Dean Fisher Talks Fatherhood, Music, and TINKERTOWN’s ‘American Gothic’

Dean Fisher is somewhat of an unsung musical hero in the Boston area, a multi-instrumentalist whose knack for songwriting has boosted quite a number of well-known artists. Among them: Juliana Hatfield Three, Dylan in The Movies, and Tanya Donelly (his wife in real life).

He’s got his hands in so many things, in fact, that his latest project, TINKERTOWN, with vocalist Gabriella Lawrence, was born out of another one (their dark-wave pop band Ghosts and Shadows). Perhaps that’s why TINKERTOWN’s debut album, American Gothic (American Laundromat Records) is untethered to any specific musical genre. The connective tissue, in this case, is the song’s poignant, sometimes slow-burning, lyrics. Like Grant Wood’s famous “American Gothic” painting, TINKERTOWN’s debut record suggests both a deep appreciation for — and a satire of — middle age.

There’s both a punchiness and a sadness to the album’s first single “Red Eyes,” with its bouncy, nostalgic rock shuffle and Lawrence’s dramatic vocals. Two listens in and it’s clear this tune is centered on the emotional turmoil of love and loss, even with its buoyant textured guitars. The title track is a bit more melancholy, a stark contrast to the folksy ballad “Poor Little Head Full of Crazy,” the thunderous rock anthem “Honey, You’re Killing Me,” or the ’70s-inspired “Wallet Chain.”

In addition to co-writing, producing, and mixing TINKERTOWN’s album, Fisher plays drums; he and Lawrence are accompanied by keyboardist and accordionist Elizabeth Steen, bass player Joe McMahon, and guitarist Russell Chudnofsky.

We recently caught up with Fisher to talk about the record, his upcoming reunion tour with Juliana Hatfield Three this fall, and home life with Donelly and their two adult daughters.

Rockmommy: Hi Dean, I’ve interviewed Tanya Donelly a few times, but we’ve never met! Can you tell us about your new record that just came out on 6/21? What inspired it, and how is it different than (or similar to) your other musical projects? 

Dean Fisher: American Gothic has been years in the making. Vocalist Gabriella Lawrence and I began writing songs together and I loved how open we both were about letting them go in whatever direction seemed like the right path, not strictly adhering to any one genre.

A big part of this process was knowing that I had the musicians that could easily adapt to the variation in the material and play it with heart and soul. This is not far off from how it has been to write and work with Tanya over the years, especially on her Swan Song Series, which I consider to be a master class in songwriting.

Rockmommy: Where did the concept for TINKERTOWN come from? 

Dean Fisher: We did all of the recording under a different working title for a name. Like most band names it had been taken many times over. Once we had settled on TINKERTOWN as the moniker (it is the name of the neighborhood I grew up in), it really help crystallize the direction of the project for me. It makes me think of a place to do work, as well as feeling a connection to the past, both my own and the history of the place I am from.  

Rockmommy: Which artists are inspiring you lately? 

Dean Fisher:I get inspired in small and big ways by all kinds of music all the time, from pop music to show tunes (courtesy of my daughters), as well as the artists I grew up loving. Specifically, I just wrote something, the base of which was inspired by John Cage’s Three Dances. I really like Phoebe Bridgers as an artist, too.

Rockmommy: What’s it like touring and playing shows now, versus maybe 20 years ago? 

Dean Fisher: It’s harder, but it is always great to go out and see that people are still showing up for live music. It makes it very worth it. The Juliana Hatfield Three will be opening up for Soul Asylum this fall, with a bunch of our own shows booked as well. I am definitely looking forward to touring with Juliana and Todd again.

Rockmommy: By now, you’re probably used to living with another musician — do you and [wife] Tanya Donelly collaborate more often now that your kids are older?

Dean Fisher: Tanya and I have written a lot of songs together over the years. Right now we are focused on other projects, though. She is working hard on new Belly songs and I have been doing this project. We pay attention to each other’s processes, and I value her input and opinion very much. We definitely have more songs to write together.

Rockmommy: What’s the best thing about being a rock n’ roll dad? 

Dean Fisher: When our oldest daughter (now 25) was young we brought her with us on a couple of tours along with a nanny (usually one of our moms!). We had to figure out how to find the balance between doing our own work and making sure that she was being taken care of, including spending quality time with us.  

That’s it basically, supporting our daughters on their journeys as we never stop working to make music that means a lot to us. Neither one of them went into rock and roll, though, they both are passionately involved in the theater.

Marisa Torrieri Bloom is the editor and founder of Rockmommy.