Their MTV unplugged CD went platinum, they've had two CDs hit No. 2 on the Billboard charts, and this Sunday, Dashboard Confessional will be playing live in the Jenny Craig Pavilion for the Alcala Music Festival. The band consists of four members: Chris Carrabba (vocals and guitar), John Lefler (guitar), Scott Schoenbeck (bass) and Mike Marsh (drums). The Vista had a phone interview with Lefler to find out about their new album, the upcoming concert and what he knows about Toreros.
The Vista: So where are you now? John Lefler: I am currently in Boca Raton, Florida. We're recording. We're finishing our new record down in Miami area. It might be the last recording day, we'll see. We've been working on it last year and this year...we have plenty of material now. We enjoy being in the studio, but we also enjoy releasing [CDs] to the public.
V: Has anything really funny happened in the studio? JL: I don't know when it's not fun. I like to keep it pretty loose. Everyone has their favorite YouTube clips. That's kinda our end of the day reward. There's so much silliness in the whole day that some might find it hard to get things done. But we try to keep it loose, and I think we do that.
V: How will this CD differ from past ones like "The Shade of Poison Trees" and "Dusk and Summer"? JL: We're gonna evolve in certain ways, I hope it will be better. We're at a different place. We've played together since early '02. Hopefully this leads to better, more cohesive music, and hopefully that's the case with this one. I don't think there's any huge stylistic difference. It's a great step forward for us, and we're excited for everyone to hear it.
V: When can we expect the new CD to be released? JL: It's hard to say. If we finished it today, it might still be five months. I'm looking forward to late summer. That's optimistic I think because there's a lot of steps in between now and then.
V: Do you have an album title? JL: I think Chris has some ideas. We haven't discussed it. It's top secret. There's a number of songs that are good contenders, so it depends on which songs we decide and how the title fits into there.
V: Will you be playing any new songs during the concert at USD? JL: It's possible. Sometimes we try to keep a lid on it. A lot of these we've just played in the studio for a few times. We want to do a full rehearsal and present it that way. There might be one song we might sneak out. Come to the show is all I can say. Find out.
V: What's your favorite song to play? JL: I think we all have our favorites. I always like doing a song called "For You To Notice." We all enjoy playing "Remember to Breathe" cause there's a lot of improv. Who knows? One night it might be "Vindicated." There's a song called "Carve Your Heart Out Yourself" that I really like. We don't do it live much though. There's only so much room in the set time.
V: I know you played in San Diego last fall during the Rock Band Live Tour. How many times have you performed here? JL: San Diego? I remember playing there at Canes in 2002. We actually rehearsed for the Rock Band Tour in San Diego. We stayed in the Gaslamp. I love that area. I took a vacation there a month or two ago. We play there at least a couple times a year.
V: Our mascot is a Torero. Most people don't know what that is. Any guesses? JL: I am one of those people. A Torero? Let me think. It sounds like a Mexican dog.
V: It's a bullfighter. JL: I guess Torero rolls off the tongue better. Sounds dangerous. Maybe if all things go well at the show, we can call the album "Torero." We'll have to see how that goes.
V: It's been 10 years since Dashboard Confessional was formed. Any celebration plans? JL: Is this the anniversary? Wow, I guess your right. We can celebrate in San Diego. You'll have to remind us though (laughing). What's the proper gift for guys? I need to know what to get them.
V: What do you want USD to know before you perform? JL: If you've seen us before, come again. If you haven't, come check us out. It's our anniversary show. It's bound to be a splendid time for all. After several colleges, we'll be warmed up and ready to play. So we'll be on our A game. I like to let the music do the talking. We're all looking forward to being there.
Dashboard Confessional plays during the Alcala Music Festival this Sunday, April 26 at 5 p.m. Recommended song downloads: "Hands Down" and "Stolen."
