Over the last decade-and-a-half, Senses Fail and Dashboard Confessional have seen plenty of success with very different audiences. From their debut albums, Let It Enfold You and The Swiss Army Romance, they've captivated audiences with a combination of powerful vocals and original melodies. Their fiercely loyal fanbases serve as proof that authenticity, hard work and humility is still a recipe for success.

Myspace sat down with Buddy Nielsen of Senses Fail and Chris Carrabba of Dashboard Confessional to reflect on the the past and talk about guilty pleasures at this year’s Taste of Chaos music festival.

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Given that this Taste of Chaos lineup would've been just as big a decade ago, how have you changed as both an individual and as a musician over the the past ten years?

Buddy Nielsen: I've changed a lot, just like everyone has. You hope you change musically as well, which I think I have. I've gotten better at the execution of making music and when you do something long enough you develop a level of competency. I’ve changed immensely. I don’t even know where to begin.

Chris Carrabba: As an individual, I think I've grown like all of us do. You just don't notice. You just keep living your life, and when life hands you new experiences you learn how to handle them better. I think that’s the trick of adulting. By accident, you learn how to handle stuff better. Walking away and taking time off from Dashboard and then coming back to it — I didn't think that I could appreciate it more than I do, but the feeling of gratitude I have to be doing this and for people who care about it is astounding.

As a musician, I think I’ve grown because I’m constantly running scales and trying to decode this guitar — this mysterious thing — and trying to let songs happen without resistance. I do all of this constant homework, so that when a song comes into my head I can let it happen. I’m prepared. When I was younger, I’d get really frustrated and there have been some great songs that I’ve lost along the way, so over the years I’ve discovered that finishing is the hardest part of any project. So, good bad or indifferent. I finish every song I’m writing, so when I write a great one, I’m well-practiced in how to finish. That’s probably the most evident growth that I can pinpoint.

With everything that you’ve experienced in your career, what advice would you go back and give yourself when you were just starting out?

BN: Don’t be an asshole, and don’t take yourself too seriously. It’s going to be okay.

CC: Do everything the same.

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Which artist(s) have you been most excited to watch grow and progress alongside you over the past decade?

BN: I say Anthony Green from Saosin. We toured with Saosin when Anthony was the singer, and we toured a lot with Saosin when Anthony wasn’t the singer. It’s just a band that we kind of grew up with, and it's super cool to see Anthony and the Saosin guys starting families and doing well. That's a band that we came up with. Taking Back Sunday and Dashboard Confessional were a couple of years ahead of us, but Saosin was around at the same time as us, so we did a lot of touring together.

CC: Taste of Chaos was originally The Early November, Saosin, Taking Back Sunday, Dashboard, and a few others. We've all known each other since we were teenagers. When I started touring, my mom had to sign a conservatorship over to the oldest guy in the band so that we could cross state lines. That's how long we've been doing this. I think I met Adam [Lazzara] when I was 16 or 17. On a lot of tours, there are moments when you’re like “I need to get out of here.” Not with this one. It’s instead “How can we be together more?” I’ve had some great tours through the years that I still savor — all of the times we took Brand New out, going out with New Found Glory, River City High, and Midtown when we were just kids and knuckle-heading around. Now we’re adults, and we’re just drawn to being with each other. This tour has been extraordinary for that. Today’s the last day, and I hate it!

What’s your favorite guilty pleasure?

BN: Country music.

CC: I know it’s not cool for band guys because we’re supposed to be artsy, but I’m pretty obsessed with sports. I skateboard, and I do the kind of sports that you’re supposed to do if you sing, but I’m a crazy bananas basketball fan, a huge football fan, and hockey too. Basically, if it’s competitive, then I love it. Don’t judge me for liking sports.