Tim Dunn was on the West Coast this week doing some promotion for the Jazz All-Stars when Billboard caught up with him to ask him about his love life, his music, and his future. (All of Dunn's responses are in italics)
So last time we talked to you was after the release of Roots. You were in a bad place then with the alcohol poisoning and poor critical reception of the album. How have you changed and gotten past that?
Well I had to take some time to really think about what I was valuing. I hadn't really experienced failure in my career to that point. I am not saying I was flawless or everything I touched turned to gold, but for the most part I was successful in all my endeavors. Roots was probably a good thing for me to experience actually.
What do you mean by that?
Well I tasted failure and it did not taste good. I got a few things out of that experience. I learned that I never want to fail again, so now I have an even stronger drive to make sure that everything I do is the best it can be. I also became less focused on the critics. Their job is to criticize music and my job is to make music. We can't always be on great terms. Having someone in that position, nationally or internationally read writers, talking about how great you are is nice. What I learned after Roots is that it is more important for me to be happy with the music than the critics. At the end of the day I was, and still am, proud of what I released. If I released something that I could not honestly say I was proud of then I will have come to a point where I should question whether or not I am finished as a musician.
With that experience in your mind how will it affect the next Axiom album?
Mike and I just decided that we are going to put out the record we want to put out there. We are doing a double album and we are just going to fill it with the songs we like best. There is going to be a lot more songs that were individually written this time around. We both decided we wanted to really put Tim and Mike out there for the world, not just Axiom. I think we are both really talented songwriters and there is only so much of our individual styles and personalities that can shine through when each song is being examined, tweaked, and changed by someone else. I do value Mike's input on music, and Axiom works well because we have the other guy to say, "well you know I don't think that works as well as this." It is just like when you are writing something, it is always easier for someone else to look at your work and see where things need to be changed or edited.
What can we expect from the next Axiom album in terms of sound and style compared to the earlier work?
It is going to be different. We are in a different place musically compared to where we were for [Welcome to the] Wasteland and [Tales of a] Wasteland Hero. Mike has really started getting back into classical piano work. He has listened to a lot of stuff, specifically a lot of Chopin, and is kind of in that mindset. I have been moving more towards experiments with sound. I really want to get to the basic building blocks of music and explore that. I'm not saying its going to be an avant-garde record or classical, but it won't be the more straightforward pop/rock angle we have taken in the past.
Collaborations are the "in" thing in the music world right now. Any plans for guests on the next Axiom album?
I don't really see any major collaborations. I won't rule them out, but any collaboration, especially on the scale of a half or even full album, is not going to happen. We have the Jazz All-Stars for our collaborative effort. Axiom is still our little place to really put out our thoughts, our feelings, and our music. I don't want to knock anyone else for collaborations, they are fun and they can really create some great things when you bring together immensely talented people. For us though, we still have so much more we want to do as Axiom before we bring in other people.
Speaking of the Jazz All-Stars, where did that idea come from?
Well I have always been into jazz. As far back as the beginning when I was with The Electric Experiment our sound was defined by a fusion of jazz influenced rhythms, syncopation, structures with elements of metal. Groove Machine drew a lot of inspiration from fusion and electric jazz. Even Axiom has some songs where there is an apparent jazz influence. Some of the songs that were recorded with the [Jazz] All-Stars had been sitting in a file cabinet at my house for the last four or five years. It just happened to be at this point in my career when I felt like I had both the time and the influence to put this project together. I really liked the idea of using major players from the popular music scene to create a jazz record that could act as a gateway record.
A gateway to get people listening to jazz?
Exactly. A lot of people don't listen to jazz. They haven't heard In a Silent Way by Miles Davis or A Love Supreme by John Coltrane. I don't think it is because they don't like it, but because it just isn't out there anymore. Some fans are going to buy Under A Blue Moon because they really like Mind and Harry Thornton is on the record. The same goes for fans of all the other artists. If just one of those people buy the album and then look at the liner notes and see the list of people and songs that influenced the album and then checks them out, well I will feel like I did a good thing.
You have been constantly working on something since you entered the industry. Whether running a record label, touring, recording, or songwriting, you have not slowed down.
Shameless plug, but don't forget the Delta Tau Battle of the Bands. Remember everyone with a vote needs to vote Axiom
Yes, and the DTBotB. How do you have time for a personal life and dating?
It is really hard. I am not the kind of rock star who is into groupies. I mean you always hear people talking about how guys love to "put a notch in their belt." Well with these girls I think they want to put the notch in their belt. I have seen some girls and heard stories where they just try to get with every famous person or rock star they can. To me I see two reasons for that; first you have the fame by proximity thing. Look how famous these women are now that they have been revealed as Tiger Woods's mistresses. Second, and this is even more cynical, its about the payday. You have a kid you can prove is a rich rock stars and you better believe you are going to get some money, either a huge settlement to keep quiet or some child support. I want a meaningful relationship. I really do have this picture in my head that someday I will be able to settle down with the little house on the hill with the white picket fence and all that. There have been a few women I have met either at awards shows or at the Dirty Bastard and I just don't have the cool confidence you expect a rock star to have.
What about the rumors that have been swirling concerning a budding romance between you and Briana Risk?
There is no truth to that. She is a beautiful woman, gorgeous actually, but I wouldn't say going to dinner once is a budding romance. I mean she is new to the industry and I am an experienced songwriter, artist, and former label exec. I just wanted to be nice and give her some help and advice about making it in this world. I really just want to try and help her succeed, especially because of how vicious the pop world can be with women. There are so many rivalries and fights going on that it can be overwhelming, kind of like being the new girl at school.
Well thanks for giving us the chance to talk to you. Good luck in the Battle of the Bands and with the new album.
