Don Dokken : Still Rockin' After All These Years

Check out my interview with metal icon Don Dokken for Rock Revolt magazine. We talk about the music industry, his dog and even a jello fight with George Lynch!!

http://www.rockrevoltmagazine.com/don-dokken-interview-2012/

George Lynch Talks T & N, Dokken and The Term "Guitar God"

“Guitar god……..that doesn’t carry the weight that it used to. I take it with a huge grain of salt.”

There were many teenagers who stood alone in their rooms with posters of their metal heroes plastered to their walls. Their bedrooms became large concert halls and it was time to hit the stage. As the pops and cracks of the vinyl began to resonating from the speakers, many of us picked up a tennis racket and began to emulate our favorite guitar heroes. George Lynch was definitely one of those guys who inspired a legion of worshippers.

George Lynch was the total package. He had the hair, he clothes, the attitude and most of all; the guy was a beast on the guitar. He rose to fame in Dokken who were all over MTV in the 80s. There were internal conflicts in Dokken and the band parted ways with George pursuing other projects. He did reunite with the band in 1994 and recorded a new studio album entitled Dysfunctional, but the reunion was short lived. George was again out of Dokken come 1997 focused on his solo career with Lynch Mob and it seemed that a Dokken reunion would never happen again.

Fans of 80s metal have had a full blown Dokken reunion on their wish lists for years now and in 2010 , it seemed as if it might happen. The internet was a blaze with rumors and there was some talk of it, but it fizzled out quickly. Fast forward to 2012 and Lynch Mob were in the middle of recording a new album when lead singer Oni Logan just wasn’t “feeling” the new material that was being recorded, so it was shelved. Then, Lynch Mob drummer Brian Tichy suggested that Lynch record some new material with Jeff Pilson and Mick Brown, his former band mates from Dokken.

“Brian’s always coming up with these great ideas. I love to get together with him and have these giant brain storming sessions. His ideas are awesome. He’s the one who came up with the name Tooth and Nail, which later got shortened to T & N. I think he needs to start a rock and roll idea company and just sit around all day and brainstorm,” replied Lynch. Jeff Pilson was already in the Lynch camp as he helped write some of the shelved material for the new album. Drummer Mick Brown came in and the chemistry was, as always, off the charts.

“The three of us haven’t recorded anything together since around 1996-97 when we did Dokken’s Shadow Life. Jeff and I have worked together here and there. We’re neighbors and we see each other all the time. As far as Mick goes, he has played drums in Lynch Mob. Once you get the three of us together, there’s no denying the special chemistry that’s there between us.”

That chemistry and Brian’s suggestion were the catalysts of a new band called Tooth and Nail. There were some legal issues with a record label of the same name, so the guys changed it to T & N and began work on a new studio album. Along with brand new material, the guys decided to re-visit old Dokken classic and re-record them. They also decided to bring in guest vocalists for the new versions.

“We had a short list and a long list of who we wanted. Glenn Hughes was one who did not work out and we had some that surprised us. We all thought that having Sebastian (Bach) come in and sing would never happen, but to our surprise, it happened. It’s funny because the bigger superstar that you are, the easier it is to get who you want to sing on your album. The artists just seem to gravitate towards it out of respect for the music. When I did my album Sacred Groove back in 1992-93, I had a lot of great singers who wanted to work on it. I mean, there were Phil Anselmo, Rob Halford, and Layne Staley and for different reasons, things happened and guys just started to fall off.”

Lynch’s former Lynch Mob band mate and current Warrant lead singer Robert mason was brought in to lay down his vocals for “It’s Not Love” and King’s X singer Doug Pinnick covered “Tooth and Nail”. The big buzz created online was having one of the most recognizable voices of the 80s cover the power ballad “Alone Again”. Sebastian Bach of Skid Row fame definitely did the song justice and then some. There’s already a second T & N album in the works that will feature more re-recordings of Dokken classics and more guest vocalists.

“We just re-recorded “Just Got Lucky” and it sounds amazing. We’re doing something a little different on the vocals this time because we brought in Sass Jordan to sing it. It’s totally different because it has this rock/country element to it. Sass has this grittiness to her voice. It almost has this (Janis) Joplin feel to it. I think that one is going to blow a lot of people away.” With all this talk of re-recording Dokken classics, was Don (Dokken) ever considered to lay down vocals for any of them?

“Mick was the person who suggested that we call Don and see if he wanted to come in and do something. Don actually came into the studio with us and worked on a few things. Then, he went away and never called back.”  That may be as close as we come to a full Dokken reunion. “Sometimes you just have to cut your losses. You have to work with people who want to work with you. It’s a shame that not all movies have a happy ending. You should want to do this for all the right reasons.”

Speaking of right reasons, many guitarists were inspired to pick up the instrument thanks to Lynch. He’s considered a guitar god by many, but it’s a label that he shies away from. “Guitar god just doesn’t carry the weight that it used to. I take it with a huge grain of salt. To me, the true guitar gods were Hendrix, (Jeff) Beck, (Jimmy) Page and (Eric) Clapton. Then, a little further along came Eddie Van Halen. People are entitled to appreciate anyone, but when you start to make it into a list or contest, then it’s ridiculous.”

“People should look at the big picture and not just one aspect of it. In the 60s, music was a reflection of the times. Artists such as Joan Baez and Crosby, Stills and Nash sang about the times. That’s something that’s missing today. I mean, there are a few bands who do reflect what’s going on in the world. Rage Against the Machine and System of a Down are great examples, they speak about important things. The problem is that the message is sometimes overlooked or ignored.”

It seems that Lynch’s message is not all metal and shredding solos, as he has his hands in several other projects including filming a documentary through the eyes of a Native American experience. “I had a vision one night of a man walking along the horizon and he approaches a man in a bedroll covered in the American flag. He then flashed through 500 years of Native American oppression. He could get his revenge, but he chooses to walk away. It’s about humans and politics and much more. If anyone’s interested, they can check out the trailer at www.shadowtrainmovie.com.”

Fans are also encouraged to send in donations for the project if at all possible. “It’s an ambitious undertaking trying to create a vision that you have. If anyone sends in a donation, we make sure to send them something back to say thanks. I’ve actually autographed one of my guitars and mailed it to someone because of their very generous donation. There’s no time frame for when the movie will be done, but we are hoping for a fall 2013 release.”

George Lynch is definitely not a one trick pony. In between the documentary, his band Lynch Mob and the new T & N, he is also working on a project with Doug Pinnick of Kings X and Ray Luzier of Korn. They’re writing together until the end of the year and will start recording early next year. Lynch jokingly referred to the band as KornXMob. He also has his own custom guitar line, appropriately named Mr. Scary Guitars, that are designed, carved and crafted by Lynch himself. These things are awesome and you have to check them out at www.mrscaryguitars.com.

Although the flame on the full reunion candle may have been snuffed out, the big three from Dokken will be taking T & N out on the road next year. They are looking to hit the road after the release of their second album which is about half way completed. This was a good time to bring up a fan submitted question from Jason from California. Would George consider dusting off the Dokken classic “Dream Warriors” and play it live? “Sure, I would love to, but it all depends on if we are headlining or opening. As an opener, we would only get about 30-40 minutes, so the set list is tight. If we headline somewhere like the House of Blues and get a longer set, then why not?”

George has quite a lot going on this year and that will just transition into an even bigger and better 2013. A killer new T & N album and a second on the horizon, plus the plan to take it on the road have fans anxious. All of this new material makes it a great time to be a fan of Lynch. This guy is such a versatile talent that you never know what he will be up to next. Stay tuned to Music Is My Drug of Choice as we will definitely keep you up to date with all the info!

Dokken's Big 3 Return with T & N

You might say that T & N is the closest thing to a full blown Dokken reunion that the fans are going to get. Guitarist George Lynch was in the studio laying down tracks for his new Lynch Mob album, but lead singer Oni Logan didn’t think the songs were true Lynch Mob songs and the album was shelved. Drummer Brian Tichy then suggested to George that he should get Mick Brown and Jeff Pilson together to form a new band. Pilson has already been writing new Lynch Mob material with Lynch, so it all just fell into place.

They decided to dust off some old Dokken classics and re-record them. The chemistry that the three of those guys have immediately went into overdrive when those sessions started. It was so strong that they wrote new material to be included in the new project. Thus, the formation of T & N. The name did start out as Tooth and Nail, but there was a legal dispute with Tooth and Nail records, so they decided to shorten it. Now, here we are as T & N are about to unleash something pretty special on the world.

The new album, Slave to the Empire, consists of seven new songs and five re-recorded Dokken classic with guest vocalists. Ok, I know everyone wants to know about the revisiting of the old Dokken songs, but I want to talk about the new material first. Lead vocal duties on the new songs are handled by Jeff Pilson and he does a great job. The album opens with the title track and you immediately know that the guys mean business. It’s an aggressive, rocker challenging the listener to rise up and be a free thinker.

“Sweet Unknown” has a nasty bass groove at the beginning that weaves its way throughout the entire song; a great track from beginning to end. “When Eagles Die” has a beautiful acoustic intro, but it doesn’t take long before the amps get plugged in and Lynch starts cranking away. The acoustic element shows up throughout the song and adds another layer to the song. “Mind Control” is definitely a stand out track on the album. It’s catchy and its infectious groove immediately hooks you in. Lynch also has some tasty guitar spot in it as well as a killer solo.

Now, let’s touch on the re-recorded stuff. Sometimes when a band re-records some of its old classics, they really come up short and the newer versions seem to pale in comparison. I think this time there is an exception to that. T & N stay pretty true to the originals, but each vocalist adds their own flare with their individual style. Lynch Mob alumni Robert Mason, currently fronting Warrant, lends his vocals to “It’s Not Love”. Doug Pinnick of Kings X takes on “Tooth and Nail” while Tim “Ripper” Owens of Judas Priest fame tackles “Kiss of Death”. The track that immediately created a buzz on the net after being announced was the classic power ballad “Alone Again” featuring the one and only Sebastian Bach on lead vocals. All I will say is that you will not be disappointed.

Overall, this is a killer album. Seven new kick ass tunes and fiver killer re-recordings that rock just as hard if not harder than the originals. If this wets your appetite for more T & N, then don’t fret. It seems that a second album of new material and re-recorded Dokken classic is in the works. I know that I am not the only one who is looking forward to seeing and hearing this band out on the road.