Dashboard Confessional's happy 'Ending'

Chris Carrabba (in the hat) and his Dashboard Confessional bandmates (Credit: James Minchin)

Dashboard Confessional might have some of the most heartfelt and memorable acoustic rock ballads of the past 10 years—“Screaming Infidelities,” “Vindicated” and “Stolen,” just to name a few—but somehow, amidst drool-worthy milestones like opening up for U2 and headlining their own MTV “Unplugged” special, frontman Chris Carrabba has remained somewhat of an enigma outside of his stage persona.

How is that possible? Well, he doesn’t date D-list starlets on fledgling CW Network remakes. (Probably because he’s off the market. Sorry, ladies.) He avoids eating at restaurants where TMZ photogs perch outside. (His homebase of Boca Raton, Fla., is hardly the mecca of paparazzi activity.) He also doesn’t have his own clothing company, energy drink or restaurant chain. (No, Carrabba’s Italian Grill isn’t his.)

All Carrabba does is release one great album after another, including Dashboard’s latest, “Alter the Ending.” Lately, he’s also been modeling for Banana Republic’s spring fashion campaign and tweeting about his travels and insomnia. Just prior to the release of "Alter the Ending," we caught up with the Confessional crooner to talk shop.

You’ve been consistently leaking songs to fans all year, starting with “Even Now” on Valentine’s Day, then “Finishing School” on the soundtrack to “Jennifer’s Body” and, most recently, a full album preview stream of “Alter the Ending” on your MySpace page.
It’s an interesting time for records coming out. I don’t know if there’s the same anticipation for new records. We didn’t intend to spend this time on the record and we didn’t intend for the record to be a little delayed—and I say that without a negative slant. So we gave out these songs because they were there and we wanted to share them.

Seeing that you’ve been so open in sharing new music with your fans and it seems to be building a great buzz, do you look back and wonder what would’ve happened if you had taken this approach with your last couple records?
When “A Mark, a Mission” came out, there was titillation; there was less access than there is now, so I can’t really speak on that one. But I can speak on “Dusk and Summer.” That record was a problematic record to make in the first place. I wouldn’t have felt comfortable [sharing a little at a time], but that’s because I was confused by making that record. If I ever had a trial making a record, it was that one—and it sounds that way. It’s almost like we worked on it so much and there were so many opinions involved that we rounded out all the edges. There was nothing to grab on to anymore. Making this record was also a long process and there were a lot of things going on, but what wasn’t going on was too many opinions—the things that plagued the making of “Dusk and Summer.”

Speaking of sharing, you love your Twitter, don’t you?
I have a lot of time living in my own head. Now I have an outlet for it besides reading a book or listening to my headphones. I can do it while reading a book and listening to my headphones.

But you’re really funny!
I’m a funny guy! [Laughs] Things people don’t know.

That’s true. Little-known fact: Chris Carrabba is a cut-up, in addition to being a pin-up.
Well, I admit to being very, very good-looking. I am more than just a face—and pecs.

Is that what you told Banana Republic when they gave you a modeling contract?
I had to draw the line with Banana Republic. There was a lot more skin that they wanted to show and they thought I was so pretty, they wanted me to do their women’s campaign, too, but I said no.

Well, it’s not like you haven’t shown skin before. There’s that trademark shirtless shot of you with one arm draped behind your head.
That was one shot! [Laughs] You feel like you saw it so much because it was on the goddamn cover of Spin!

I don’t know…I feel like you’re always showing off your guns.
But I don’t have any guns.

Pistols?
I have the appropriate physique of a guitar player.

Totally. You’d look totally disproportionate if you had huge arms on your delicate frame.
I’d look like I play in a modern-rock band.

Like Three Doors Down?
Hey, they sell a lot more records than me. Maybe I should start pumping iron. Don’t they have a song in that Geico commercial with the cavemen? I find myself singing that song all the time.

Really? I can’t get those FreeCreditReport.com jingles out of my head.
Oh! I was singing that today. Here’s my take on that band: First of all, do they write their own songs? Is it really them singing? These are things I’m dying to know. And how come the guy singing looks exactly like John Lefler, my guitar player?

Spooky.
That’s what I’m wondering—and how do I get a piece of that action?

Have you asked John?
Lefler? No. We have boundaries. After about a decade now, we’re just getting to know each other.