Today I spoke with Shane from St Petersburg , Fl Atmospheric Black Metal band Set and Setting, we spoke about googling the band name, crooked cops in Bumfuck Mississippi and much more.
* So how did the band come about? Was it always the plan to be instrumental?
The band started as a recording project with a friend a long time ago. We found Mark Etherington to play drums, and the full band started then. It was not originally planned to be instrumental.
* Having 2 drummers definitely gives you guys that extra low end..how on earth did that even come to pass? (I’ve got 2 drummers in mind and I can’t decide which to go with, I know, we’ll use both!)
My brother (Stephen Handal) used to come to our practices and just hang out. One day we were just jamming around not playing our songs and he started playing a floor tom or something with Mark and it sounded rad so we tried it on one of our own songs. It quickly became a full drumset and a real position as our second drummer.
“I personally have had bad experiences with singers and yeah that definitely came to mind when we decided to just give up on having a singer.”
* Have any of the band ever been in bands before with singers? If so was that so traumatic that you guys decided to forgo one for Set and Setting?
Yeah every band we have ever been in has had a singer. Mark, one of our drummers, currently plays guitar and is the lead singer for his other band band. I personally have had bad experiences with singers and yeah that definitely came to mind when we decided to just give up on having a singer. The main issue was that we just couldn’t find one that we liked.
* Does the name have any deeper meaning or was it chosen just as its a cool name?
Google Set and Setting and you will find out really quickly haha. It’s a term with a meaning. I suggest people doing this with all band names. Usually band names are well thought out and not just a random selection of words. Not always though.
* What are the guys influences? You guys are from St Pete right? The whole Tampa bay metal scene was pretty much brutal death metal back in the 80s and 90s
We all have many different influences. The band started as a Pink Floyd worship band. Obviously that has changed a lot these days, but I think you can still see it. I love old school Tampa Death Metal and used to be in a death / thrash band a few years ago but we were all too young to really live through that (I was born in ’88). I don’t really think it has a direct influence on the band, but most of us listen to those bands still.
* Speaking of – how is the Tampa metal scene these days? Would you say better or worse than the old days?
The Tampa metal scene is pretty small comparatively speaking to major cities. Most of the heavy bands that are like minded, are friends and we all play shows together at some point or another. We kind of dabble in other scenes and don’t really consider ourselves a metal band so I don’t know how accurate this is really haha.
* You guys are traveling to Europe soon – is this your first European tour or have you been before? Where are your expectations at?
This is our first European tour. We are obviously really excited to tour out there, and to play on a different continent should be a crazy experience. We try not to expect too much, but we know we will have a good time.
* How do you guys go about writing songs? Do they come from epic jam sessions or does everyone bring parts in? or is it more of a dictatorship where one person comes in with everyone’s parts written already?
I write the riffs and bring them to the band. Most of the time there will be a pretty solid idea of where the song needs to go but when I bring the songs to the table we work on them as a band and sometimes things change. Once a pretty solid song structure is formed, leads and more changes come into play and usually gets tweaked a little more by the time it is done. We don’t really jam too much. Everything is pretty thought out and planned ahead of time.
* There is definitely a psychedelic tinge to your music, any of the band use psychedelics at all? if so what ones?
This is something we like to leave up to the listener.
* Let’s talk equipment – what kind of guitars do you use? Do you have a “go-to” guitar?
I have a American made Fender Jazzmaster that I love and have been using since our second album. I don’t really see myself using much else, but I said that with my Gibson Les Paul 1960 Classic Re-Issue that I don’t currently use anymore except on recordings haha.
* How about amps? I know a lot of guys these days swear by digital amp models, do you prefer that or a full blown stack? Any favorite amp brands you prefer?
We definitely don’t use digital amp models. Live I use an Orange Rockerverb 100 with an Orange 4×12 and 2×12, and Ryan uses a Peavy 6505 with matching 4×12. I have always used Orange but I woulnd’t consider us to be gear snobs. We both have simple set ups and just use what we have found to like over the years.
* What’s the recording process like for you guys? I would imagine it is not a ‘set up- bash the songs out in a live environment” type of recording situation?
We start but tracking the drums, song by song. I will play a scratch track guitar with them for reference and so I can play along with them. After that we track the bass, and rhythm guitars. We end with leads and any additional ambience, or extra instruments.
* I know you guys are not afraid to get out and tour? What’s been your favorite show so far and why?
We love to tour. We all wish we could do it more, but you know, we have bills to pay and jobs and loved ones and that isn’t easy to drop and hit the road. It was easier when we were younger but I think as we get older the touring will continue to slow down. I honestly have no idea what my favorite show of ours has been. I’ve never thought about that before and now thinking back, we have had a lot of killer shows. It would be impossible to narrow it down to one. I will narrow down one I’m looking forward to the most though – Dunk!Fest in Zottegem, Belgium on May 27th.
“A narcotic officer in bumfuck Mississippi pulled us over on an overnight drive, planted weed in our van, arrested one of us, charged us $600 in cash only and never filed the report once. Good times”
* Any crazy tour stories you can share?
A narcotic officer in bumfuck Mississippi pulled us over on an overnight drive, planted weed in our van, arrested one of us, charged us $600 in cash only and never filed the report once. Good times.
* Outside of your next European run what can we expect from Set and Setting in 2017?
We are touring the US (and probably some shows in Canada) in October of 2017. We are also playing the inaugural Dunk!USA in Burlington Vermont on this run, October 8th.
* Any final words?
Thanks for reading! We just released Reflectionless, our third full length album in January and we’d love it if you gave it a listen. Here are some links to keep up with us and/or support us:
http://www.facebook.com/setandsetting
twitter and instagram: @setandsetting
merch:
http://setandsetting.merchnow.com