[10][11] He played an instrumental role in the success of the band Interpol, co-founding the group in the 1990s with Daniel Kessler, Paul Banks and Greg Drudy.

[7] He was studying philosophy and history at the time, and wanted to pursue a career as an academic, but agreed to play with the then unformed band, eventually finding his place within the group.

Until the band started hiring touring musicians in support of their first album, Turn on the Bright Lights, he played both instruments during live performances.

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.

[21] The band chose not to officially replace Dengler, with David Pajo and later Brad Truax occupying the role of touring bass guitarist.

For the writing and recording of Interpol's post-Dengler studio albums, Paul Banks occupied the role of bass guitarist.

[23] 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.

[25] 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.

[26] In a 2015 interview, he stated that he had since completed a graduate degree in drama from the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU, and was pursuing acting professionally.

[28] In 2016, Dengler understudied for actor Josh Radnor at Lincoln Center Theater in a production of the Richard Greenberg play The Babylon Line.

[12][29] He alsopresented an autobiographical one-man show at the 2016 New York International Fringe Festival, Homo Sapiens Interruptus, which focused on his interest in heavy metal and paleoanthropology as well as revisiting his life leading up to and including his involvement with Interpol.