Featured Artist - Dylan Setzer

[The following is a four part article published online on TriadLiveMusic.com between February 2 and ?? 2011] 

Dylan Setzer

• Vocalist
• Genre(s) - Classic & Current Rock
•Groups - Myth, 1986-88
     Toyz, 1988-90
     Scarlet Thread, 1990-92
     J Train, 1992-94
     Mother Freedom, 1994-98
     Marshall Dylan, 1998-2000
     Sok Monkee, 2001-now
• Bookings - kissfanz@bellsouth.net
• Facebook - Dylan Setzer


Part I
   Dylan Setzer is an unassuming man. Sitting and talking with him at the Piedmont Ale House in Burlington one recent evening, that became very clear. His friendly manner gives him an air of being someone who is easy to approach and engage in conversation. That affable quality is also part of what endears him to audiences across the Triad as the lead singer for the ever-popular band Sok Monkee.

Dylan Setzer ca. 1987 during his years
with local high school band Myth.

   Dylan Setzer, our February Artist of the Month, was born in Asmara, Ethiopia on a base where his father, a U.S. Army cook, and his wife were stationed. But by the time Dylan turned three the family returned to the states and settled down in Burlington, NC. Now at age 41, he still lives on the same street he grew up on. Not far from the house of his youth, he makes his home with Annette, his wife of fifteen years and their two children, Jeron, 7 and Bailee, 4.
   Dylan's musical inclinations were likely influenced early on in life. His father was a singer who sang in bands while in the army. "He actually had a chance to jam with Muddy Waters when he came back," states Dylan, "he didn't get to but they stayed in touch." Singing was the family forte it would seem as Dylan's aunt Mildred also sang and had a couple of Gospel albums back in the mid to late 70's.
   For Dylan though, his first true plunge into the world of performing live music began during his high school years at Western Alamance High. He was asked to jam with Myth, a band comprised of classmates. The band had lost their lead singer to an unfortunate accident and when Dylan stepped in to practice, he quickly became the lead singer of the band.

Myth

   The first time the fledgling singer ever performed was when Myth played at Thataways, a club for kids at the youth center in Burlington. "They had bands there every weekend." Dylan related, "mostly the high school bands. Williams (High School) had 3 or 4 little bands and Southern (High School) had a couple little bands. There was probably 10 or 15 bands. Bands that had  Frankie Pyrtle (currently with the Dickens, Jeremy Thomas (now with Hip Pocket) and Frankie Hoggard (Back Porch Orchestra) in them." But that first time on stage, Dylan admits, he was scared to death. I didn't know how to relate to anybody... in my own little shell. I was trying hard to remember the words and I had people looking at me."
   With the help of some other, more experienced musicians, Dylan began to get comfortable on stage. "It was some of the guys in Toyz," said Dylan, "that told me they (the audience) are no different than you are - they put their clothes on the same way you do and they're just here to have fun. It kinda clicked a little bit. It took a while to get over it, standing there... not moving and not wanting to talk."
   To see him perform today, it's difficult to imagine Dylan ever standing still on stage. In those days, he wasn't throwing his hair about or jumping up and down on stage the way he does today. "No," he says, "that took a while. I went to pacing a lot when I got into Toyz, that helped me... when I got into Toyz and actually went out into the club scene."

Part II

J Train

   The exposure Myth received was limited mainly to Burlington and a younger crowd. "I was playing in Myth around kids my age. We never played out," says Dylan, "we played out once at Bailey's and that scared us all to death, we were only 16, 17 years old." But it wasn't the performance that scared them as Dylan recalls. "I remember we broke into "Detroit Rock City" and a guy got cut right in front of us from side to side and that freaked me out. It was like a Wednesday night and there probably wasn't 15 or 20 people there. And the guy got slashed from side to side."
   The experience of witnessing a knife fight from the stage wasn't enough to deter Dylan's ambitions of performing rock music. When Toyz needed a new singer, Dylan stepped up and got the nod to front the already popular cover band. It was while with Toyz that he began to loosen up and continued to get more and more comfortable on stage. Toyz played gigs a bit further afield than Myth had, namely more clubs. "It (Toyz) opened me up to bigger clubs and to older people" states Dylan.
Where Myth had been Dylan's baptism into the world of a rock singer, it was Toyz that allowed him the opportunity to begin forming his own style and stage persona, even if the educational experience included an embarrassing moment or two. With a smile on his face he recalls that "we were doing "Your Momma Don't Dance" and it comes down to that part where he does that rap... and I completely forgot the words... and that was like the first time I had ever done that and I just kind of froze like a deer in headlights." On another occasion Dylan says "I once jumped off the drum riser and did like a spread eagle and split my pants, never did that again... didn't take me long to learn."
   In 1990, after only two years, Dylan parted ways with Toyz. From 1990-92 Dylan was a part of Scarlett Thread, a band which turned out to be primarily an exercise in songwriting as the group seldom played out. Drawing from that experience helped him with his next project, a band called J-Train. Along with current Sok Monkee bassist Mike Kiley the J Train recorded and released an eponymously titled album. The CD reflected the "hair band" influence popular at the time. [Click here to listen to a sample from that album].

Dylan performing at
After Hours Tavern.
(Photo by
PristineAndPutrid Photography)

   In 1994 Dylan and Mike moved on and along with future Sok Monkee guitarist Marc Jackson they formed Mother Freedom. That band lasted until 1998 when Dylan and Marc moved on to put together an originals band called Marshall Dylan which ended after two years. In 2001, finding themselves with no band the two friends were looking for a gig when a drummer friend, Frankie Hoggard, called and said he knew a bass player in the area named Rich Cutts. The fo ur got together and jammed, everything clicked and Sok Monkee was born. "That lineup lasted about three to four years," Dylan says, "then Rich left to join Motorfinger." An old friend of Dylan's, Jim Wood, replaced Rich for about a year or so. Guitarist Nate Smith joined the group at about the same time and when Rich left, Dylan's old band mate Mike Kiley came on board. That lineup remained the same until 2009 when Frankie departed and was replaced by current drummer Brian Smith. With Brian the group continued to gather momentum and maintain their status as one of the Triad's most popular bands.

Part III

Dylan Setzer with his trademark flying
hair during the 2010 Tricky Ricky Ride

   Dylan Setzer has been at the forefront of Sok Monkee since the bands inception ten years ago. "It's the longest I've ever been with one band," Dylan commented, "ten years is a long time for a band to live... and we all get along so good." Not long after the initial formation of Sok Monkee and before the group had settled on a name, Dylan tells how the name came about. "One night while watching NBA basketball with my wife there was a commentator who was extremely tall, lanky and bald headed and he looked like a sock monkey so I just told the boys we ought to call it Sok Monkee." The name was a hit with the band and audiences. "Everybody knows what a sock monkey is," Dylan continued, "and a lot of bands spend a lot of time on names and names are important but longevity is the most important thing. You stay around long enough and people will know your name."

Harmonizing along with Marc Jackson,
longtime friend and co-founder of
Sok Monkee. (Photo by Heidi Bunch)

   When drummer Brian Smith joined the Sok Monkee lineup in 2009 a new chemistry was born for the band. Combined with a switch to a newer format in music (namely relying on the more current hard rock music) their popularity in the Triad was solidified. The chemistry between them which makes them so popular is not limited to their live performances either, it is also evident in the way they practice and rehearse new material. "We don't practice very often (together) at all," says Dylan, "which helps us to keep from getting burned out so it's always fresh." The group's unique style of rehearsing is all done via internet and telephone, recording their parts and emailing them back and forth as they work on a song until they have it ready to present. Dylan points out that "most of the time the first time we actually do a song together (in person) it is live on stage during a show." A case in point  would be a Stone Sour song they had recently picked to do in the show. "It went over great," a smiling Dylan related adding "if everyone does their homework we don't have to worry about it."

Dylan harmonizing with guitarist
Nate Smith on New Years Eve
at the Clubhouse.
(Photo by Sydney Ward)

   While Dylan and company have made a name for themselves as a cover band, they are also experienced songwriters as well. Fans have been asking for original material in their show and the band is considering it. "Marc came a few months back with an idea he had and he and I put it together" says Dylan. Writing songs is done in much the same way as the band rehearses new cover songs. "The way things are now-a-days in the digital age," Dylan explains, "I put it on his (Marc's) player and he can send it to Brian and Brian can put the drums on it and bounce it to Mike and Mike will bounce it to Nate... you don't even have to be in the same room to get an idea and everybody can put ideas to it." As for the lyrics Dylan says that it's a collaborative effort. "Marc had this one done. We've all written together in the past. I normally come up with most of the lyrics, Nate's very good with lyrics. Marc's good with lyrics." Because Dylan and his bandmates have concentrated on building a following they have relegated their show to cover songs but with more and more fans asking for originals that could change. 

Part IV

A devoted family man, Dylan shares
an evening of music with his children.
(Photo by Susan Kiser McBride)

   Being the lead singer of a rock and roll band, and a popular one at that, can often turn a performer into someone they are not. For Dylan Setzer that, thankfully, is not the case. The popular singer is very well grounded and enjoys a loving home life with his wife Annette and their two children. By day Dylan can be found on the job at Sandvik in Mebane building precision drilling equipment. Dylan went to work for the company a year after graduating high school. When asked about his long term plans and retirement he emphatically states that "you'd have to beat me away from there," adding that he's "not going anywhere... especially the way the economy is now. Our business has picked up big time in the last year which is amazing."
   With talent such as Dylan's combined with the extraordinary talent of Sok Monkee, the possibility exists that fame and fortune might come knocking in the form of a recording contract one day. But if it did would Dylan and Sok Monkee pursue that dream? "I'm pretty sure that some of us would," Dylan says tentatively, "but I don't know - it would be tough to leave my children, but it would be tough not to pursue something that I really wanted too." If the opportunity were to ever present itself though he knows what his wife would say - "I know she would, she'd push me to do it."

Dylan joins in on a few songs with friends
Still 3 at a private party. (Photo by Susan Kiser McBride)

   When Sok Monkee takes the stage for a show the audience is invariably treated to a "Happy Day!" The catch phrase has become an expected part of Dylan's performance which he explains is a result of an inclination he has to get stuck on a word or phrase. "The people that come to see me all the time, friends of mine... always pick on me," Dylan explains with a chuckle, "'cause I used to pick on one thing and I'd get stuck on saying that cause it would work. But the people (audience) hollering at me... I'm not gonna not say it." "Happy Day" though has seemingly taken on a life of its own with fans even going as far as to have shirts printed up with the saying on it. "If it makes you smile," says Dylan, "then more power to ya!"
   If "Happy Day" is his motto then his long hair is Dylan's trademark as he uses it to punctuate the songs as he shakes, nods and bobs his head every which way in unison with the music his long locks fly through the air at the same time. "I've had long hair starting in my senior year in high school," he comments, "I cut my hair off short when I turned 30 years old." Then adding with a smile, "My wife would tell you that was the most miserable two years."
   Though he enjoys seeing other performers Dylan doesn't often get to go out just to see and hear another act, opting instead to spend time with his family. On occasion though he will join or participate in other performances when invited to do so. Such was the case one evening in early January when he was at a friends birthday party and he was invited to join in and sing a few impromptu songs with the band. Or in February when he participated in the Parmalee fundraiser at the Fat Frogg in Elon.
   Whether he's rocking on stage with songs from Alice in Chains, singing a Rush tune with friends at a party or covering the Beatles at a fundraising event, Dylan Setzer is a performer with much to give and always giving his very best to every performance. Whenever Dylan is singing it's always a "Happy Day!".

-Charlton Wiggins-