The Death Set

Lore & Background

The Death Set formed in 2005 after Johnny Siera met Beau Velasco at a show where Velasco's band Black Panda was performing. Drawn to the energy of the show, Siera contacted Velasco and was soon asked to join a tour of the East Coast of Australia with Brooklyn band Japanther. Inspired by the tour, the two focused on the band as a two-piece group, renaming themselves The Death Set. They converted a central Sydney warehouse into a makeshift recording studio and wrote and recorded their debut EP, to. Their first shows around Sydney were at the electronic night Bang Gang, the rock night Gimme Gimme Gimme, and an art opening for pop artist Ben Frost. The pair was contacted by Baltimore label Morphius Records to release their first EP, and subsequently moved to Brooklyn, then Baltimore, bought an old work van, and toured the United States constantly.

In January 2008, the band signed to Counter Records, the rock offshoot of the U.K. label Ninja Tune, and released the full-length album Worldwide on 25 March 2008 to very positive reviews. After their performance at the 2008 Reading and Leeds Festival, the band received significant buzz, though the claim that NME called them 'the No. 1 biggest hope of the future' is unsubstantiated. On 27 September 2009, Beau Velasco was found dead in his studio in New York City. The band decided to continue, believing Velasco would have wanted them to. Their second LP, Michel Poiccard, released on 15 March 2011, was produced by XXXChange and included collaborations with Diplo and Spankrock; it was praised by critics and included in best-of-2011 lists. In 2013 the band signed to Dim Mak Records for the King Babies EP, released in January 2014, after which they took a seven-year hiatus from recording and releasing music.

In August 2021, The Death Set released their first single in seven years, "Elephant," from the album How to Tune a Parrot, recorded before the COVID-19 pandemic by the now-duo of Siera and Walker. The album was released on 8 September 2021 through Cobraside and Behemoth Records. The band toured the record with punk legends D.O.A. across the West coast of America in April 2022. The band has played over 600 live performances across multiple continents, including spots at Fuji Rock Festival, Reading/Leeds Festivals, and five years showcasing at South by Southwest.

Reader's Guide

The Death Set's significance lies in their fusion of punk rock energy with electronic music production and hip hop sampling, creating a sound that defied easy categorization and influenced the experimental punk and art punk scenes. Their nomadic lifestyle—moving from Sydney to Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Brooklyn—and their relentless touring (over 600 performances) helped them build a dedicated audience across multiple continents. The band's resilience after the death of co-founder Beau Velasco in 2009, continuing to release acclaimed albums like Michel Poiccard and returning from a seven-year hiatus with How to Tune a Parrot, underscores their lasting impact. Their high-energy live shows, often played at crowd level, became a hallmark, and their music's placement in major media—from a Super Bowl commercial to video games like NBA 2K12 and Gran Turismo 6—brought their sound to a wide audience. The Death Set's legacy is one of genre-blending innovation, DIY ethos, and a commitment to chaotic, celebratory performance.

Did You Know?

• After Beau Velasco's death on 27 September 2009, the band decided to continue, believing he would have wanted them to.
• The music video for 'They Come to Get Us' won Best Alternative Video at the 2012 UK Music Awards.
• The band's song 'Around the World' was featured in a Google Chrome commercial that aired during the 2012 Super Bowl.