Hell yeah, you did the Dokken video! I totally agree that the two ballads from Under Lock and Key should have been hits, and I personally think that most of the songs on that album could have been hits. I hope you had an amazing Christmas, and have a fun New Year's!
Damn, I missed this comment! Shit, apparently a lot of people were waiting on a Dokken video because, holy shit, this thing is performing better than most of the stuff I put out, and that's awesome. Hey, Brother, hope you had a great Christmas and New Years as well, seriously. I appreciate your support so much...
Great video, guys! I agree on everything you said about Dokken. For me Dokken will always hold a special place in my heart. They're not my favorite band, but they kind of changed my life. I remember hearing The Hunter and just saying to myself "That's what I wanna do" And like 5-6 years later I play guitar, bass and sit for hours trying to be an Audio engineer. (Nobody told me how hard forming and keeping a band together is, lol) Oh well, still can't help but shed a tear when I hear the solo from The Hunter, I think it's one of the best from that era, hell even of all time. That's maybe another discussion. Sorry for my little essay here, just saying what's on my mind at 3am 😅 Peace ✌
Shit, no apologies needed, Brother, this is a great comment. And thanks for sharing what made the band special to you... I love hearing that stuff. Seriously.
Great video. You all are right about the Up From the Ashes album. That was a great album. Lots of good songs. There is also a good song on there titled 'Forever'. I saw the video to the song 'Mirror, Mirror' on MTV and I had to get this album.
Dokken in my opinion is one of the greatest from the 80's. Their first five albums are incredible to me. They should have been way bigger than they were. Their most recent album Heaven Comes Down is really good in my opinion. Tooth And Nail to me is a flawless album.
One of MY Favorite Bands of all time. "Under Lock & Key" is probably my favorite album. Love your content. \m/ - _ - Hope you & Charlie had a nice Christmas, best wishes & happy holidays.🎄🎅
Shit, sorry I am just now responding. Charlie and I had a great Christmas--I gave her a shit ton of treats over the break haha. And I am completely with you on Under Lock & Key, my favorite Dokken album. Hey, Brother, thank you so much for supporting the channel... I appreciate it more than you know, seriously...
Good episode! Dokken doesn't get the love they deserve. George Lynch was one of my guitar heroes when I was a young man. He still can play the hell out of his guitar...lol
George won an award for the solo on In My Dreams, but to me, his best solo he ever wrote was on Cry of the Gypsy. That's why, for me, I would choose BFTA as my favorite Dokken release. Best non George era release? Tie. Erase the Slate and Lightning Strikes Again. I can't change the world is a killer groove track that Reb Beach absolutely nailed. Levin's tone on LSA is the purest copy of the Lynch sound outside of Lynch himself.
George Lynch is an absolute living guitar Legend. 🤘🏻🇺🇸🎸🔥 BFTA - is my favorite. Literally some of the best tones and solos ever recorded. And that’s a fact.
I agree about Dysfunctional being pretty good, saw that tour in 1995 in a small club in Cincinnati called Annie's, only time I got to see the classic Dokken lineup in concert. Also, during the summer of 95 Too High To Fly was in regular rotation on our rock station, which as you said was amazing for the time. It was played alongside all the grunge and pop punk of the day.
Guru yes I couldn't believe it when you mentioned Fort Lewis! That is really close to where I live. I live in Seattle. At first I thought is he talking about the fort in Washington? Then you said close to Seattle. It's comforting that you were so close to where I live when you were in the military.
Great stuff. I caught Don Dokken's band open up for Poison January 1991, Winnipeg Canada and that Dokken band with Norum/Baltes/Dee/White I thought were better than the headliner that night. Up From The Ashes is one solid listen still after 34 years!
Another thing about some of the earlier days mick was also hired he was called by don first to come to Germany and record breaking the chains he talked don into having George, also after George went on to audition for ozzy Warren of ratt took George's place in dokken,after George got fired he showed up where dokken was playing and wanted back in the band he talked Warren into leaving
Tooth & Nail - Under Lock & Key - Back For The Attack - great albums. Saw them in 1987 opening for Aerosmith. Killer show, blew Aerosmith away IMO. Saw them in 1988 on MOR tour, amazing!Been a fan since 1986.
One of the best bands that could come up from the 80’s. There has always been something different in their songs. I can’t explain exactly what, but somehow from another world.
Dude...In my dreams...on MTV..George Lynch guitar solo ESP Kamikaze When he lifts up his guitar and one handed going crazy playing tapping licks without tapping was something else.MTV used to not have Jersey Shore way back when.That was a serious moment for me.Doesn't get any cooler and never has.Under Lock and Key is a masterpiece but Back for the Attack was the magnum opus.
Paris Is Burning, one of the signature Dokken songs on Breaking The Chains, was actually from George's earlier band Xciter. Mick Brown also was in Xciter. On Jeff singing, I'm surprised nobody mentioned "Heaven Sent". Both Jeff and Don sang lead on that one, Jeff singing one line followed by Don and trading back and forth.
@HairMetalGuru419 Their vocals are so similar that it's hard to tell. Jeff's is ever so slightly deeper and cleaner. Right off, first line "there seems no justice..." is Jeff followed by Don's "it gives you blindness...". If you've heard any of the Dokken demos with Jeff singing, it's remarkable how close to Don he sounds when singing clean. I remember when it came out thinking it was all Don. It wasn't until I read an interview with Don in Circus magazine that Jeff was singing leads on it as well. It was Don's qualms with George. Here Don was letting Jeff sing leads but George wouldn't let Don play guitar.
I agree walk away would ha😊ve been huge on a full length album,you are absolutely rite breaking the chains originally 1981 with Juan from ratt in the band
My favorites: 1. Up from the Ashes 2. Under Lock and Key 3. Back for the Attack 4. Tooth and Nail 5. Long Way Home, even though it is the least "Dokken sounding" Dokken album. 6. Dysfunctional (Japanese version because of the heavier mix and alternate version of some of the solos.) 7. Erase the Slate 8. Heaven Comes Down (Japanese version for the extra track, "Forevermore.") 9. Broken Bones 10. Hell to Pay
That 1981 European version of BTC is pretty badass. Much heavier mix. And yeah, Don was a hell of a guitarist himself, but not George level, but not many are lol
a couple thoughts. 1) back for the attack was a early favorite when i got into rock. i agree with ryan, that if they had put out one more record it would have been massive, and would have propelled them pretty high in the pantheon of hard rock bands. 2) dokken had a rough go on the monsters of rock tour. besides in-fighting, they followed metallica on the bill. metallica blew everyone off the stage during that tour, and made dokken look silly compared to the legends of van halen and scorpions. both george and don have said that seeing metallica's performances added stress to an already fracturing band. 3) maddest hatter is a killer song. that entire album was solid. 4) the 1995 dokken album cracks me up. too high to fly got airplay on kufo in portland oregon as well guru. i think that was the album that don was running his mouth about how he had written a song he felt was going to bring them back to the top of the charts, " the maze". i remember buying that cd on release day and skipping to that song. boring. 5) shadowlife was the worst album cmc released. cmc had a lot of bad one's, but shadowlife, amongst my friend's, was universally known at the time as the "worst album ever". 6) what has happened to don is sad. his voice has been gone for about 10 years now, and his back injury makes him an easy target for people to criticize their concerts. while people still go, and dokken makes money, it just doesn't seem right to keep it going anymore. fans always like a reunion, but they also had two years of concerts where george came and played three songs a show, and that didn't do all that much business either. i doubt that adding mick and jeff really changes things much.
Shit, man, so sorry I'm not getting to this comment until now. And you are absolutely right about the Monsters of Rock--following Metallica on that thing was a fuckin' tough spot for anyone to be in--they were at the height of their performing powers, and I agree, it probably added stress to an already stressful situation. Shadowlife... just unbelievable that thing even got released. Holy fuck. And, as far as Don't voice, I was going to make that my #1--it's so bad now... holy shit, and I do feel bad. But, damn, at some point you need to bow out because it's hurting your legacy, doncha think? But, I also understand that people need to make money and live, but it's getting terrible out there. Hey, thanks, Brother, for your support. It means more than I can tell you....
LIGHTNING STRIKES AGAIN THAT ALBUM IS SO GREAT 👍, IN My opinion that album from the beginning to the end is such a FANTASTIC ALBUM I CAN LISTEN TO IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH AND NOT SKIP ANY OF THE SONGS I LIKE IT THAT MUCH AND I BELIEVE LIKE YOU SAID ,I FEEL IT STACKS UP WITH THE FIRST 4 ALBUMS SO ANYONE THATS A FAN OF DOKKEN REALLY NEEDS TO GIVE IT A CHANCE I THINK THEY WILL BE GLAD THEY DID ,SO RYAN GIVE IT A CHANCE, HELL TO PAYAND BROKEN BONES ARE GOOD ALBUMS AS WELL
Up From The Ashes I think should’ve been the record to put Don over the top. That album is a masterpiece full of great music, killer vocals, and impressive guitar work!
Cool cassette single ,here's what I know about dokken,best band off the era ,wish they would have stuck it out longer and not split ,I agree both albums are great up from the ashes and wicked sensation, they do have a song cry again,which you can find it on utube,they played it as a new track from beast from the east ,2008 lightning strikes again excellent, great call I love all their albums in the 2000s
OK next sleepless nights you are absolutely 💯 PERCENT about that 🎸 guitar riff and drums it's amazing love everything about that song ,shadowless that definitely not their best but their are some good songs, that album was compliments of George and jeff,mainly George, don had the record producer of Metallica wanted to do their next album,George and Jeff got the producer of candlebox and so that's the one who did it and he told don he hated his voice
A reminder that I should try and complete my Dokken collection, minus that 1997 abomination that I flatly refuse to pay money for. I think I have about half of their output on CD.
Both 1990 cd's---- George's and Don's were incredible. These two are just so different on most everything and how they go about it. Thus, the split in 88. What I don't like, and George is my friend, is that his financial well-being is because of Dokken/Touring/Publishing so he can do what he is doing now. They are both coming to the end of their careers within 2026-2030. What's sad is Gene Simmons is correct that the structure is gone and the media has much to do with it as the internet. Great stuff here guys -- I saw Dokken in 1985 at the age of 14 when I snuck out with my friends. ha
I hear you... but I don't REALLY consider "Heaven Sent" to be a ballad. Is it slower? Sure. But you get to the chorus and it's riffy and chugging. I try to imagine people slow dancing to this in 1987 and I just don't see it. But I hear your point.
Another fact George was supposed to be on the guitar hero game ,the one with slash but all the legal issues with don at that point completely owning the name is what prevented George from being on it ,it had to do with money and ownership of the name
I'm in the minority but I like Shadowlife. There are some pretty ballads on there (Bitter Regret, Hard to Believe, and Convenience Store Messiah). Other bands were experimenting around the same time. I really like Extreme's Waiting For the Punchline album also.
I wanna sit down and listen to Shadowlife all the way through sometime soon. I remember buying it and listening to it and thinking "What the fuck" and putting it away forever. I'm actually intrigued now.
@@HairMetalGuru419 Bitter Regret was written about Robbin Crosby from what I heard. There's a nice live performance of it on youtube with Don and Jeff only. I think they were on a Japanese tv show or something. I think you might like at least a couple of the ballads such as Bitter Regret which to me is in the same type of sound style as "Nothing Left to Say" off Dysfunctional. It's acoustic. I kind of chuckled the first time hearing "Convenience Store Messiah" since it's a bit odd, but when I stopped and paid attention to the lyrics I grew to like the song a lot. It's about a clerk that helps homeless people. Jeff sings lead vocals on "Here I Stand" which is one of the faster songs on side 2. If you don't like alternative or grunge music, overall you probably still won't warm up to Shadowlife completely, but you might find that you like certain tracks. I listen to quite a variety of music in general. Mostly rock music, but also when in the mood I'll listen to classical (especially piano), film scores and soundtracks too. I like some old country such as Kenny Rogers and Johnny Cash, but not the new pop-country stuff which is overplayed. Regarding Rock music, I like most styles but can't stand cookie monster growling vocals so I skip those bands. I believe the 1970s had the absolute best soft rock songs ever.
Great discussion. I think that Under Lock and Key has the most filler out of their 80s albums. Slipping Away, Will the Sun Rise, Jaded Heart and Don’t Lie to Me are all weak and didn’t fit with the other strong tracks. But of course if one likes them, enjoy.
I think the reason the band fell apart is if you look at interviews with the guys they are always trashing don for his vocals while if you look at don in interviews he generally is complimenting them and being nice so I think Jeff, mick and George were the problem
I love the 80's Dokken - the rest not so much. Saw them a couple dozen times, always a warmup band which puzzled me. All that said, George Lynch body of work blows away the Dokken legacy. George is still bringing the goods at age 70.
Dokken should have been much bigger. I really feel like they just weren't marketed right. Slipping Away should have been their big power ballad off Under Lock And Key . Walk Away should have been the big power ballad released with Back For The Attack. Those ballads really launched a lot of bands into superstardom back in the day. The record company really screwed up with Dokken, in my opinion.
Up From the Ashes is better than any actual Dokken album that came after it. Though Lightning Strikes Again is quite good. Fun fact about Shadowlife. It actually went gold. Most Dokken albums didn’t, but SL went gold.
Ashes was great... agree. I don't think SL went gold? I mean, Dysfunctional from '95 didn't go gold, and I can't find anything on Shadowlife going gold. Fuck, I could be wrong.
@@Hwy13La When I was a little kid, Large Marge from Pee Wee's Big Adventure, scared the crap out of me. Even today, I probably couldn't watch that scene. 🤣
Dokken one of my favorite bands, sad they imploded. Now Don seems to be doing his revisionist history interview circuit. Thought Dokken was the most talented band from LA. Don probably the third best vocalist in the band
I saw 51 bands live this year. "Dokken" was by far the most disappointing. The year included strong performances by venerable performances like Alice Cooper and Blackie Lawless and others. But while Don's backing band was good, Don not only could not sing by any stretch of the imagination, he could barely walk or talk.
It's so tough to watch. I almost made Don't vocal issues my #1, but decided to let it go... for now. But it's just bad, and it's hurting their legacy imo.
Unfortunately Dokken should have struck again after the iron was hot with a song in a major movie,ECT. It's a shame. Instead quite possibly I think after that success egos got in the way?
No over 30 gets that ripped w/o the juice. A 21 y/o d1 middle linebacker might get ripped like that but cmon… a guitar player in their 40’s cmon lol what I want to know is how come the guys in strong men competitions, you know the guys who used to lift the boulders on espn 2, always looked like the most old school overweight plumber and not a bodybuilder? I’m not a gym guy or athlete but I always wondered about that.
Yeah, what the fuck is up with that, I've always wondered the same thing. Maybe the roids ruin people's flexibility and stuff and they can't lift as much? But, yeah, in those strong man competitions the dudes are never cut/shredded.
Tooth and Nail is one of the best rock albums EVER. I think Under Lock and Key is a complete disappointment after T&N, and being a guitarist myself I promise you George's tone on the album is too tinny, no bottom end. Don didn't really belong in a "hair metal" band, his age and musical style put him more in the "crossover era", 79-83 kind of like Loverboy, Sammy Hagar, Billy Squier. The other three would have been so much better off with a strong vocal, charasmatic, 80's style singer.
Up from the Ashes is a perfect album. To be perfectly honest it’s probably better for having Billy White and John Norum vice Lynch as controversial as that probably is. Looking objectively Wicked Sensation has a great title track and a whole album of filler.
Get the Japanese import of dysfunctional , way better production, myself I didn't like the mixing on the dysfunctional american production....the import i believe was just called Dokken
Watched for Dokken but instead hear jokes at my expense from a guy alone in his basement and another guy that spends 60% of every episode he’s on talking about how good the band members look…..
I didn’t listen to Dokken because of Don, I listened to Dokken because of George Lynch. His style and sound is what made the band. Don was just very dry and stoic and probably why the band never made it any bigger. I think Don was jealous over the fact that George had such a following when the band bore his name. It was competing egos. Too bad they couldn’t just get along.
Dokken without Lynch sounds like Dokken. Lynch plays nothing that sounds like Dokken except when he plays Dokken songs. He absolutely did not make the band. Dokken’s post Lynch albums attest to that.
@@TrooperSC Dokken is a cover band of Lynch's sounds (I love John Levin) Everything is mimicked and duplicated by what Lynch created as the Dokken sound. Lynch post Dokken GREW and EVOLVED as a player. He is unquestionably one of the top players in the world today. His playing in a mile wide AND a mile deep. He's way past 1987 Dokken.
Back For The Attack. My fave Dokken album and one of the very best albums of the era.
Amen, phenomenal album
@@utubenoobie01 that one and under lock and key one of my too favorites but I love them all
Now all that we need is the RATT video.🙏
Ratt!!!
We did a RATT roundtable a while back!!
But let me know what you're looking for and I'll try to make it happen...
@@HairMetalGuru419 A top 10 greatest songs by RATT would be great!!👍
Hell yeah, you did the Dokken video! I totally agree that the two ballads from Under Lock and Key should have been hits, and I personally think that most of the songs on that album could have been hits. I hope you had an amazing Christmas, and have a fun New Year's!
Damn, I missed this comment! Shit, apparently a lot of people were waiting on a Dokken video because, holy shit, this thing is performing better than most of the stuff I put out, and that's awesome. Hey, Brother, hope you had a great Christmas and New Years as well, seriously. I appreciate your support so much...
Great video, guys! I agree on everything you said about Dokken. For me Dokken will always hold a special place in my heart. They're not my favorite band, but they kind of changed my life. I remember hearing The Hunter and just saying to myself "That's what I wanna do" And like 5-6 years later I play guitar, bass and sit for hours trying to be an Audio engineer. (Nobody told me how hard forming and keeping a band together is, lol) Oh well, still can't help but shed a tear when I hear the solo from The Hunter, I think it's one of the best from that era, hell even of all time. That's maybe another discussion.
Sorry for my little essay here, just saying what's on my mind at 3am 😅
Peace ✌
Shit, no apologies needed, Brother, this is a great comment. And thanks for sharing what made the band special to you... I love hearing that stuff. Seriously.
@HairMetalGuru419 Thanks, Guru! Love the videos!
Great video. You all are right about the Up From the Ashes album. That was a great album. Lots of good songs. There is also a good song on there titled 'Forever'. I saw the video to the song 'Mirror, Mirror' on MTV and I had to get this album.
Hey, thank you for the kind words, I appreciate it! And Up From the Ashes deserved so much better...
Dokken in my opinion is one of the greatest from the 80's. Their first five albums are incredible to me. They should have been way bigger than they were. Their most recent album Heaven Comes Down is really good in my opinion. Tooth And Nail to me is a flawless album.
@@johnkatsoudas4767 yes totally one of the best. Have the whole collection except Shadowlife
They're A leaguers even loved Dysfunctional
I need to spend some more time with Heaven Comes Down.
One of MY Favorite Bands of all time. "Under Lock & Key" is probably my favorite album. Love your content. \m/ - _ - Hope you & Charlie had a nice Christmas, best wishes & happy holidays.🎄🎅
Shit, sorry I am just now responding. Charlie and I had a great Christmas--I gave her a shit ton of treats over the break haha. And I am completely with you on Under Lock & Key, my favorite Dokken album. Hey, Brother, thank you so much for supporting the channel... I appreciate it more than you know, seriously...
Good episode! Dokken doesn't get the love they deserve. George Lynch was one of my guitar heroes when I was a young man. He still can play the hell out of his guitar...lol
That dude is a fuckin' monster on guitar
George won an award for the solo on In My Dreams, but to me, his best solo he ever wrote was on Cry of the Gypsy. That's why, for me, I would choose BFTA as my favorite Dokken release. Best non George era release? Tie. Erase the Slate and Lightning Strikes Again. I can't change the world is a killer groove track that Reb Beach absolutely nailed. Levin's tone on LSA is the purest copy of the Lynch sound outside of Lynch himself.
that solo is a ripper as is the solo in Lost Behind the Wall!
Completely agree on the Levin/Lynch comparison.
I’ve been waiting for a Dokken discussion 👍
Edit : I actually had the time to listen to this one all the way through in one try. Woohoo!!!
I appreciate it, Brother!
George Lynch is an absolute living guitar Legend. 🤘🏻🇺🇸🎸🔥 BFTA - is my favorite. Literally some of the best tones and solos ever recorded. And that’s a fact.
You'll get no argument from me...
Loved 80s Dokken but sort of drifted away when Lynch left. Great show.
I appreciate it, Brother, seriously
I agree about Dysfunctional being pretty good, saw that tour in 1995 in a small club in Cincinnati called Annie's, only time I got to see the classic Dokken lineup in concert. Also, during the summer of 95 Too High To Fly was in regular rotation on our rock station, which as you said was amazing for the time. It was played alongside all the grunge and pop punk of the day.
1995 was such a strange fuckin' time in music. Crazy
Guru yes I couldn't believe it when you mentioned Fort Lewis! That is really close to where I live. I live in Seattle.
At first I thought is he talking about the fort in Washington? Then you said close to Seattle.
It's comforting that you were so close to where I live when you were in the military.
That's awesome, Brother! Very cool.
One of my all-time favorite 80s rock band
This is making me go back to visit my Dokken CD's
Love hearing that...
Great stuff. I caught Don Dokken's band open up for Poison January 1991, Winnipeg Canada and that Dokken band with Norum/Baltes/Dee/White I thought were better than the headliner that night. Up From The Ashes is one solid listen still after 34 years!
Shit, I wish I could've seen that tour! Damn, that's cool
Dokken is my all Time favorite from the 80,s and just recently got an awesome “Under Lock & Key” shirt!
Awesome, I love mine!
Yes! I have been waiting for this episode! :D
Apparently a lot of people were!!
Another thing about some of the earlier days mick was also hired he was called by don first to come to Germany and record breaking the chains he talked don into having George, also after George went on to audition for ozzy Warren of ratt took George's place in dokken,after George got fired he showed up where dokken was playing and wanted back in the band he talked Warren into leaving
Man, that band was chaos at the beginning... and throughout its history haha
Tooth & Nail - Under Lock & Key - Back For The Attack - great albums. Saw them in 1987 opening for Aerosmith. Killer show, blew Aerosmith away IMO. Saw them in 1988 on MOR tour, amazing!Been a fan since 1986.
Holy shit, I'd give anything to have seen those shows...
One of the best bands that could come up from the 80’s. There has always been something different in their songs. I can’t explain exactly what, but somehow from another world.
Amen
That show you seen with norum probably would have been around 2001 ,2002, he played guitars on long way home album
Dude...In my dreams...on MTV..George Lynch guitar solo ESP Kamikaze When he lifts up his guitar and one handed going crazy playing tapping licks without tapping was something else.MTV used to not have Jersey Shore way back when.That was a serious moment for me.Doesn't get any cooler and never has.Under Lock and Key is a masterpiece but Back for the Attack was the magnum opus.
I think most Dokken fans agree that BFTA is Dokken's best album. I won't argue, I love it myself...
Paris Is Burning, one of the signature Dokken songs on Breaking The Chains, was actually from George's earlier band Xciter. Mick Brown also was in Xciter.
On Jeff singing, I'm surprised nobody mentioned "Heaven Sent". Both Jeff and Don sang lead on that one, Jeff singing one line followed by Don and trading back and forth.
I hear Jeff singing along with Don at times--harmonizing--but I don't hear him singing lead on it? Maybe I'm fucked up...
@HairMetalGuru419 Their vocals are so similar that it's hard to tell. Jeff's is ever so slightly deeper and cleaner. Right off, first line "there seems no justice..." is Jeff followed by Don's "it gives you blindness...". If you've heard any of the Dokken demos with Jeff singing, it's remarkable how close to Don he sounds when singing clean.
I remember when it came out thinking it was all Don. It wasn't until I read an interview with Don in Circus magazine that Jeff was singing leads on it as well. It was Don's qualms with George. Here Don was letting Jeff sing leads but George wouldn't let Don play guitar.
I agree walk away would ha😊ve been huge on a full length album,you are absolutely rite breaking the chains originally 1981 with Juan from ratt in the band
My favorites:
1. Up from the Ashes
2. Under Lock and Key
3. Back for the Attack
4. Tooth and Nail
5. Long Way Home, even though it is the least "Dokken sounding" Dokken album.
6. Dysfunctional (Japanese version because of the heavier mix and alternate version of some of the solos.)
7. Erase the Slate
8. Heaven Comes Down (Japanese version for the extra track, "Forevermore.")
9. Broken Bones
10. Hell to Pay
That 1981 European version of BTC is pretty badass. Much heavier mix. And yeah, Don was a hell of a guitarist himself, but not George level, but not many are lol
Yeah, shit, George doesn't have a lot of competition
a couple thoughts.
1) back for the attack was a early favorite when i got into rock. i agree with ryan, that if they had put out one more record it would have been massive, and would have propelled them pretty high in the pantheon of hard rock bands.
2) dokken had a rough go on the monsters of rock tour. besides in-fighting, they followed metallica on the bill. metallica blew everyone off the stage during that tour, and made dokken look silly compared to the legends of van halen and scorpions. both george and don have said that seeing metallica's performances added stress to an already fracturing band.
3) maddest hatter is a killer song. that entire album was solid.
4) the 1995 dokken album cracks me up. too high to fly got airplay on kufo in portland oregon as well guru. i think that was the album that don was running his mouth about how he had written a song he felt was going to bring them back to the top of the charts, " the maze". i remember buying that cd on release day and skipping to that song. boring.
5) shadowlife was the worst album cmc released. cmc had a lot of bad one's, but shadowlife, amongst my friend's, was universally known at the time as the "worst album ever".
6) what has happened to don is sad. his voice has been gone for about 10 years now, and his back injury makes him an easy target for people to criticize their concerts. while people still go, and dokken makes money, it just doesn't seem right to keep it going anymore. fans always like a reunion, but they also had two years of concerts where george came and played three songs a show, and that didn't do all that much business either. i doubt that adding mick and jeff really changes things much.
Shit, man, so sorry I'm not getting to this comment until now. And you are absolutely right about the Monsters of Rock--following Metallica on that thing was a fuckin' tough spot for anyone to be in--they were at the height of their performing powers, and I agree, it probably added stress to an already stressful situation. Shadowlife... just unbelievable that thing even got released. Holy fuck. And, as far as Don't voice, I was going to make that my #1--it's so bad now... holy shit, and I do feel bad. But, damn, at some point you need to bow out because it's hurting your legacy, doncha think? But, I also understand that people need to make money and live, but it's getting terrible out there. Hey, thanks, Brother, for your support. It means more than I can tell you....
You definitely need to check out the Whitesnake albums with Doug Aldrich, Reb Beach and Joel Hoekstra. Epic albums!
It is about time you did some dokken
Sorry for the wait!
Love the new logo with the rifle!
Me, too! haha
The solo on Mirror Mirror from up from the ashes is one of the best ever and I’m a massive Lynch fan but that solo rivals any Dokken solo.
YES!!! Just Walk Away was for cling amazing!!!!
Yeah, John Norum is a Mofo on guitar
LIGHTNING STRIKES AGAIN THAT ALBUM IS SO GREAT 👍, IN My opinion that album from the beginning to the end is such a FANTASTIC ALBUM I CAN LISTEN TO IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH AND NOT SKIP ANY OF THE SONGS I LIKE IT THAT MUCH AND I BELIEVE LIKE YOU SAID ,I FEEL IT STACKS UP WITH THE FIRST 4 ALBUMS SO ANYONE THATS A FAN OF DOKKEN REALLY NEEDS TO GIVE IT A CHANCE I THINK THEY WILL BE GLAD THEY DID ,SO RYAN GIVE IT A CHANCE, HELL TO PAYAND BROKEN BONES ARE GOOD ALBUMS AS WELL
Up From The Ashes I think should’ve been the record to put Don over the top. That album is a masterpiece full of great music, killer vocals, and impressive guitar work!
Nice username! Haha. I agree, and I think it would've had a better fate if it had been named DOKKEN rather than Don Dokken.
IMHO the best band to come out of the 80's.
And underrated imo
My favorite band, lost behind the wall is my favorite track by them
GREAT song.
They may have had shut videos but who else did a guitar solo on an active volcano?
Valid point
Lets go boys!!
I didn't get into Dokken til 2012!! lol 😂 I was a little late to the party.
Better late than never!!
Cool cassette single ,here's what I know about dokken,best band off the era ,wish they would have stuck it out longer and not split ,I agree both albums are great up from the ashes and wicked sensation, they do have a song cry again,which you can find it on utube,they played it as a new track from beast from the east ,2008 lightning strikes again excellent, great call I love all their albums in the 2000s
Great info, thanks Brother
OK next sleepless nights you are absolutely 💯 PERCENT about that 🎸 guitar riff and drums it's amazing love everything about that song ,shadowless that definitely not their best but their are some good songs, that album was compliments of George and jeff,mainly George, don had the record producer of Metallica wanted to do their next album,George and Jeff got the producer of candlebox and so that's the one who did it and he told don he hated his voice
A much under estimated super group of monster players. George has earned his position on the Mt. Rushmore of shredders from the era. Period!
No disagreement here.
Yes! Razor love! Razorforce Assemble!!!
The Razor video came out a few days ago! Fuckin' love that guy
Ryan is correct. Dokken needed that 1990 release. Beast from The East is awesome, but it's basically a best of album.
Completely correct.
A reminder that I should try and complete my Dokken collection, minus that 1997 abomination that I flatly refuse to pay money for. I think I have about half of their output on CD.
Yeah, I try to be a completist, but I haven't been great about buying everyone's recent albums. I need to fix that.
The project with Robert Mason was the end machine
That's right!
Both 1990 cd's---- George's and Don's were incredible. These two are just so different on most everything and how they go about it. Thus, the split in 88. What I don't like, and George is my friend, is that his financial well-being is because of Dokken/Touring/Publishing so he can do what he is doing now. They are both coming to the end of their careers within 2026-2030. What's sad is Gene Simmons is correct that the structure is gone and the media has much to do with it as the internet. Great stuff here guys -- I saw Dokken in 1985 at the age of 14 when I snuck out with my friends. ha
Hey, man, thanks for the great comment and the info. You're right, their time is coming to an end soon... and Don's voice is already done.
Talkin’ Dokken, eh?
I’ll watch just based on that alone
Haha, I appreciate it
Razorfist crossover?? Yes please!
It happened! haha
Heaven Sent was a ballad on Back for the Attack and it was a video on MTV……… so I don’t quite understand what you’re talking about.
I hear you... but I don't REALLY consider "Heaven Sent" to be a ballad. Is it slower? Sure. But you get to the chorus and it's riffy and chugging. I try to imagine people slow dancing to this in 1987 and I just don't see it. But I hear your point.
Another fact George was supposed to be on the guitar hero game ,the one with slash but all the legal issues with don at that point completely owning the name is what prevented George from being on it ,it had to do with money and ownership of the name
🤘
I disagree that Don wasn’t the sex symbol of the band! He was so Bad Ass that as a singer in my own band back in the 80,s I wanted to be Don!
I hear you--he had some sex appeal for sure--not quite at the Jon Bon Jovi, Bret Michaels level, but it's not like the dude was ugly
I'm in the minority but I like Shadowlife. There are some pretty ballads on there (Bitter Regret, Hard to Believe, and Convenience Store Messiah). Other bands were experimenting around the same time. I really like Extreme's Waiting For the Punchline album also.
I wanna sit down and listen to Shadowlife all the way through sometime soon. I remember buying it and listening to it and thinking "What the fuck" and putting it away forever. I'm actually intrigued now.
@@HairMetalGuru419 Bitter Regret was written about Robbin Crosby from what I heard. There's a nice live performance of it on youtube with Don and Jeff only. I think they were on a Japanese tv show or something. I think you might like at least a couple of the ballads such as Bitter Regret which to me is in the same type of sound style as "Nothing Left to Say" off Dysfunctional. It's acoustic. I kind of chuckled the first time hearing "Convenience Store Messiah" since it's a bit odd, but when I stopped and paid attention to the lyrics I grew to like the song a lot. It's about a clerk that helps homeless people. Jeff sings lead vocals on "Here I Stand" which is one of the faster songs on side 2. If you don't like alternative or grunge music, overall you probably still won't warm up to Shadowlife completely, but you might find that you like certain tracks.
I listen to quite a variety of music in general. Mostly rock music, but also when in the mood I'll listen to classical (especially piano), film scores and soundtracks too. I like some old country such as Kenny Rogers and Johnny Cash, but not the new pop-country stuff which is overplayed. Regarding Rock music, I like most styles but can't stand cookie monster growling vocals so I skip those bands. I believe the 1970s had the absolute best soft rock songs ever.
Check out jeff Pilsons work with Black swan Generation mind , ROCKS heavy duty...
I think I've heard a couple songs, but you're right, I should check that album out.
Beast from the East is stilll the best live record I have ever heard…
Great band! Rokken with Dokken.
Appreciate you watchin', Brother!
Great discussion.
I think that Under Lock and Key has the most filler out of their 80s albums. Slipping Away, Will the Sun Rise, Jaded Heart and Don’t Lie to Me are all weak and didn’t fit with the other strong tracks. But of course if one likes them, enjoy.
I hear you, Brother!
Don’s Up from the Ashes is amazing….
Absolutely agree
I think the reason the band fell apart is if you look at interviews with the guys they are always trashing don for his vocals while if you look at don in interviews he generally is complimenting them and being nice so I think Jeff, mick and George were the problem
Completely valid point
I love the 80's Dokken - the rest not so much. Saw them a couple dozen times, always a warmup band which puzzled me. All that said, George Lynch body of work blows away the Dokken legacy. George is still bringing the goods at age 70.
Dokken should have been much bigger. I really feel like they just weren't marketed right. Slipping Away should have been their big power ballad off Under Lock And Key . Walk Away should have been the big power ballad released with Back For The Attack. Those ballads really launched a lot of bands into superstardom back in the day. The record company really screwed up with Dokken, in my opinion.
You are completely fuckin' right. Alone Again was big on Tooth and Nail, why they fucking didn't make it happen on the later albums is a travesty.
You missed john Levin AMAZING guitar player
I think I mentioned him at least a little?
Rokken With Dokken
Who doesn't love Rokken with Dokken?
@@HairMetalGuru419 No One I Know
Up From the Ashes is better than any actual Dokken album that came after it. Though Lightning Strikes Again is quite good.
Fun fact about Shadowlife. It actually went gold. Most Dokken albums didn’t, but SL went gold.
Ashes was great... agree. I don't think SL went gold? I mean, Dysfunctional from '95 didn't go gold, and I can't find anything on Shadowlife going gold. Fuck, I could be wrong.
I feel like dokken and ratt have alot in common both big bands with solid albums but never made it huge
That's a really valid comparison
Never a giant fan , their biggest hit and video scared my 10 year old ass to death …
Dream Warriors?
@ Yes .. Nightmare 3 .. that girl building the house in the beginning .. well done looking back on it .
@@Hwy13La When I was a little kid, Large Marge from Pee Wee's Big Adventure, scared the crap out of me.
Even today, I probably couldn't watch that scene. 🤣
You pansy! haha jk
Dokken one of my favorite bands, sad they imploded. Now Don seems to be doing his revisionist history interview circuit.
Thought Dokken was the most talented band from LA. Don probably the third best vocalist in the band
SUPER talented band. But egos wouldn't let them work shit out
I saw 51 bands live this year. "Dokken" was by far the most disappointing. The year included strong performances by venerable performances like Alice Cooper and Blackie Lawless and others. But while Don's backing band was good, Don not only could not sing by any stretch of the imagination, he could barely walk or talk.
It's so tough to watch. I almost made Don't vocal issues my #1, but decided to let it go... for now. But it's just bad, and it's hurting their legacy imo.
Don Dokken was born in 1953
Thanks, man.
@HairMetalGuru419 no problem man 👍
Lightning strikes again, Broken Bones are ABSOLUTELY THE BEST Dokken albums. Levin is an amazing guitarist
I need to give Broken Bones another spin...
Unfortunately Dokken should have struck again after the iron was hot with a song in a major movie,ECT. It's a shame. Instead quite possibly I think after that success egos got in the way?
Completely agree. Egos wouldn't let them work it out and come together. Unfortunate
No over 30 gets that ripped w/o the juice. A 21 y/o d1 middle linebacker might get ripped like that but cmon… a guitar player in their 40’s cmon lol what I want to know is how come the guys in strong men competitions, you know the guys who used to lift the boulders on espn 2, always looked like the most old school overweight plumber and not a bodybuilder? I’m not a gym guy or athlete but I always wondered about that.
Yeah, what the fuck is up with that, I've always wondered the same thing. Maybe the roids ruin people's flexibility and stuff and they can't lift as much? But, yeah, in those strong man competitions the dudes are never cut/shredded.
Tooth and Nail is one of the best rock albums EVER. I think Under Lock and Key is a complete disappointment after T&N, and being a guitarist myself I promise you George's tone on the album is too tinny, no bottom end. Don didn't really belong in a "hair metal" band, his age and musical style put him more in the "crossover era", 79-83 kind of like Loverboy, Sammy Hagar, Billy Squier. The other three would have been so much better off with a strong vocal, charasmatic, 80's style singer.
I LOVE Tooth and Nail, absolutely.
Up from the Ashes is a perfect album. To be perfectly honest it’s probably better for having Billy White and John Norum vice Lynch as controversial as that probably is. Looking objectively Wicked Sensation has a great title track and a whole album of filler.
Get the Japanese import of dysfunctional , way better production, myself I didn't like the mixing on the dysfunctional american production....the import i believe was just called Dokken
Shit, I didn't know about this....
Watched for Dokken but instead hear jokes at my expense from a guy alone in his basement and another guy that spends 60% of every episode he’s on talking about how good the band members look…..
I didn’t listen to Dokken because of Don, I listened to Dokken because of George Lynch. His style and sound is what made the band. Don was just very dry and stoic and probably why the band never made it any bigger. I think Don was jealous over the fact that George had such a following when the band bore his name. It was competing egos. Too bad they couldn’t just get along.
Dokken without Lynch sounds like Dokken. Lynch plays nothing that sounds like Dokken except when he plays Dokken songs. He absolutely did not make the band. Dokken’s post Lynch albums attest to that.
@@TrooperSC Dokken is a cover band of Lynch's sounds (I love John Levin) Everything is mimicked and duplicated by what Lynch created as the Dokken sound. Lynch post Dokken GREW and EVOLVED as a player. He is unquestionably one of the top players in the world today. His playing in a mile wide AND a mile deep. He's way past 1987 Dokken.
Completely valid points here--you may be right.
Took a long time because all you think about is Warrant, Lillian axe, and Brian naked in the basement!!
At least someone on this channel understands me...
@HairMetalGuru419 ha ha
@@gellargod