at Red Sparrow Studios in Wilson, North Carolina. It was produced, engineered, and mixed by Brandon Ham and John Harrell.
In July 2012, Set It Off announced the upcoming release of its debut full-length album Cinematics, On September 18, 2012.[10] A deluxe version was released the same day exclusively on iTunes.[11]
Through the VH1 Save the Music Foundation, the band donated $1 for every album sold before September 23 to support music programs in schools. The band also donated their bonus, generating a total donation of $5,000. Equal Vision Records agreed to match the band's donation if the band reached No. 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart.[12]
Cody Carson said, "We're honored to be working with VH1 Save The Music. If it wasn't for the music education program in my high school, Set It Off would not exist. I would not have met our guitarist, Dan Clermont, I wouldn't have been directed toward Oberlin Music Conservatory, and I wouldn't end up with even half of the musical knowledge I possess now. More people need to be able to experience the unity, leadership skills, and work ethic taught by being involved in music education programs in schools. Set It Off strongly endorses this organization for these, among many other, reasons. We're so excited to raise money for them and help spread the word about the importance of music education."[12]
The album, which was produced, mixed, and recorded by Zack Odom and Kenneth Mount at ZK Productions, debuted at No. 174 on the Billboard 200, No. 4 on the Top Heatseekers, and No. 38 on the Independent Albums chart.
The band released an expanded edition of the album with a new cover on June 25, 2013.[13] In October, Fearless Records released the album Punk Goes Christmas, which featured an original Set It Off song, "This Christmas (I'll Burn It to the Ground)."[14]
At the start of the year 2014, Equal Vision Records announced via YouTube that Set It Off would record an album with John Feldmann, which would be released on October 14. The band recorded the album in Los Angeles with several producers, including Brandon Paddock, Tommy English, and Matt Appleton.[15] A music video for "Why Worry" was filmed at St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery in Manhattan on August 21, using fans as extras. That August, it was announced that the band would be supporting Black Veil Brides on their headline Black Mass Tour through October and November, joining Falling in Reverse and Drama Club.[16] The first single off the album was released on September 9.[17] The album was included at number 5 on Rock Sound's "Top 50 Albums of the Year" list.[18] The release of the album led to several music videos which, in order of release, are: "Tomorrow", "Ancient History", "Forever Stuck In Our Youth", "The Haunting", and the title track "Duality".
The band announced in February 2015 that they would be playing at the Vans Warped Tour '15 on the Journeys shoe stage. In May, Set It Off announced that Austin Kerr would no longer be a part of the band following sexual assault claims.[20] Kerr subsequently went on to pursue a solo hip hop career. One month later, Set It Off released their fourth EP Duality: Stories Unplugged, which contains 5 acoustic renditions of songs from Duality and one original song titled "Wild, Wild World".[21]
In 2018, Set It Off announced that they would be leaving Equal Vision and signing to Fearless Records.[24]
At the beginning of the year, Set It Off did a livestream video on YouTube in order to write a song with its audience. Over 1,000 people came into the stream and submitted their lyric ideas. The band members took their favorite lyrics from those suggested and added guitar parts and melodies to create their single "Hourglass Love", released on YouTube soon after, on January 4.[25]
On July 24, Set It Off released its single "Killer in the Mirror" with a music video.[24] On November 19, they announced on Twitter that their fourth studio album Midnight, would be released on February 1, 2019. Also, on that same day, they released their single “Lonely Dance” including a music video.[26] One month later, on December 14, they released two singles, "For You Forever" and "Dancing with the Devil", from Midnight.[27]
They released "Midnight Thoughts" To celebrate the new year 2019. Allegations of sexual assault against Dan Clermont were released on an anonymous Twitter account in May. The band announced that Dan would be taking a hiatus from the band to be with his family while this matter is addressed.[28] One month later, vocalist Cody Carson announced that he had a vocal haemorrhage, just after the final date of Part 2 of the Midnight World Tour. He continued with Part 3 of the tour despite this.[29]
On June 28, an acoustic version of "Wolf in Sheep's Clothing" from Duality was featured on Punk Goes Acoustic Vol. 3.[30]
On September 11, after Part 3 of the Midnight World Tour, vocalist Cody Carson announced that due to his vocal cord injury he had to have surgery. As a result, Part 4 of the tour was delayed to March 2020.[31] At the end of the month, the band announced the departure of Dan Clermont in a Tweet. The Tweet mentions he left “in order to focus on other areas of his life”. Subsequently, according to the same Tweet, the band announced they have decided to continue on as a three-piece group.[32]
On February 14, 2020, they released their fifth EP titled After Midnight.[33]
One year later, on June 4, 2021, they released an expanded edition of Midnight called Midnight: The Final Chapter. This expansion includes the songs of the After Midnight EP and three acoustic renditions of the original release of the album.[34]
The band released a single titled "Skeleton" on October 29, 2021.[35] On January 21, 2022, they released a song titled "Projector", alongside the announcement of the album.[36] They released the third single "Who's In Control", on February 18.[37]
The band commenced their "Welcome to Elsewhere Tour" on January 14, 2022, and with no delays the tour will last until February 12.
On March 11, 2022, the band released their fifth album, titled Elsewhere.
Dopamine and going independent (2023–present)
In 2023, Set It Off left Fearless Records and went independent. They announced their new era, "Dopamine", with a tour and a new single, "Punching Bag."[1] The song premiered on March 23, 2023, and was officially released the following day. It was the first independent single by the band. They have since released the singles "Win Win" featuring Scene Queen, "Evil People" and "Parasite" and announced a new tour in November 2023, called "The Deathless Tour". In March 2024, they released the single "Fake Ass Friends".
Touring
Set it Off performing at Vinyl Music Hall in Pensacola, FL
Unti November 2011, Set It Off has currently played in over 19 tours.[38] In 2013, Set It Off toured Europe with Yellowcard. In that same year, Set It Off supported Tonight Alive on its UK tour in October, along with Decade. The band played Warped Tour 2013 on dates 6/15-7/3 and 7/6-8/4 and played with Candy Hearts, State Champs, William Beckett, and We Are the In Crowd during WATIC's Reunion Tour in spring of 2014. The band also co-headlined the Come Alive Tour with Our Last Night, featuring Stages & Stereos and Heartist; supported Black Veil Brides and Falling in Reverse on the Black Mass Tour; and, beginning in February 2015, the group began its first USA headliner, The Glamour Kills Spring Break Tour, with support from Against The Current, As It Is, and Roam. The band played the entirety of the 2015 Vans Warped Tour.[39] The band also played on the Rise of the Runaways Tour (January and February 2015), through various continents, with Crown the Empire and Alive Like Me.
From March 1 to March 28, 2016, Set It Off went on 'The Fight For Something Tour' with fellow band Tonight Alive[40] and played the entirety of the 2016 Vans Warped Tour, except for the first show in Anchorage, Alaska.[41] The band had since toured supporting Simple Plan and Sleeping With Sirens for some time after. This year, Set It Off went on their first headline tour from January 16 to February 16. Later, the band played at Vans Warped Tour, the last one ever, on July 27 in Mansfield, MA; July 28 in Wantagh, NY; and August 3 in Orlando, FL. As of January 2020, the band is headline-touring in the United States and Canada. In March 2020 they supported Japanese rock band ONE OK ROCK along with Brisbane-based band Stateside on the Australian leg of their Eye of the Storm world tour.[42]
Their 2019 European tour (Midnight World Tour Part 4: UK/Europe) was postponed in September 2019 with rescheduled dates for March/April 2020 due to Cody Carson's vocal injury/vocal surgery.[31]Broadside (band) was to open for them at the rescheduled dates. However, these dates had to be postponed a second time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The dates were moved to August/September 2020 with openers Broadside, Cemetery Sun, and Lizzy Farrall.[43] They were then postponed again due to COVID, the tour was then renamed "Midnight Tour Part Four The Love Of God Don’t Make Us Reschedule Again",[44] it was then rescheduled two more times and renamed as the following "Midnight Tour Part Four The Love Of God Don’t Make Us Reschedule Again, Again..."[45] then ""Welcome to Elsewhere Tour", formally The Midnight World Tour Part Four The Love of God (Again) Please Don't Make Us Reschedule Again, Again", New dates for their EU/UK Tour were announced on March 25, 2022.[46]
During Set It Off's early years the band fit into the pop-punk and emo genre exclusively, but they added R&B elements with Duality in 2014. Vocalist Cody Carson cited Fall Out Boy, Panic! At The Disco, My Chemical Romance, and New Found Glory as their primary influences in the earlier years of the band.[56] They transitioned to pop rock later on.[57] In 2015, Kerrang! magazine summarized the band's genre as pop rock.[58] The band introduced hip hop beginning with 2019's Midnight.[59] In 2023, the band said they would be returning to their pop-punk roots in their next album.
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Midnight is the fourth studio album by American band Set It Off. The album was released on February 1, 2019 by record label Fearless Records, being their album debut under this label.
Elsewhere is the fifth studio album by American band Set It Off. The album was released on March 11, 2022, by record label Fearless Records, being their last album released under this label before going independent in 2023. It is also the band's first album after the departure of Dan Clermont, and as a three-piece group.
Cinematics is the debut studio album by American band Set It Off. The album was released on September 18, 2012, by record label Equal Vision Records.
↑ "Kerrang! Rock Chart". Kerrang!. No.1551. January 17, 2015. p.10. Making their debut on the Rock Chart this week, it's the Florida pop-rockers [Set It Off].
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