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“We’re more aware of being in a band for the right reasons and actually playing together.”

 

Flores reminisces about their first show together at 924 Gillman St in Berkley, CA last spring. "It was emotional for everyone because we sold out this venue," he explains. "Kids went off on an intro. We were like, “What do we do?” And after the show, we were like, ‘Let’s play more shows. This was fun.'"

With many years of performing and the multiple times they played songs off Mutiny!, it wouldn't be surprising that they could pick it up and run away with it. However, Brown admits that he thinks he's improved since the recording.

“I think we sound way better than the record,” he says. “I think it’s embarrassing to listen to the vocals. I think the vocals on Mutiny! are different opposed to This Will Be the Death of Us. And playing Mutiny! songs now, they sound better live than on the record.”

And if you manage to get yourself to a Set Your Goals show, be ready to party it up.

“The stage is fun — funner than it’s ever been," Flores says. "We do the silly string and the toilet paper. All that stuff.”

Ambrose adds, “We foster a party environment every night.”

Flores continues, "People might think that’s lame. That’s cheese, but we’re wanting to have a party. It’s a celebration every time we’re onstage.”

While many of their older fans embraced Set Your Goals with open arms, they were happy and a little surprised with all the new generations of SYG devotees there were in the crowd.

“For a lot of kids, it’s their first time seeing us," Ambrose explains. "And for us, our approach to each one of these shows has peaked. At least for me, the first show we played, after four years, in our hometown was crazy. It was like, “OK, anything after this is a bonus. Our approach to all these shows has been, ‘We’re lucky to be here. This has been fun. Let’s go in like it’s the last one every time.’ We’re not on tour so none of us are really burned out. We play three shows and then go home. It’s been awesome.”

While pop punk has grown into its own culture, Set Your Goals were part of building the foundations of the scene. And while they all met through the hardcore scene, Wilson reveals that it was through playing Set Your Goals material that their musical tastes have gotten bigger.

“I think I can speak for everyone in the band and say just being in this band over the course of our career has caused us to broaden our horizons as far as the music we listen to," Wilson said. "It’s kind of opened our minds to the idea of to the idea of doing more pop oriented music, or pop punk, because we became a part of that world. We all met because we all grew up in the hardcore music scene.”

He continues, “In 10th grade, I heard Enema of the State [by Blink-182] and thought pop punk’s not so bad. Then we formed this band, and we did Warped Tour and be with bands that we normally wouldn’t listen to. We listen to all kinds of stuff because of that. It’s definitely broadened our musical horizons.”

When asked about their upcoming album, Flores comments that it would sound like “if Mutiny! and This Will Be the Death of Us had a baby.”

Brown adds a little bit more context to it by saying, “There were so many ideas happening that it was too easy and there were too many suggestions to not do a full-length record. The early riffs sound way different. The very early stuff that I was sending people to listen to vibe-wise is completely different from where it’s at now. So we get to pick and choose. And then whatever doesn’t work, we can just pass on to something else.”

He continues, "It will be the biggest sounding record, since This Will Be the Death of Us. It will be pretty much like that record, and it will have the moods all across the board. I’m excited for it. It’s definitely going to be the best record we’ve ever done.”  

 

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