Artist Interview:Tripendicular
Tripendicular, the Louisville-based multi-instrumentalist, creates a diverse sound that he describes as an "airy and a bit dreamy" aural rollercoaster ride. His music is a rich hybrid of genres like new wave, indie pop, and alternative rock, often incorporating orchestral instruments and synth tones alongside guitar to build an expansive, evolving wall of sound—a "kaleidoscope" of textures. Drawing heavy inspiration from the genre-colliding era of the early to mid-80s, the artist uses the deliberately obscure term 'tripendicular' (from the movie Valley Girl) to reflect the project's unique, undefinable, and expansive nature. With a focus on lyrics that provoke self-reflection on the tension between a person's wants, needs, and reality, Tripendicular consciously keeps his image out of the spotlight to ensure the music and its message remain the primary focus.
Tori: What, beyond your vocals, provides the underlying thread or signature that makes a diverse track identifiably a tripendicular song?
Tripendicular: The mood, which I would say is airy and a bit dreamy, but not full-on dream pop or shoegaze. Instead, a song of mine takes the listener on a mostly-moderate, aural roller coaster ride. Typically, this is conveyed via the fairly steady addition or removal of textures, like a kaleidoscope does when the viewer turns it. The result is either a build-up to a wall of sound or a teardown to allow for breathing room, or a smoother ride.
Quite often, these variations are best identified via tones that are not typically played alongside each other in the pop-rock space. Like an acoustic, orchestral instrument or a synth tone accompanying a guitar or piano part. And often, these textures are heightened by effects, like reverb and delay. But this is not done just to be different. Instead, I believe these tones just complement each other well and relay a dreamy, airy feeling.
Tori: Can you elaborate on the origin of the word "Tripendiculer" and how that specific concept translates into the musical or lyrical themes of the project?
Tripendicular: Happy to, because these are interesting questions, whose full answers are not that straightforward. But that’s why I like your interviews of artists. You help interviewees think more deeply…to help your readers do the same.
Anyway, I am most inspired by music from the early to mid-80s. So, for my project name, I chose a word from that time, which resonated with me.
But there’s more to these whys: That time period is when more options became available for effects, sounds and tools, via pedals, keyboards and drum machines, So, they ‘collided’ in interesting ways and produced very diverse styles, hybrids and lyrical topics very different from what people were used to hearing. That cornucopia aligns with my approach and aspirations.
Ironically, the term ‘tripendicular’ actually does not come from the music world. It was said in one of my favorite movies, which also is from that ‘era’: Valley Girl.
I concede, though, that most people probably don’t even know any of the meanings of the word ‘tripendicular’. Yet that’s actually a good thing, because then the word and my music have a unique meaning to each person.
However, tripendicular is not one style, but how a song can be a hybrid of styles + expansive in the instruments, tones and lyrical themes. Speaking of which, my lyrics are intended to reflect the inner monologue and movie, where there hopefully is continual, unfiltered emotions about, along with questioning and assessing of, a situation, person and oneself.
Tori: Your lyrics are said to "provoke self-reflection". Is there a core idea or message that you hope listeners will reflect on after experiencing an album's worth of tripendicular music?
Tripendicular: The core idea of tripendicular music is the tension between what a person has, wants and needs. Quite often, those three are all different.
I just hope listeners feel that my lyrics reflect someone trying to be honest about situations, and the words demonstrate someone actively trying to either navigate through challenging life moments or appreciate them. If these are their takeaways, then hopefully they’ll listen to enough songs to also come to the conclusion that I believe when the going gets tough, the pathway is to keep trying to move forward by asking oneself questions.
Tori: What, in your view, is lost or diluted when an artist’s image becomes central to their music, and how do you ensure the music remains the primary focus?
Tripendicular: What is lost is the core purity of the music, presuming it was there to begin with. How so? People familiar with an artist’s image subconsciously or consciously attach an image of the singer or band to a song, while listening, or even before hearing it. Both are a disservice to the song.
To me, the true tests of an artist’s music are how a song fares in these contexts:
What if the listener knows nothing about the artist?
What does an artist’s song sound like with your eyes closed?
So, I strive to keep music the primary focus by posting minimal personal photos and not appearing in any of my videos. To me, how I look, and how appealing I may or may not be, is not my music. I hope my non-image approach allows listeners to pay more attention to the music and lyrics and see parallels to their own experiences.
We’ll see how long I can keep up this approach.
Tori: Do you decide on the instrumentation first, or does the initial 'mood' of the song dictate which textures and instruments are necessary to bring that world to life?
Tripendicular: I seek to serve the song, not vice versa. So the song’s mood, not mine, always takes center stage in the writing, arranging, instrumentation, textures and fine-tuning. This said, the development process can radically alter what was the initial mood, but that's fine.
Tori: How do you determine when a track requires a collaborator, and what role do these guests typically play in realizing the song's vision?
Tripendicular: Actually, my goal is to not have collaborators. But fortunately, I realized just a few years ago that having collaborators is freeing and often results in something better than I could do all on my own. So I continue to welcome collaborators. However, I don’t bring collaborators into a song I start. I only have collaborators when I enter a scenario where one person or more has already started something and needs help to expand and complete it.
My collaborations have run the gamut, too. From collaborators writing and playing all of the music, with me writing only the vocal melody and singing lyrics I wrote (‘song without words’), to what occurs most often: I hear what is needed and add it: rearrangement or length modification of sections, additional music and instruments, along with all those vocal responsibilities.
Either way, I do essentially become the leader of the song. But I still solicit the feedback of my collaborators, because I want them to be happy with the finished song. Sometimes that means I change or remove something, because even I need some nudges. But fortunately, collaborators usually embrace how I have sculpted the song.
Tori: Could you walk us through the development of one of your songs—from the initial spark of an idea to the final mix—and how that sense of slow evolution manifests?
Tripendicular: Sure.
I will elaborate, but my initial response is: Don't dictate; listen. Compile ideas and refine them.
But there is a key to (unlock) the process: 'Do not have an ego.' It's all about (serving) the song, not about me. Truly embracing this mindset minimizes stress and maximizes creativity and energy.
Now, confession time: If playing music were a dance-off, I'd trip over my own feet...early on. This is because I'm not a virtuoso. That means I'm mostly not someone who can readily string together multiple, soothing vs. meandering 'musical thoughts' at one time. Therefore, most typically, my song development process is very much a one-piece-at-a-time operation. I'm talking like what I presume a bricklayer does.
But for me, most of the process is intuitive. Fortunately, one thing I have gotten pretty good at is identifying when an idea has merit.
Also, only now am I realizing that I’ve become pretty adept at how I believe a child would compose, via 3 steps, so I can then let the adult take over for the remaining steps:
* Vibing: Tuning into a moment or feeling to come up with a melodic phrase or rhythms, by humming and head bobbing to capture emotions and a vibe.
This can happen anywhere, anytime, and has: In the car, mowing the lawn, taking a shower, walking down the street, etc. It results in an initial spark, which can be a musical riff or a vocal phrase.
* 'Translating' the phrase(s) via instruments and into actual lyrics.
Most typically, this means laying down a drum groove, then playing and singing the phrases on instruments and via stream-of-conscious lyrics.
* Repeat and rinse. Keep alternating between these 2 steps until, like a child stacking blocks, I see that I have a building.
The following steps are when the adult in me takes over:
4) Fine tune and decorate what I've built.
This is essentially time to focus on the first half of the song to make it the best half song it can be. So, shorten a section or extend it? Use different or additional instrument tones, drums or percussion?
* Ask 'how?'
The full question is 'How can I make the second half different than the first? That's a big thing for me. So this is when I start adding even more instrumental and vocal textures. Or removing them. It all depends on the song's flow in the first half.
* Determine the story and lyrics
Sometimes I get lucky, and some of the off-the-cuff lyrics are retained. But more often, one of the lyrical phrases is my saving grace and is the launching point for a story idea. Regardless, at this point, I give myself however long I need to discover the actual or full story for the song.
This produces a ball of emotions that can feel like a mix of constipation, a hangover, hunger, and being stalked-but-never-approached. I like to say, "The muse demands to be fed." But I know what's really happening is the muse just wants to give me a congratulatory hug. So, the more I make determining the story and lyrics a priority, the less extreme and lengthy the borderline psychosomatic symptoms are.
* Spread the icing: This means recording the final lyrics. This step is usually the hardest for me. In fact, I often procrastinate doing it. This is because the microphone doesn’t lie. It knows I'm not a natural vocal talent, so it taunts me. Therefore, I need to take a lot of time to deliver what I call 'good enough vocals.' Maybe my nickname should be 'Mr. Re-take'.
* The final mix: I know I have the final mix when I stop asking questions about it, stop cringing at certain points of the song, or, when collaborators are involved, they stop having comments.
Interspersed between probably every step is the understanding that everything is a “let’s see” addition. As in, "let's see what else I come up with, then later determine how well the parts go together." It's not 'Is this good?' or 'Oh, that's bad.' The point of the process is to be supportive to Mr. Sensitive (me).
But I have become 'brave' and 'tough', too. Sometimes I’ve spent considerable time recording or fine-tuning a certain vocal or musical section, and I really like it. But then I listen back to what I've have so far, and I have to admit that the section is just not sufficiently aligned with the mood or flow of the song. So I either cut the part from the song, modify it or relocate it. That can be a bummer, but again, I take comfort that the number one goal is being served: Make the song the best it can be, without letting perfectionism derail it all.
Tori: Your website includes links to videos for many tunes, which you are not in. What is your creative direction or vision for these videos, and how do you ensure the visual element complements the song's "mood" without relying on your presence?
Tripendicular: Fortunately, my lyrics often have imagery. So, certain phrases I’m singing prompt corresponding visuals that I can expand on. But that gets me only so far. What I find freeing and more interesting is not appearing in the videos. This allows me to acknowledge that there are people who look and dress differently than I do, and they will be listening and watching. So I incorporate a variety of people in the videos to reflect our great big world. Also, I see the full videos as mini movies. But maybe ones that are more surreal, because I don’t focus on one couple or group from the start to finish of a video.
Whether my videos following this approach are effective or off-putting, I don’t know. But I rationalize it this way: ‘In every moment, we are playing a role, and hopefully we are true to ourselves. Yet how others see us, and how we see them and ourselves, can be vastly different from moment to moment. So, why should my videos be limited to the same, main characters from beginning to end?’ Therefore, I literalize these differences by changing ‘characters’ within each of my videos. Afterall, just like my music is a kaleidoscope, so are my videos.
Tori: As a multi-instrumentalist, which instrument do you feel is your primary tool for composition versus expression, and how does that distinction influence your creative process?
Tripendicular: Hmm. I’ve been playing music a whole lot longer than I’ve been releasing it. So my primary tool for composition has had different ‘leaders’ over the years. But it has evolved to have one leader: my vocal voice. Yet I’m not talking about its timbre, volume or emotion. Instead, it’s the melody my voice creates. Why? If the melody isn’t flowing, it doesn’t matter how good the music is. A poor melody can derail or waste great music. So, while song mood and flow are what I serve, the main way to assure that I’m a good servant is to have a melody that fits the song.
I also have learned that the voice often knows best where a song needs to go. So that has meant I have scrapped certain music for a song, because it didn’t support the transition the voice both wants and needs to make. Again, no ego. Just my ears kept on the prize: finishing the song into one I want to hear again.
Tori: Your projects reflect multiple genres, including new wave, indie pop, indie rock, alternative, and alternative rock. Is there a specific era or movement within those genres that you consider a major influence on your songwriting?
Tripendicular: A major influence on my songwriting is really a time period: music from ‘82 to ‘87. This doesn’t mean I’m trying to write music that would neatly fit in within that time. (But I wonder if any of it would). Instead, what is inspiring about that period is that the pop charts of Billboard magazine + mainstream radio had relevance and variety. And there were some goto programs to hear both music on that chart and the ‘fringe’. All of these scenarios meant that there could be a guitar song next to a synth song next to a ballad, next to an aggressive song, next to a dancy toe-tapper, etc. And more people then liked all of these songs. Furthermore, the guitar was much more prominent, which I really miss in today’s mainstream music.
So, that time period showed me I don’t have to try to fit a certain sound, limit myself to specific instruments or song topics. I can just work on music that inspires me. Maybe I’ve romanticized the period, but I am speaking from the perspective of a music fan who evolved into a musician. So, I like how that period shaped me into believing as a musician that anything and everything is possible, musically.
Tori: You are based in Louisville, Kentucky. How has the music scene and environment of Louisville influenced the trippy, diverse sound of tripendicular?
Tripendicular: Well, whether the music scene here ever was or is great, I never was talented enough or cool enough to truly be part of it in my ‘formative years.’ But hopefully there’s a silver lining to that: I did get to see and read about some local bands who went on to either have success or influence beyond Louisville. Both those were mostly solitary endeavors. I think I was 'hip' enough to like different music, but I was not like the people who made that music.
Anyway, the groups I'm talking about are ones I mostly sound nothing like, but definitely appreciate. Some that come to mind are Squirrel Bait, Slint, Big Wheel, Love Jones and My Morning Jacket. Plus, one group that recorded an unreleased album that I got a copy of (on cassette tape, actually) way back when: Fanci Pantz, a short-lived-but-phenomenal, edgy, funk rock group that, in another life, I would be good enough to become the singer to resurrect them.
Mostly though, my non-role in the scene meant I had less distractions. So I kept plugging away at music until God or the Universe took pity on me and finally let me develop enough skill to have my own style and release songs.
Lastly, fortunately, there is one local music store (Doo Woo Shop) that has been around forever, and has always rented instruments and gear. So that place was very helpful to me when I was a much younger, and still-raw musician trying to develop as a songwriter and bedroom producer.
Tori: Could you discuss the role, if any, of protest or social commentary in your music or your personal artistic stance?
Tripendicular: For the longest time, that just did not appeal to me. For one, some of these matters could be more of the moment, yet now the moment is so hard to even break into. Also, I feel like there are many classic songs that address the need for peace or equality. So, do I need to rehash that...and come up with a song that's not as good? Also, it just feels like talking about social issues via a song is lip service and patting oneself on the back. Like, “Look at me. I’m so caring.” I’m not so sure that releasing a social commentary song that most people won’t hear is the best way to voice that sort of concern.
So, 1x1 issues and internal struggles just make more sense to me to address in my songs. Not out of a sense of selfishness, but for two reasons:
* Music and melody direct me to write mostly about these matters;
* I believe that what I am writing about can be more impactful on the individual level, because a listener has more control over his or her life than over broader social issues.
Still, it has gotten harder to look away from what is going on in society and the world. I have a finished song (‘walk the walk’) that maybe I’ll release next year, about how it’s so childish for world leaders to authorize confrontation and violence to address conflicts.
Meanwhile, this fall I did release a tune (‘in person’) about what I believe is the addiction of our time, for most everyone under 60: being online.
And sometime in 2026, I will probably release a still-in-progress song about the dangers of A.I. But will I be too late?
Now if tripendicular suddenly becomes a household name, maybe I will feel compelled or empowered to use my voice to address broader issues via song(s). TBD.
Tori: For someone new to your music, what three wildly different songs would you recommend they listen to back-to-back to truly grasp the project's range?
Tripendicular: Oh, wow. Thank you for asking. I think most of my songs are wildly different from each other. So, since I don’t see myself ever being fortunate enough to get asked this question again, I’d like to request you list 4:
* all that (dance club meets pop)
* stuck (80s vibe with funky guitar)
* lost cause (melancholy, piano ballad)
* kiss yesterday (slow, edgy guitar meets the ethereal)
Tori: As you continue to create, is there a specific instrument or texture (e.g., harp, sitar, bongos) that you haven't yet used but are excited to incorporate into a future "hybrid" song?
Tripendicular: That’s a good one. I actually have used all three of those instruments in already-released songs. But the instruments were more textures in a wall of sound, so it might not be so easy to discern them.
* Sitar: ‘in person’, ‘make the night’, and ‘time’ (not ‘a time’, which is a different song of mine)
* Bongos: ‘time’ and ‘come hither’
* Harp: It’s one of about a dozen instruments in ‘make the night’, and heard most prominently on the verses.
Regardless, 2026 will see the release of additional songs where those 3 instruments have a more prominent role.
Meanwhile, to answer your question, it would be interesting to write a song that has a main riff on trombone or harmonica. Hopefully both will come about before I die.
Tori: What is the next major focus for tripendicular? (e.g., a specific concept for the next release, touring plans, or a new creative direction)
Tripendicular: No touring, because there are too many songs begging me to finish and release them in the next 13 months. That said, what this mostly means is:
a) Release more rock songs. So, tunes that are edgier than what I've released to date.
The world needs more guitars in music, especially edgier ones. But I’m not talking metal music. That genre is fine, but just not mine. I’m simply talking about songs that have the guitar as the anchor.
It really breaks my heart that new rock music has been forced underground for what feels like forever more. Rock music seems to either get underplayed on main stream radio stations or not at all. And I'm not so sure enough alternative stations exist or play rock music, either.
b) my infatuation: I also am part of a music duo called my infatuation, with a really talented guy who lives in the U.K. (Giles Gerry). Although our 2025 singles are more synth-heavy, our 2026 releases will be more rock-leaning songs.
c) tripendicular squared: I've recorded 8 songs with another Brit, who goes by Morlader, but he wants the final songs to sound more polished. So that's slowed our progress. But I'm the hold-up. Still, hopefully some of those songs will be released in 2026.
Just like Giles, Morlader is a much more talented musician than I am. I see our songs as tripendicular squared, because his music and sonic palette, which comprise the foundation of the songs, are just more expansive than mine. It's not film score music, because they are, afterall, songs with vocals. But I can easily imagine that a smart filmmaker would want them in his/her movie. So, smart filmmakers wanted.
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