DOKKEN

[muthagoose]

DON DOKKEN Completes Work On New Solo Album

DOKKEN mainman Don Dokken has issued the following update:

"Hi, everyone. It's me, that singer guy who seemed to drop off the planet for the last six months, I figured it's about time to write and let everyone know what's up in DOKKEN land which isn't easy when you type with one finger.

"As you might know Mick [Brown, drums] and Barry [Sparks, bass] just finished a grueling tour with everyone's favorite hunter 'Uncle' Ted Nugent. I saw them at the House Of Blues [in West Hollywood] and they rocked. It was interesting to watch my bros play from the audience.

"I have to say that Ted is one of the coolest guys you'll ever meet. I first met him 20 years ago at Cal Jam. A lot of people in this business change as time goes on — some for the better some not. He's still the same straight-ahead tell-it-as-he-sees-it, endless-amount-of-energy guy I first met.

"After the show, I thought I'd give them some space to chill but Mick and Barry dragged Jon [Levin, DOKKEN guitarist] and I into the dressing room right away for a hug since we hadn't seen each other in months. They had just played a two-hour show and had about five minutes to cool off before the dressing room filled up with friends and the usual amount of celebs, which always seems to be the case in Hollyweird. Ted took the time to say hi to everyone before he even had a chance to chill out. He really is a gracious guy.

"After Jon and I watched the show, it made me miss playing with the guys even more.

"I had decided for us not to tour this summer since I had four CDs to finish — yes, four. First, my way overdue solo CD which I'm happy to say is finally done. You'll be able to hear samples of the songs at Dokken.net, DonDokken.com and DOKKEN MySpace in a few days. I've just finished mixing DOKKEN 'Live '81', which was recorded before 'Breaking the Chains' came out in the U.S. There are three unreleased tracks on it that are pretty cool. I'm playing guitar and doing some solo harmonies with George [Lynch]. Now that's a trip!

"Jon and I have been working on a new studio album called 'Lightning Strikes Again' and to top it all off we recorded a new 'Greatest Hits' with Mick and Barry when they had time off from Ted, which wasn't much, so it took some time.

"As if all this didn't keep me busy enough, I bought an old house in the Santa Monica Mountains, which kept my hammer busy all summer. I've always wanted a place where you can walk out your door and pick apples, peaches or plums for breakfast. So now I have Gene Simmons for a neighbor. The only difference between his house and mine is that his garage is bigger than my entire house [lol].

"As some of you might know, we did a few shows in Virginia a few weeks ago. It was great to be on stage with my partners in crime again. Now the boys are home were finishing up our music and going on tour starting Dec. 1 until a few days before Christmas. After that, we're planning on doing a U.S. tour and Europe starting around May — we just don't know where we'll start first, but as soon as I know, you will.

"So there it is, I do read your posts and if I ever learn how to type I'll try and write back more often. The good news is there's going to be a lot of new DOKKEN music out there soon and I hope you all enjoy it. We should have our December dates posted in about a week. I hope to see you at the shows."

[muthagoose]

DOKKEN: 'From Conception: Live 1981' CD, 'Unchain The Night' DVD Detailed

DOKKEN ruled the charts and airwaves in the '80s with a trio of platinum albums powered by an unforgettable mix of metal and melody. The band is currently in the studio recording their ninth album, and first for Rhino Records, "Lighting Strikes Again", set for release this summer. In anticipation of their new album, Rhino revisits the quartet's early days with a pair of releases packed with unissued material.

The first release, a CD entitled "From Conception: Live 1981", captures DOKKEN in an early, previously unseen concert recorded before the band signed with Elektra. The second release is the DVD debut of the band's first home video, the platinum-certified "Unchain The Night", which is expanded with unreleased videos and new extended interviews with the band. Each will be available separately on March 13. The CD will be offered at regular physical retail outlets for a suggested list price of $18.98 and at all digital retail outlets for a suggested list price of $9.99. Additionally, there will be an exclusive iTunes version featuring a video interview with the band available for $11.99. The DVD will be available at all regular retail outlets for a suggested list price of $14.99. Both will also be available at www.rhino.com.

"From Conception" finds singer Don Dokken, guitarist George Lynch, drummer Mick Brown, and bassist Jeff Pilson ripping through 10 unreleased live performances of several songs that were eventually recorded for the band's debut album, "Breaking The Chains", including "Live To Rock (Rock To Live)", "Night Rider", the album's title track and "Paris", a showcase for Lynch's formidable guitar heroics. The live disc also contains three previously unreleased songs that were excluded from their debut album because the label did not feel they were commercial enough at the time: "Goin' Down", "Hit And Run", and "Liar".

When DOKKEN released the home video "Unchain The Night" in 1985, the band was touring for its second platinum album, "Under Lock And Key". The original VHS release contained on- and off-stage footage shot by the band while on tour in Europe and America. Also included were videos of the hit singles "It's Not Love" and "In My Dreams" as well as "Into The Fire", "Just Got Lucky" and "Alone Again" from 1984's "Tooth And Nail".

For its DVD debut, "Unchain The Night" is expanded with four previously unreleased videos: "Burning Like A Flame", and "Heaven Sent" from 1987's "Back For The Attack", plus "Walk Away", a studio track added to the 1988 live album "Beast From The East". Also included is the video for "Dream Warriors", a song for "A Nightmare On Elm Street III" that featured the band and two stars from the film: Robert Englund (as Freddy Krueger) and Emmy winner Patricia Arquette. The DVD also features a newly recorded interview with the band.

DOKKEN recently returned to their Redondo Beach studio to begin work on their ninth studio album, "Lightning Strikes Again". Taking its title from a track on "Under Lock And Key", the new album will be available this summer from Rhino Records, featuring founding members Don Dokken and Mick Brown along with Jon Levin on guitars and Barry Sparks on bass. The group is also plotting a world tour for later this year, set to begin in June.

"From Conception: Live 1981" CD track listing:

01. Paris
02. Goin Down*
03. In The Middle
04. Young Girls
05. Hit And Run*
06. Night Rider
07. TR Solo
08. Live To Rock (Rock To Live)
09. Breaking The Chains
10. Liar*

* Previously unreleased songs

"Unchain The Night" DVD track listing:

01. Into The Fire
02. Just Got Lucky
03. Breaking The Chains
04. Alone Again
05. The Hunter
06. In My Dreams
07. It's Not Love
08. Walk Away**
09. Dream Warriors**
10. Heaven Sent**
11. Burning Like A Flame**

** Unreleased videos with new commentary from the band

[muthagoose]

DON DOKKEN On 'Lightning Strikes Back', Upcoming Solo Album

Marko Syrjälä of Metal-Rules.com recently conducted an interview with DOKKEN mainman Don Dokken. A couple of excerpts from the the chat follow:

Metal-Rules.com: What is happening with new the DOKKEN album "Lightning Strikes Back"? It's been in the works for about two years now?

Dokken: Yeah it's been two years. There have just been a lot of setbacks. We toured in America and did festivals and things like that. I lost my voice for a while and that was like what can you do? The record was written like two years ago and I had about seven or eight songs but the record company didn't like them. They thought they were too modern and Jon agreed and said we should do more old-school stuff so he re-wrote the album and made it more classic with catchy guitar riffs and catchphrases. Then I had to rethink and try to go back twenty years and I understand. It's difficult you know, you get older and you change. So, we basically wrote the album twice. I spent a year writing out then threw it out and started over and that took a couple months. And just life stuff, everyone has life stuff and families and things that slow you down. This summer was just like doing shows, making quick money and we did the same thing every weekend. You go out and play Friday or Saturday night, come back on Sunday but then you're tired on Monday. Then you have a couple days to write and then do it over again. Right when I was ready to do the album and finish it, my voice just died because I was just stupid. I was just being an idiot and wasn't taking care of myself and getting out of shape. I thought we would go to Europe to promote the record and that's why we're here. We promised we would come so here we are. My word is my word.

Metal-Rules.com: How did you come up with the name for your new album, you have an old song which is called "Lightning Strikes Back", does that mean that this album is some kind of back to roots album for you?

Dokken: I always have a habit of doing that. When we did album "Tooth And Nail" where was a song titled "Lightning Strikes Back". The album was originally going to be called "Lightning Strikes Back" but we then decided to change it to "Tooth and Nail", which is another album track. It has always been my thing; I always name the album after a song. It makes sense too. Well, God willing, we're trying to hit it again. I really had to change my mindset on the writing for this new album.

Metal-Rules.com: How about the latest DOKKEN album "Hell To Pay"? That album didn't receive too many positive reviews and many people were considering it more like your solo album than an actual DOKKEN album. How do you like that album now afterwards?

Dokken: I don't know what happened. As a producer, I just got kind of lost; I didn't know where I was going. It was too medium-tempo. What do you do? Jon came into the band and we didn't really know where we were going. You hear NICKELBACK and HINDER and you get these new influences in your music but then it doesn't really work.

Metal-Rules.com: How is the status with your solo album, when it will be finished?

Dokken: It's finished. It's been finished for a year now. Jon played with it but people don't understand it because it's acoustic. People think it's "Up from the Ashes" and heavy but it's not. It's acoustic all the way. There are no drums on it.

Metal-Rules.com: One day I went through my record collection and accidentally I found a solo album of former SCORPIONS drummer Herman Rarebell. You do a couple of songs there, how did that thing come about back then?

Dokken: Originally I sang on that whole record but it didn't sound very good. There were some stupid songs like "Wipeout" and stuff like that. The only reason they even got to put out that record was because I was singing on it. They were telling me I had to sing some and they had to sing some. It was a silly record. I just did it for fun and to help them. That was a long time ago.

Metal-Rules.com: You did record vocals for the demo tracks of SCORPIONS album "Blackout". Back in the day there were all these rumors about you were about to replace Klaus Meine in SCORPIONS because he had some serious problems with his voice. Was there any truth behind that rumor?

Dokken: No truth at all, I just did it because his voice was hurting. I mean, we just had a guy come sing on our record. So what? I had Kelly Hansen to sing background vocals. He has the low more husky voice, I'm in the middle and Jeff Pilson has a higher voice. Why would I scream my ass off all day and stack my vocals when I can have someone else come in and do it?

Metal-Rules.com: So at any point you were not going to seriously replace him?

Dokken: Well, that's stupid. Even if they had asked me to replace him, I would have said "Are you crazy?" If they asked me to sing in SCORPIONS, which would be a dream, I would say no, because you can't have SCORPIONS without Klaus. I just went in and sang a couple lines and trust me, they killed me. They kept telling me to sing higher and higher. After eight hours of work and it just sounded like a buzzing.

Read the entire interview at www.Metal-Rules.com.

[muthagoose]

DOKKEN: 'Lightning Strikes Again'
European Release Date Announced

Frontiers Records has set an April 11 European release date for the new DOKKEN album, entitled "Lightning Strikes Again". The CD will be issued in North America via Rhino Records.

Audio samples of two more tracks from "Lightning Strikes Again" are available on the band's revamped web site. The songs "This Love Is Dyin'" and "It Means" were recently mixed and mastered by Wyn Davis and are available in Windows Media format on the band's "Music" page at www.dokken.net.

The follow-up to 2004's "Hell to Pay", "Lightning Strikes Again" features the lineup of Don Dokken (vocals), Jon Levin (guitar, ex-WARLOCK), Barry Sparks (bass, TED NUGENT, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, MSG) and Mick Brown (drums).

"It will be a very heavy progressive record," Dokken told Deb Rao of KNAC.COM last year. "Just some cool songs, some dark songs, and some medium tempo. Some of the best work that I have done in years. I am not looking for any kind of sound. I am just writing whatever spiritual inspiration comes to me. You could say the sound is very heavy, like 'Kiss of Death'."

Rhino Records in March 2007 revisited DOKKEN's early days with a pair of releases packed with previously unissued material. The first release, a CD entitled "From Conception: Live 1981", captures DOKKEN in an early, previously unseen concert recorded before the band signed with Elektra. The second release is the DVD debut of the band's first home video, the platinum-certified "Unchain the Night", which is expanded with unreleased videos and new extended interviews with the band.

[muthagoose]

DOKKEN: 'Lightning Strikes Again' Details Revealed

Frontiers Records has announce the details of the forthcoming DOKKEN album, "Lightning Strikes Again", to be released in Europe on April 11.

"Lightning Strikes Again" is DOKKEN's tenth studio album and it "marks a true and definite return" to the band's classic sound, according to a press release. 'We have been more focused on this project than any we've done in years," says singer Don Dokken. "Yes, it has taken a long time but in the end the fans will have a DOKKEN CD that is as good as any we did in the '80s. Our goal is to deliver a CD that will shake up the rock world... and so far everyone says it is the best DOKKEN CD since '86. It's time that a band from our era did something special and prove that our brand of music is still valid. And I think we're close. If it does not have success, it won't be because we didn't give it a thousand percent effort."

"Lightning Strikes Again" was mixed by Wyn Davis (DIO, GREAT WHITE) and it features the following track listing:

01. Standing On The Outside
02. Give Me A Reason
03. Heart To Stone
04. Disease
05. How I Miss Your Smile
06. Oasis
07. Point Of No Return
08. I Remember
09. Judgment Day
10. It Means
11. Release Me
12. This Fire

DOKKEN's current lineup is as follows:

Don Dokken (vocals)
Mick Brown (drums)
Jon Levin (guitar)
Barry Sparks (bass)

Rhino Records in March 2007 revisited DOKKEN's early days with a pair of releases packed with previously unissued material. The first release, a CD entitled "From Conception: Live 1981", captures DOKKEN in an early, previously unseen concert recorded before the band signed with Elektra. The second release is the DVD debut of the band's first home video, the platinum-certified "Unchain the Night", which is expanded with unreleased videos and new extended interviews with the band.

[muthagoose]

DOKKEN: "Lightning Strikes Again" Limited Edition
To Include Bonus Track For Europe

Frontiers Records has announce that, together with the regular European release of DOKKEN’s new album Lightning Strikes Again on April 11th, there will also be a special limited edition available in glossy slipcase.

The limited edition version will include an exclusive bonus track for Europe, entitled 'Sunset Superstar'.

Lightning Strikes Again is Dokken’s 10th studio album and, from the title already, which echoes one of the band’s classic song off Under Lock & Key, marks a true and definite return to the classic sound of the heydays. “We have been more focused on this project than any we've done in years” says singer Don Dokken. "Yes, it has taken a long time but in the end the fans will have a Dokken CD that is as good as any we did in the 80's. Our goal is to deliver a CD that will shake up the rock world... and so far everyone says it is the best Dokken CDs since ‘86. It’s time that a band from our era did something special and prove that our brand of music is still valid. And I think we’re close, if it does not have success it won't be because we didn't give it a thousand percent effort.”

From the first time since the reunion, Dokken is going back to the roots of its sound and exposes with the power and the might of the new Millennium the hot riffs and incredible melodies that built the band’s success.

Dokken’s lineup is now Don Dokken (vocals), Mick Brown (drums), Jon Levin (guitar) and Barry Sparks (bass). The album was mixed by Wyn Davis (DIO, GREAT WHITE).

Final tracklisting of the album is: 'Standing On The Outside', 'Give Me A Reason', 'Heart Of Stone', 'Disease', 'How I Miss Your Smile', 'Oasis', 'Point Of No Return', 'I Remember', 'Judgment Day', 'It Means', 'Release Me', 'This Fire.'

[muthagoose]

DOKKEN Announces Live, Raw And Uncut Tour "Off-Date" Shows

DOKKEN has announced the following concert dates outside of their summer run as part of POISON's Live, Raw & Uncut Summer Tour 2008:

July
19 - Amos Southend - Charlotte, North Carolina

August
1 - Crocodile Rock - Allentown, Pennsylvania

The Live, Raw & Uncut Summer Tour 2008, also featuring SEBASTIAN BACH, includes the following dates:

July
3 - Salt Lake City, UT - Energy Solutions Arena
5 - Greeley, CO - Greeley Stampede
8 - Nashville, TN - Sommet Center
9 - Kansas City, MO - Starlight Theatre
11 - Walker, MN - Moondance Jam 17
12 - Madison, WI - Willow Island
13 - Columbus, OH - Schottstein Center
15 - Peoria, IL - Peoria Civic Center Arena
17 - Cadott, WI - Rockfest
18 - Morton, MN - Jackpot Junction Casino
19 - Rockford, IL - Metrocentre
20 - Pikeville, KY - Eastern KY Expo Centre
22 - Tampa, FL - Ford Amphitheatre
23 - West Palm Beach, FL - Cruzan Amphitheatre
25 - Kinder, LA - Coushatta Casino
26 - Pelham, AB - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
27 - Atlanta, GA - Lakewood Amphitheatre
29 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun
30 - Wantagh, NY - Nikon at Jones Beach
31 - Washington DC - Nissan Pavilion

August
2 - Greenville, WI - Greenville Lions Park
3 - Chicago, IL - FMB Pavilion
5 - Bethlehem, PA - Musikfest
7 - Boston, MA - Bank Of America Pavilion
8 - Hershey, PA - Hershey Park Pavilion
9 - Detroit, MI - Freedom Hill
10 - Pittsburgh, PA - Post Gazette Pavilion
12 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center
13 - Richmond, VA - Innsbrook Pavilion
14 - Cleveland, OH - Blossom Music Center
15 - Indianapolis, IN - Verizon Wireless Music Center
16 - Cincinnati, OH - Riverbend Music Center
17 - St. Louis, MO - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
22 - Las Vegas, NV - The Pearl
23 - Los Angeles, CA - Gibson Amphitheatre
24 - Phoenix, AZ - Dodge Theatre
27 - Lancaster, CA - Antelope Valley Fair
28 - Pala, CA - Pala Casino
29 - Kelseyville, CA - Konocti Harbor
30 - Salem, OR - Oregon State Fair
31 - Vancouver, BC - Boulevard Casino

September
4 - Blackfoot, ID - Eastern Idaho State Fair
5 - Grand Junction, CO - Rock Jam
6 - Denver, CO - Coors Amphitheatre
7 - Hutchinson, KS - Kansas State Fair

[muthagoose]

DOKKEN Releases New Dokkencast

DOKKEN, the '80s multi-platinum rockers best known for the hits 'It’s Not Love', 'In My Dreams' and 'Alone Again', have released the second edition of the Dokkencast Podcast at their official website. In this edition of the Dokkencast, lead vocalist Don Dokken talks about how the new tour with Poison is going, as well as discussing the fact that Lightning Strikes Again charted on Billboard, as well as many other topics.

To download the new, approximately 30 minute Dokkencast or to subscribe to it, go to www.dokken.net.

[muthagoose]

DON DOKKEN On Groupies, Family Life And Touring With POISON


Charlie Steffens of KNAC.COM recently conducted an interview with Don Dokken. An excerpt from the chat follows.

KNAC.COM: You guys had beautiful women at your beck and call every night back in the '80's, didn't you?

Dokken: Yeah. We did. And I had a lot of women because I was the baby-faced androgynous-looking-kind-of-singer guy and chicks would go "Oh, I'll fuck you in a heartbeat." I'd think "You don't even know me. You know the guy in the video. You don't know what I'm like, who I'm like, what kind of person I am." It didn't matter. At some point you think they're all just sluts and whores and you wake up one day and you say, "No, I'm the slut. I'm the whore." You wake up and you realize there's more to life than that. It became tedious. First it was a game for your ego. My kids came along after the Monsters of Rock tour. I had a boy and a girl, and everything changed. The whole world looked different. They're innocent, and you see through their eyes. It's the normal story: do you want to go to The Rainbow Friday night when they're seven or do you want to go to the Cub Scout meeting? It sounds corny, cheesy, and domestic, but that's real life. My son's coming out next week to spend a week with me on the road and I'm totally excited about it. Am I excited about meeting bimbos backstage? No. I'm excited about my son coming out and hanging out with me for a week. He just turned 20, and just got his pilot's license yesterday. So we're going to celebrate. After he goes home my daughter's coming out for a week. That's life.

KNAC.COM: It was devastating, to say the least, for you to watch your band go to pieces. How did you deal with it?

Dokken: I was angry when DOKKEN broke up. It's the story of my life and I went to therapy. I go, "My whole life is fucked now." Nirvana came out and I thought, "Well, I had a good run. Ten years. It's over." I kicked back for three years, got my head straight, and then said, "Well, I'm just going to continue on. I'm just going to keep fighting the fight and making records. That's what I do. I'm not going to go through life angry, because it will make you old and haggard and tired and bitter. Nothing good comes out of it."

KNAC.COM: What does the typical audience look like on your current tour with POISON?

Dokken: I'm laughing, because there are a lot of people I've noticed at the shows who don't seem to know the POISON songs. They're not really hardcore fans of the genre. A lot of them come because they want to see [POISON singer] Bret Michaels from the reality show "Rock of Love". All these MILFS. These forty-year old women, screaming "Bret Michaels, Bret Michaels!" And they're wearing the cowboy hat. You can see they're having a good time, enjoying watching the show, and liking DOKKEN. It's been a very strange, interesting demographic of women. I'm used to going onstage and hearing the roar, and now I go onstage and hear this high-pitch screaming. It's mind-boggling. It's like I'm on tour with David Cassidy. God bless Bret. I'm glad Bret found all this success. I'm really happy for him, but you gotta chuckle at this point in our career and go, "You girls don't get it, do you?" They just wanna see the David Cassidy up there. Bret's reinvented himself as a reality star, and it's paying off for him and POISON. It's like curiosity…I don't know what it is. That TV show turned a whole generation of people on to POISON, who had never heard of POISON.

Read the entire interview at KNAC.COM.