In print issue 02 of Today Forever I had the opportunity to interview iconic vocalist Justice Tripp and he opened up about everything from his history in the subculture to what motivates him to continue to explore music and his creativity while paving his own path through life, and I’m excited to be sharing that interview here online for the very first time!
Always on their grind, Angel Dust recently released a brand new EP, The Beat, on Run For Cover Records along with an awesome music video to accompany the title track, and you can catch them on tour with Fleshwater this Fall! Make sure to check social media for more updates on where you can see and hear more from Justice and AD and enjoy the interview!
Justice Tripp is well known as one of hardcore’s most charismatic front men, and, from his years with legendary Baltimore hardcore band Trapped Under Ice to his more recent solo project, Cold Mega, Justice has time and again proven himself to be as multifaceted as he is talented.
Since 2013, Tripp has fronted Angel Du$t, an ever evolving and genre-bending project that defies categorization, building on his hardcore legacy and allowing him to play in the fields of punk, post-hardcore, pop, electronica, and more. While rooted in the aggressive hardcore of Tripp’s youth, Angel Du$t navigates a decidedly more melodic and, at times, even poppy sound while still showcasing the frenetic energy and rawness that made Tripp one of hardcore’s most notorious frontmen in the first place. As prohibitive as some corners of hardcore may be, Angel Du$t almost acts as the opposite, with a sound as eclectic and diverse as the audience they appeal to, a little something for everyone, an exclusively inclusive club where all are welcome.
Ever obliging, Justice took some time to talk with Today Forever about carving his own path through music, Angel Du$t’s diverse catalogue and latest release (Yak: A Collection of Truck Songs), and how music plays an integral part in each of our journeys to find our unique selves.
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Photos by Matt TxF
Nikki: To get us started, who is Angel Du$t? I know you have a solid roster of well known members, have you had the exact same line up throughout the band’s history?
Justice: Angel Du$t has always had a big ass revolving door of members, and me. I write most everything, sing, and play guitar when I feel like it. The most common members have been Daniel Fang and Pat McCrory. Tommy Cantwell, Steve Marino, and Daniel Star have been touring with me nonstop for a while now. They have been entirely exciting and inspiring. We’re getting ready to start recording music together
Since your very first release, Angel Du$t hasn’t been afraid to experiment and diverge from the more traditional hardcore sound you might have been associated with in your earlier bands. Do you consider Angel Du$t to be a hardcore band? Does sound alone determine whether something can be called ‘hardcore’ in 2022?
Hardcore is defined by experimenting. It’s one big experiment with how you manipulate energy to make people go crazy. Maybe that makes us a hardcore band or not. I don’t think much about it. I’m just a big fan of hardcore.
While I’ve heard the most recent Angel Du$t release, Yak: A Collection of Truck Songs, described as venturing into pop, or even folk (?!), territory, I simply hear the confidence of songwriters who have matured into their craft and aren’t afraid to push their sound in new directions. It’s refreshing that you don’t adhere strictly to one sound or preconceived musical category, but rather seem more interested in origination. Has it been a conscious decision to push the stylistic envelope and explore music beyond the more aggressive sound you were once synonymous with? Or are you just following the music wherever it takes you with no particular plan in mind?
It’s fair to say I don’t have any real plan. I definitely love writing music, and I hope that we’re growing in that way, but it’s absolutely necessary for me to keep learning and trying new things, or I’ll lose the desire to do the only thing I like.
You have often mentioned that, with a lighter, less aggressive sound and more diverse audience, Angel Du$t is potentially more accessible to people who might not necessarily be comfortable in a more aggressive hardcore environment. To what extent do you feel subculture should be accessible?
All music should be accessible to everyone, but also a potential participant should be aware that not every corner of subculture is going to fit their desires. I grew up going to the Sidebar in Baltimore, where terrifying people consensually beat the dog shit out of each other as a release. There are weirdos like us that needed that. It’s not for everyone, and that’s ok. I’m glad there are also genuinely cool alternatives to that happening now
With Angel Du$t you’ve shown a really fun and creative approach to visual presentation for your music, whether it be album covers, music videos, or even personal esthetics. Where do you draw your inspiration from when it comes to the visual arts? Who comes up with the ideas for Angel Du$t music videos and is there a certain image you’re trying to project through visual storytelling or is it all just about having fun? I love that you’re not afraid to take chances and have fun while still creating some extremely inspired and different visual content.
Zach Hobbs is responsible for most of Angel Du$t visually. He’s designed a few of our record covers, layouts, and most of our merch. He’s my favorite artist, and when I see his work, a lot of times, it feels like what’s going on in my head when I’m making music. We’ve worked with a lot of great directors on videos, but Ian Shelton has been the most common. He’s another inspiring artist who makes me want to do more.
To an outsider, it seems like you have no problem putting yourself out there, whether it’s in your lyrical vulnerability, personal style, or confidence in exploring new sounds and genres. Have you always been confident in being relentlessly yourself and following your own path? Has your journey through music helped you discover who you are? Or is that something you were certain of from the jump?
Those are very kind things to say. Thank you. I’m not the most confident or secure person outside of music. Music gives you a unique voice. You can stop there or you can keep exploring your voice and growing into a whole unique self. I hope I’m always becoming better because of music and inspiring people around me
The last few years have been a deviation from ‘normal’ life for almost everyone, how did you deal with the pandemic and the world crashing to a halt? As a person used to touring extensively and experiencing live music, was the forced hiatus a negative or positive in terms of creativity and productivity for you?
There was a lot of negative that we all experienced, but for me it’s important to focus on what I gained. I had a lot of time to learn some production tools, and I had a few opportunities to spend time in the studio learning more about production and how cool sounds are made. I got to make the first COLD MEGA songs between Mant Sounds and my apartment.
Your solo project, COLD MEGA, seems like yet another evolution for you. Can you classify COLD MEGA into any one category? I hear elements of electronica, hip hop, brit pop, and punk all crashing into one another in an amazing creative expression that is a complete left turn for anyone who might associate you solely with tough guy hardcore. What kind of reaction has COLD MEGA been getting so far?
The reaction has been so cool. Nobody owes me their attention, but I really appreciate that so many people have been supportive. There’s no goal with sound, no genre in mind; I just want to make songs with tools that I don’t typically get to explore. Some of those tools are relative to certain genres that I maybe didn’t realize left such an impression on me.
Both Angel Du$t and COLD MEGA take a more melodic approach to sound than your earlier forays into music, but each have distinctly different sounds and even moods. What made you want to embark on a solo project and explore sound beyond the constraints of your existing projects?
Total freedom to create. Angel Du$t is collaborative and everyone has input. I love that process, but also get stupid ideas that I don’t expect everyone to want to be a part of. COLD MEGA is whatever I want it to be.
As someone with multiple creative outlets on the go at the same time, do you find yourself purposely writing in different styles for different projects? Is it always obvious to you when you get an idea for a song which project you’re writing for?
I just try to write some cool ass shit and if it feels too far from something Angel Du$t would want to do, I put a bunch of dumb sounds on it and call it COLD MEGA.
You just announced that Trapped Under Ice will be headlining Disturbin’ The Peace in Baltimore this coming January (which sold out in a matter of hours!) – does this mean we can expect more shows/a tour and maybe even new music coming from TUI soon? Are you excited to get back to it with TUI?
Always excited to do TUI. Outside of what’s announced, I can’t say what will happen. We’re all immersed in other things and live very different lives from each other. When it works out, it’s magical. Hopefully another show or two this year. Hopefully fate will put us in a studio at some point but I really couldn’t tell you. In the meantime, I can’t wait for Disturbin’ The Peace.
In the last decade, Baltimore has become the epicenter of a really exciting scene for hardcore and beyond. As a proud Baltimore native and huge part of that scene, is there anything specific you think influenced the explosive creative growth coming out of that area?
That’s a good question. Maybe it’s a lack of conventional entertainment; the demand to find your own way to stimulate yourself. It also helps to have a supportive community, and Baltimore definitely has that.
You have a reputation as an extremely outgoing and friendly person, but I’m sure that you walk a fine line between being accessible and maintaining personal sanity. How do you navigate being a big personality in the music community, but also keeping your circle tight?
I really hope that people see me that way. I try to be a positive resource to people around me, but honestly it gets overwhelming and I know I’ve fallen short of the person I want to be. Having personal time, and creative time, is important to keeping yourself in check. I just learned the word “ambivert,” and I feel like I can relate to that.
What are 3 records or artists you can cite as gateways to music for you, hardcore or otherwise? And what are 3 records or artists that you’ve recently discovered that you find having an influence on you as an artist?
Iggy Pop, Blur, and Bad Brains. I don’t know if that is a typical answer, but it’s genuine, and maybe there is [a] good reason those artists influence a lot of creativity. Most recently I find myself inspired by Sophie, 9million, and Militarie Gun.
Finally, is there anything else you’d like to mention or shout outs you’d like to give?
Promote genuine acceptance.
