Interview - Drypoint

Blending a wide spectrum of influences into a cohesive, emotionally charged sound, Los Angeles-based trio Drypoint are a band defined as much by their chemistry as their individuality. Made up of Dorian Ford, Gabe Jacobs, and Garrett Blackwell, the group pulls from deeply personal musical backgrounds—ranging from church choirs to classic rock to experimental grooves—to create something that feels both nostalgic and forward-thinking. With a collaborative spirit at the core of their process, Drypoint’s music captures the unpredictability of real life, translating raw experiences into dynamic, evolving songs. We caught up with the band to talk about their influences, creative journey, and the moments that have shaped them along the way.

Welcome to MeloDrift. Can you tell us a little bit about your musical background?

Hello, thank you for having us. We are: Dorian Ford, guitarist and singer, Gabe Jacobs, drummer, and Garret Blackwell, bassist and background singer. All three of our musical backgrounds are very different but definitely have some overlap.

Dorian: My mother is a musician and my family is insanely musical. I grew up singing in church choirs and playing in the church band. This is where most of my musical foundation was formed. Gabe: I started playing the drums quite young, which might be some parent’s nightmare but my folks were thankfully supportive and endured years of noise as I figured out what I was doing. Thanks to them I was able to dedicate my time to the drums and improve.

Garrett: I got a guitar for my 9th birthday and haven’t put it down since (except to swap it out for another stringed instrument or occasionally bang a drum). I grew up playing rock and all of its various offshoots. As a kid I read that Jimi Hendrix used to sleep with his guitar, and I figured that’s how he got so good, so for years I would sleep with my guitar in bed next to me. In recent years, I’ve found myself playing more bass and I’m having a lot of fun with it - haven’t slept with my bass yet but maybe I should.

If your life had a theme song, what would it be?

Dorian: my theme song would probably be The Cramps- The Way I walk

Gabe: It would have to be “Rocky Raccoon”. Some days you feel like a raccoon and that’s okay.

Garrett: Ophelia - The Band. I’ve always thought it sounds like it belongs in a tv show intro.

Who or what have been the most impactful influences on your musical style and sound?

Dorian: This is a very difficult question for us because so many bands have inspired our sound and the three of us have pretty different tastes. We love all decades of rock n roll. I think Pink Floyd is definitely a common template for all three of us. However, for these recent batch of songs we released, I think True Widow, Cigarettes after sex, Diiv, Interpol and Deftones are the primary bands that have poked into our subconscious in the latest recording session we did. They always change over time and there are definitely more bands, especially different artists that influence our personal playing style but overall we aimed to have a more high definition, modern and sleek approach to these singles as opposed to a super analog and vintage approach we did on the previous EP.

Garrett: Despite music being an aural art form, it’s always been visual for me. My understanding of any sort of music theory, chord creation, melodies, etc. began as imagery in my head, long before I had the terminology to describe it. Still, with any bass line I play, I’m pretty much just playing connect the dots in my brain, creating lines and shapes and patterns.

Gabe: As far as personal influences, it can probably be boiled down to a handful of drummers like Jon Theodore, Mark Guiliana and Tim “Herb” Alexander. Groove and unique feel is something that’s always caught my attention in particular. Writing a great drum part is truly an art and those guys definitely have what it takes. Like Dorian and Garrett have said, taking our venn diagram of influences is really what informs our final product as Drypoint.

How do your life experiences shape your songwriting, and what emotions or ideas do you hope listeners connect with in your music?

Dorian: I sponge in a lot of stuff that happens throughout my days, some good some bad but it is an absolute privilege to be able to meet with two very talented fellows and just play free-form jams. It literally feels like they’re communicating to me in the most honest way how their week was. Sometimes the jams form into songs and other times they get lost in the abyss of creativity. Overall though I hope people feel that real emotional connection we have playing together and just having fun.

Each phase of music-making—writing, recording, rehearsing, and performing—has its own unique rewards. Could you share a memorable moment from each stage?

Dorian: I think the memory I treasure the most was us going to Hi Ho Burger after our first jam with

Garrett. It was also hilarious when we initially set out to have our first epic, inspired songwriting session/rehearsal but instead spend hours smoking, talking politics, films and video games Garrett: I think back on my first recording session with Drypoint, when we recorded the three songs from our last EP. I was kinda nervous because I had only played with these guys like twice and I honestly didn’t really know any of the songs. But it all came together really nicely. Still not sure exactly what I played note for note on these songs. Every rehearsal or concert is a little different. I don’t think we’ve played these songs the exact same way twice.

Gabe: So far my most memorable moment has been playing at Nivessa Records in Hollywood. We didn’t really know what to expect going into the show but ended up playing in a sick basement/concrete room below the store and played one of our strongest shows to date. Garrett was also extremely sick with some type of flu but held it together the whole time. That show was a trial by fire but we came out the other side feeling pretty great about ourselves.

Is there a song of yours that holds particular personal significance? We’d love to know more about the story or the inspiration behind it.

Dorian: There are a couple that have pretty deep lyrical significance but the one I feel most strongly about is Cyclist. It’s pretty much about generational trauma. Millennials and Gen Z really have had the toughest adulthood any generation has faced since the Great Depression. Millennials came of age in a recession and Gen Z came of age in a Pandemic. Most of us can’t retire, own homes, afford kids and healthcare, or even obtain the careers or jobs that we went into school debt for. We have issues that totally could’ve been prevented if older generations just cared and paid attention a little more to what was happening. So that song is a critique on older generations and also a plea for our generation to not repeat the same mistake and break the cycle and to be better.

If you could swap lives with any musician for a day, who would it be and what would you do?

Dorian: I would want to swap bodies with Oscar Mulero( Dj/Producer) and play the biggest festivals and stages just playing the darkest and most obscure techno tracks.

Gabe: I’d probably swap bodies with Stu Mackenzie so I could know what Vegemite tastes like.

Garrett: I’d swap bodies with Tom MacDonald for one day and jump off a fucking bridge.

What’s a guilty pleasure song you secretly love but might surprise your fans?

Dorian: Might not be too shocking but lately I have been really into Sixpence None The Richer - Kiss me, which is super corny but I am a sucker for descending dreamy chord progressions and twelve string guitars.

Garrett: Bad Chem - Sabrina Carpenter. Absolute banger. The vocal runs are crazy! Gabe: In Bloom - Neck Deep. Those Welshmen really saved pop-punk.

Looking ahead, what are some goals or dreams you have for your music and career?

Dorian: We hope to be touring and playing music full time, playing festivals and making the most influential record to date.

Garrett: This feels lofty. I don’t want it to come across as ego-inflated and dismissive of all the enormously influential records. Could we maybe say: “a record that makes its mark on musical history” or something to that effect?

Gabe: Playing music full time for sure, and also maybe to build a recording studio. Would be sick to record our own stuff/other bands in the comfort of a place we call our own.

Finally, is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers before we close?

Come see us play live! You’ll have a great time and we love meeting people.