Carlos Dengler
Encyclopedia
Carlos Andres Dengler previously known as Carlos D., is an American
musician
best known as the former bassist
for the band Interpol
.
to a Colombian
mother and German father, he and his family lived there until his early teens, after which they relocated to New Jersey. Speaking to SPIN Magazine in 2005, Dengler described this move and the subsequent period as formative.
in 1998, he was approached by guitarist Daniel Kessler
after a class the two had enrolled in. Kessler had been looking for musicians to play with and assumed Dengler to be one based on the clothes he wore, a style Kessler described as "similar to the way he's dressed now." He was studying philosophy
and history
at the time and wanted to pursue a career as an academic
but agreed to come by and play with the then unformed band, eventually finding his place within the group.
Dengler's trademark style is marked with grounded and stylized bass lines, strident staccato bursts, a clean tone brought about by his Fender Jazz Bass
, and octave jumps, almost in a disco-like fashion. The low E string is lowered to D as the band writes many songs in D and B minor. One of his influences is Joy Division
/New Order
bassist Peter Hook
and, like Hook, he also wears his bass guitar
very low — often near knee level — and uses a pick to pluck the strings.
Other of his biggest bass influences are Simon Gallup
of The Cure
and John Taylor of Duran Duran
.
In addition to bass, Dengler played keyboards in the studio. Until the band first started hiring touring musicians in support of their debut Turn On the Bright Lights
, he would play both instruments during live performances.
Separate from his contribution to the music, Dengler developed a reputation as a hedonist and is widely noted as the most famous member of the band —an oddity given the attention usually shown to lead singers. He was a regular in the Lower East Side
party scene and in 2005 URB Magazine put him on the cover alongside a headline reading 'Interpol + The Cult of Carlos D.' Interviews tied in with the band's third album Our Love to Admire
in 2007, however, marked a change in Dengler's attitude. Quotes from the time hint at a growing dissatisfaction with touring and the band in general. He described his switch from leather corset-belts, slicked hair, gun-holster, and combat boots to bolo tie, waist coat, his natural curls and mustache as freeing: "Everyone stopped recognizing me on the street. I forgot what it's like just to be a normal person. It felt so good."
In May 2010, his departure was announced on the band's official website. The posting stated that he had participated in the writing and recording process for their fourth album but would not be going forward with any other Interpol related activities. A permanent replacement has not been announced, only that multiple players would be taking his place on the 2010 tour.
Three months after Dengler left Interpol, the band revealed that he actually disliked playing bass guitar. Drummer Sam Fogarino
stated that Dengler had become sick of the instrument and tired of touring, and that it was neither his first instrument nor his instrument of choice.
In the time elapsed between 2004's Antics
and Our Love to Admire
, Dengler took up an interest in film composition and scoring. He now actively works on original film and TV projects. His work in this medium includes the short film Golgotha, which he wrote, produced, and scored as well as My Friends Told Me About You
, in which he was a lead actor.
Dengler has remixed songs for B-side releases including VHS or Beta
's "Night on Fire," Nine Inch Nails
's "Every Day is Exactly the Same
" alongside Sam Fog (Interpol bandmate Samuel Fogarino
) and Interpol's own "Public Pervert". He also contributed the piece "Katya and Josh Ain't Havin' It" to the HBO Voyeur Project
.
(which was used on Turn On the Bright Lights
, Antics, and Our Love to Admire
) with the knobs removed (Antics era and beyond) and the pickguard changed from white to black early in the band's career. He was also seen playing a Cream Jazz Bass on The Late Show with David Letterman in 2007. He never used any effects pedals, claiming "Our music is almost symphonic in nature, because the harmonic structures are defined by the union of two guitars and a bass, and sometimes keyboard as well. If I were to start freaking out with effects, it would create too much of a bass presence, or it would distract from the band's most important aspect-the unity of all those musical elements together."
He also worked with a mixture of classic synthesizer and orchestral emulations to generate arrangements for Interpol and for his scores.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
best known as the former bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
for the band Interpol
Interpol (band)
Interpol is an American indie rock and post-punk revival band from New York City. Formed in 1997, the band's original line-up consisted of Paul Banks , Daniel Kessler , Carlos Dengler and Greg Drudy . Drudy left the band in 2000 and was replaced by Sam Fogarino...
.
Early life
Born in QueensQueens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
to a Colombian
Colombian people
Colombian people are from a multiethnic Spanish speaking nation in South America called Colombia. Colombians are predominantly Roman Catholic and are a mixture of Europeans, Africans, and Amerindians.-Demography:...
mother and German father, he and his family lived there until his early teens, after which they relocated to New Jersey. Speaking to SPIN Magazine in 2005, Dengler described this move and the subsequent period as formative.
Interpol
While attending New York UniversityNew York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
in 1998, he was approached by guitarist Daniel Kessler
Daniel Kessler
Daniel Alexander Kessler is the guitarist and backing vocalist for the New York City-based band Interpol. He was raised in the United States....
after a class the two had enrolled in. Kessler had been looking for musicians to play with and assumed Dengler to be one based on the clothes he wore, a style Kessler described as "similar to the way he's dressed now." He was studying philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
at the time and wanted to pursue a career as an academic
Academia
Academia is the community of students and scholars engaged in higher education and research.-Etymology:The word comes from the akademeia in ancient Greece. Outside the city walls of Athens, the gymnasium was made famous by Plato as a center of learning...
but agreed to come by and play with the then unformed band, eventually finding his place within the group.
Dengler's trademark style is marked with grounded and stylized bass lines, strident staccato bursts, a clean tone brought about by his Fender Jazz Bass
Fender Jazz Bass
The Jazz Bass was the second model of electric bass created by Leo Fender. The bass is distinct from the Precision Bass in that its tone is brighter and richer in the midrange and treble with less emphasis on the fundamental harmonic...
, and octave jumps, almost in a disco-like fashion. The low E string is lowered to D as the band writes many songs in D and B minor. One of his influences is Joy Division
Joy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis , Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris .Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences...
/New Order
New Order
New Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
bassist Peter Hook
Peter Hook
Peter Hook is an English bass player, musician and author.He was a co-founder of the post-punk band Joy Division along with Bernard Sumner in the mid-1970s. Following the death of lead singer Ian Curtis, the band reformed as New Order, and Hook played bass with them throughout their career until...
and, like Hook, he also wears his bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
very low — often near knee level — and uses a pick to pluck the strings.
Other of his biggest bass influences are Simon Gallup
Simon Gallup
Simon Jonathon Gallup is an English musician and bassist of the post-punk band The Cure.-Early years:...
of The Cure
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
and John Taylor of Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
.
In addition to bass, Dengler played keyboards in the studio. Until the band first started hiring touring musicians in support of their debut Turn On the Bright Lights
Turn on the Bright Lights
Turn On the Bright Lights is the debut studio album by American post-punk revival band Interpol, released in August 2002. The album was recorded in November 2001 at Tarquin Studios in Connecticut, and was co-produced, mixed and engineered by Peter Katis and Gareth Jones...
, he would play both instruments during live performances.
Separate from his contribution to the music, Dengler developed a reputation as a hedonist and is widely noted as the most famous member of the band —an oddity given the attention usually shown to lead singers. He was a regular in the Lower East Side
Lower East Side
The Lower East Side, LES, is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by Allen Street, East Houston Street, Essex Street, Canal Street, Eldridge Street, East Broadway, and Grand Street....
party scene and in 2005 URB Magazine put him on the cover alongside a headline reading 'Interpol + The Cult of Carlos D.' Interviews tied in with the band's third album Our Love to Admire
Our Love to Admire
Our Love to Admire is the third studio album by the American post-punk revival band Interpol, released July 10, 2007 on Capitol Records. Recorded at Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village and The Magic Shop Studios in New York City, the album is the group's first to be released on a major label...
in 2007, however, marked a change in Dengler's attitude. Quotes from the time hint at a growing dissatisfaction with touring and the band in general. He described his switch from leather corset-belts, slicked hair, gun-holster, and combat boots to bolo tie, waist coat, his natural curls and mustache as freeing: "Everyone stopped recognizing me on the street. I forgot what it's like just to be a normal person. It felt so good."
In May 2010, his departure was announced on the band's official website. The posting stated that he had participated in the writing and recording process for their fourth album but would not be going forward with any other Interpol related activities. A permanent replacement has not been announced, only that multiple players would be taking his place on the 2010 tour.
Three months after Dengler left Interpol, the band revealed that he actually disliked playing bass guitar. Drummer Sam Fogarino
Sam Fogarino
Samuel Joseph Fogarino is the drummer of New York City-based band Interpol. He has played in bands The Holy Terrors, Gus, The Wahoos, Napoleon Solo, The Ton-ups and The Last Night....
stated that Dengler had become sick of the instrument and tired of touring, and that it was neither his first instrument nor his instrument of choice.
Other work
Dating back to his days at NYU, Dengler is a skilled club DJ. He stopped for a short time, but picked it up again and as Interpol's fame increased he started pulling in bigger crowds both at the band's after-parties and separate gigs in various cities. He was the first rock star to appear on the cover of electronic and hip-hop centered URB Magazine in 2005. The article focused on his history and talent as a DJ, his thoughts on various scenes, personal style and his role as the face of the band. He has since stopped again.In the time elapsed between 2004's Antics
Antics
Antics is the second studio album by American post-punk revival band Interpol, released in September 2004. The album went on selling 488,000 copies in the U.S. and over 100,000 in the UK...
and Our Love to Admire
Our Love to Admire
Our Love to Admire is the third studio album by the American post-punk revival band Interpol, released July 10, 2007 on Capitol Records. Recorded at Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village and The Magic Shop Studios in New York City, the album is the group's first to be released on a major label...
, Dengler took up an interest in film composition and scoring. He now actively works on original film and TV projects. His work in this medium includes the short film Golgotha, which he wrote, produced, and scored as well as My Friends Told Me About You
My Friends Told Me About You
My Friends Told Me About You is a short film written, produced, and scored by lead actor Carlos Dengler who is the former bassist of the band Interpol. It is co-written and directed by Daniel Ryan and co-produced by Todd Eckert of award-winning Joy Division biopic, Control. The cast also includes...
, in which he was a lead actor.
Dengler has remixed songs for B-side releases including VHS or Beta
VHS or Beta
VHS or Beta is a band originally from Louisville, Kentucky, now based in Brooklyn, NY, that combines elements of rock, house and disco . Their self-released debut EP Le Funk found some success on the charts, but the band became better known in the wake of the 2004 album Night on Fire...
's "Night on Fire," Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
's "Every Day is Exactly the Same
Every Day Is Exactly the Same
"Every Day Is Exactly the Same" is the third single by American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails from their album With Teeth. It is the twenty-first official Nine Inch Nails release. The commercial single was released on April 4, 2006 as an EP. It was also billed as the companion remix disc to...
" alongside Sam Fog (Interpol bandmate Samuel Fogarino
Sam Fogarino
Samuel Joseph Fogarino is the drummer of New York City-based band Interpol. He has played in bands The Holy Terrors, Gus, The Wahoos, Napoleon Solo, The Ton-ups and The Last Night....
) and Interpol's own "Public Pervert". He also contributed the piece "Katya and Josh Ain't Havin' It" to the HBO Voyeur Project
The HBO Voyeur Project
The HBO Voyeur Project was a theatrical multimedia experience and marketing campaign launched in the summer of 2007 using Voyeurism as a vehicle. Content related to the characters is scattered online in fictional web pages, in photo and video clips on media sharing platforms such as Flickr and...
.
Gear
Dengler played a black standard Fender Jazz BassFender Jazz Bass
The Jazz Bass was the second model of electric bass created by Leo Fender. The bass is distinct from the Precision Bass in that its tone is brighter and richer in the midrange and treble with less emphasis on the fundamental harmonic...
(which was used on Turn On the Bright Lights
Turn on the Bright Lights
Turn On the Bright Lights is the debut studio album by American post-punk revival band Interpol, released in August 2002. The album was recorded in November 2001 at Tarquin Studios in Connecticut, and was co-produced, mixed and engineered by Peter Katis and Gareth Jones...
, Antics, and Our Love to Admire
Our Love to Admire
Our Love to Admire is the third studio album by the American post-punk revival band Interpol, released July 10, 2007 on Capitol Records. Recorded at Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village and The Magic Shop Studios in New York City, the album is the group's first to be released on a major label...
) with the knobs removed (Antics era and beyond) and the pickguard changed from white to black early in the band's career. He was also seen playing a Cream Jazz Bass on The Late Show with David Letterman in 2007. He never used any effects pedals, claiming "Our music is almost symphonic in nature, because the harmonic structures are defined by the union of two guitars and a bass, and sometimes keyboard as well. If I were to start freaking out with effects, it would create too much of a bass presence, or it would distract from the band's most important aspect-the unity of all those musical elements together."
He also worked with a mixture of classic synthesizer and orchestral emulations to generate arrangements for Interpol and for his scores.