Michael Habif ’10 plays drums in the hardcore punk band Tripper. Listen to their music on the Goucher Alumni Mixtape.
How did Tripper get together?
I met our guitarist, Bryan, through my roommate, Jimmy Oshida (also a Goucher alum, Class of 2010). Bryan had grown up in the same music scene in Frederick as our bassist, Austin, and asked them to join. I met our original vocalist, Alex, after hiring her to design some art for me. When Alex left at the end of 2023, Nic became our new vocalist. I met them from just going to a lot of the same shows.
How would you describe your sound?
I usually just say we are a hardcore punk band, but anyone who listens to the genre knows that is a wide spectrum of sounds. I honestly haven’t been able to figure out a way to describe our sound in a more concrete way. I just think our songs are kind of weird and take from a lot of stuff outside of hardcore.
What music have you been listening to lately?
I’ve been skewing very heavily to indie rock the past year. Some of my favorites right now are The Beths, Alvvays, Momma, Queen of Jeans, and Francis of Delirium. When I’m in the mood for heavy stuff, I’ve been listening to a lot of Nails.
Do you have favorite songs to perform?
I really like our song “Cycles” because the drum parts are really intense and get people moving. I also really like the way we structured that song and it flows well.
How do you prepare for a live performance?
I really wish I could just sit down and play, but I was not blessed with that ability. If I can, I’ll usually go play drums at my practice space for an hour and then stay warmed up on my practice pad at the show.
What was the inspiration for the name Tripper?
Our original vocalist Alex took it from an Alex G song. After we spent a few hours going through hundreds of name options, it was the one we collectively hated the least and wasn’t taken.
What are you working on now?
We have 10 shows lined up from August 23 to September 20, including a five-day tour to the Carolinas. We’ll also be releasing a new single around then. We are aiming to record a full-length next year as well. Otherwise, I’m working on a free, three-day, 50+ band festival I help run called Subscape that will happen October 10 to 12 at Metro and Mobtown Ballroom.
Anything else you would like to highlight?
I run a concert calendar and resource for the Baltimore scene called Baltimore Showplace. Anyone trying to keep up with shows in town can find everything happening on there.
Check out more from Tripper: