Interviews

Dashboard Confessional

Interview with Chris on Nov 30, 2000 by Archive Bot

I'd like to send a special thanks to Chris of Dashboard Confessional, Pyro, and Jessie of Vagrant Records for making this interview happen.

PB: How does it feel playing a show while having the crowd sing the lyrics along with you to every song?
DB: That's the greatest thing in the world to me! I don't know if I can actually put it into words. It's definately the coolest thing that I have ever felt.

PB: Your songs seem very personal. Have you ever wrote about someone or something then come to later regret it?
DB: No..... because it's like a diary. It's just stuff that happens, so I'm honest when I write...... that's it!

PB: Besides music are there any authors or movies that have inspired you?
DB: John Irving is an author that has really inspired me. I find myself reading and re-reading his books. He's really an inspiration to me. Also the Godfather Trilogy.

PB: A lot of people have tried to label you as an emo artist. How would you classify your music?
DB: Oh, I don't know. I think that whole "emo" tag is really convoluted. I don't care whether or not people call me emo. I don't really care, but I have yet to figure out how Saves The Day, The Get Up Kids, Jimmy Eat World, and Sunny Day Real Estate are all the same kind of music. I just can't figure it out. I'm a singer/song writer.

PB: Tony Hawk or Bam Mageros and why?
DB: Matt Hemsley. Just because he's the best!

PB: Besides you?
DB: No, no, no.

PB: I know you used to front the band Further Seems Forever. Do you ever miss being part of a band, and what inspired you to become solo? Did your band members smell funny or something?
DB: Haahhaha.... Do I miss it? Yea I miss it. I miss those guys a lot. We're all happy with the way things are working out. We're still friends and they're coming out on tour with me. Yea, they smell funny! What was the other question?

PB: What inspired you?
DB: Nothing..... I didn't really plan on doing it. It wasn't supposed to be a solo act and still doesn't feel like a solo act! Even on the days it's just me because the crowd is such a part of it.

PB: On "Places You've Come To Fear The Most" you included drums and bass on a lot of the album. Do you think you will ever do another strictly acoustic album?
DB: Probably! I hate this short answer.... I don't know it's like my songs dictate what they mean. I wrote some of those songs and I realised they needed bass and drums.

PB: I heard you'll be putting out a split with The New Amsterdams. What can you tell me about it?
DB: I'll be putting out a split with The New Amsterdams. 

PB: You're so amazing. This is the best interview I have ever had.
DB: It's going to be like story telling. I'm going to do four songs that are about one event, and he's doing four songs that are about one event. I don't know............. I think I'm really happy with my songs, and I'm really pleased!

PB: When will it come out are you sure yet?
DB: October or November.

PB: You have one of the more hectic tour schedules. What do you when you get the chance to spend time at home?
DB: I can't remember. Sleep, spend time with my family, pay my bills, sleep.

PB: A little skateboarding?
DB: Not when I'm home. I guess I do at home, but it depends how much time I'm home for. I try to see my friends as much as possible. It's hard to be apart from them that long.

PB: What have you been listening to lately? I head that you are really into Tenacious D!
DB: Yea, I think that's pretty funny. I've been listening to The Old 97's a lot, and The Beach Boys. I listen to so much. I was a They Might Be Giants fan for a long, long time.

PB: At a show you played with The Movielife you mentioned you went to summer camp with Vinnie. How have you guys changed since your summer camp days, and could you have imagined both being in successful bands?
DB: They got taller. I didn't. We got tattoos! I don't know. I don't know if we have much.

PB: You're the same kids?
DB: At sleep away camp? Yea.

PB: What camp?
DB: I can't say.

PB: What did you take away from your previous bands that has helped you be successful today?
DB: I say I learned so much from them. The Vacant Andy's they are my best friends. All the guys are like my close, close friends. I think they taught me how to.... they were all older than me and taught me how to grow up a lot. The helped me not to be afraid to express myself. The Further Seems Forever guys think so far outside of the box that it gave me the freedom to do that to. It's definately a writing style than I have ever done before.

PB: If MTV came to you to do "Chris Carrabba unplugged" would you do it? What are your thoughts on MTV?
DB: Would I ever do anything with MTV..... yea why not? The whole "sellout thing" seems silly to me. I don't have any plans to go after MTV, but I don't think you should ever say no to opportunities you are given as long as your still doing it for yourself and for your core-audience that you care about, and who care about you. I think that music is for everybody. Think about this..... there's like some kid that's in Omaha that doesn't get to be...... wait I picked a bad place. Omaha has a pretty cool scene.

PB: In New Mexico.....
DB: Yea, in New Mexico there is a guy that doesn't ever get to go to shows and lives in the farmland. He will never get exposed to punk or indie rock. The closest they get is seeing Blink 182 on MTV. It's better than listening to N'Sync.

PB: I have heard many rumors that Drive-Thru and Vagrant have had an ongoing feud since you were signed to Vagrant. Instead of believing the rumors I thought I'd ask you myself. What's the deal?
DB: I think it's a one-sided feud. It's not our side. Hahahaha I don't know they have said a lot of things in the public that they can say as much as they like to. I don't feel I have to say anything because I know the truth to the matter. The things that they are saying are way funnier than the truth so..... I'm going to let them keep saying it. 

PB: If you could put yourself in someone elses shoes for a day, who would it be and why would you choose them?
DB: That's a good question! If the past twenty years weren't so whacked out for him I think Brian Wilson. I think if I was put in his head right now though that I don't think I would understand what is going on. That's the closest that I could think of. That guy thinks in a way that I could never think. That guy can hear eight part harmonies and pick out notes from each part. You know he mixes all his records in mono?

PB: How proud are your parents of your success? Do they enjoy your music and ever come to shows?
DB: Yea..... my mom is way, way into it and so is my brother. They are way, way down with it and have always been way supportive.

PB: How did you get together with other members of Dashboard and what bands did they come from?
DB: The bass played I was in the Vacant Andy's with. One of my best friends! The drummer I was in The Agency with and is one of my close friends too. The pianist I was put together with through some of the Hot Rod guys.

PB: Is the line-up of Dashboard complete or do you have any ideas of others who you'd like to join the band?
DB: It's kind of an anything goes kinda thing.

PB: Mike from Alkaline maybe?
DB: One day...... we'll see.

PB: If you could ask any band past or present who and what would you ask?
DB: I think it would be Elvis Costello! I think I would ask him how he still finds inspiration. Also, if he ever gets backlash for changing things so many times becuase I wanna do that as well. Lastly, I think I would ask if I could sit in with him.

PB: Lastly, what can we expect from Dashboard in the coming months besides playing the Vagrant tour. Would you like to give any shout-outs to people you haven't seen in a while?
DB: I'm going to be out on a solo-headlining tour in the fall. I would encourage everyone to listen to the Legends of Rodeo and The Movielife.