Another Reunion In The Works?

A classic Lynch Mob reunion is apparently on the table. We all know George Lynch can still wail on the guitar... but can Don Dokken's voice hold up through a big reunion tour? Thoughts?

Comments

[Ace Steele]

Due to the deterioration of Don's ability, his current version of Dokken is already de-tuning down to C#, which makes everything sound like sludge.

Much like I said about Anvil & their crowdfundraising, Just because you CAN do something, doesn't mean you should.

Dokken is a band that died with the 80's, that should just remain dead.

[Him]

It is also the case that the interview on which this was based was a lot more ambivalent than the headline. But that is nothing new for Blabbermouth.

[JT]

I don't like much of Dokken's music personally. My favorite album was Mad Hatter, which featured Reb Beach on guitar, not Lynch. But I love Lynch's other projects. I'd rather see him focus on making more quality music with Oni. To me, the stuff he has done in recent years far exceeds any of Dokken's stuff.

[Kixchix]

Dokken has a catalogue any band would be jealous to have. If Don is as bad as Ace said, it'd be a sad reunion. If he can sing, Lets Go!!!!

[Bob]

Don Dokken's voice is shot...Has been for years. this is not a good idea.

[Dj]

As long as Don and George are in, I'm in, but I hope his voice has held up well. They "reunited" a few years back but nothing really came of it. I'd absolutely love to see them, as long as it's the original band.

[Jack T Ripper]

JT the song The Madest Hatter was off of Erase The Slate! Great song Great album!

[JT]

Jack, you are correct. I was still working in radio at the time, and "The Maddest Hatter" was actually released as a single to radio stations, but yes "Erase the Slate" was the title of the full album.

I have liked just about everything Reb Beach has been involved with, so that's probably the reason that album stands out to me more than "classic" Dokken.

[Anus And Gary]

I agree with Ace, I hate everything associated with hair metal. I have no respect whatsoever for hair metal. Keep hatin my brother, Dokken belongs in the 80's along with every other pussy ass band that does hair metal. Ace is 100% right, hair metal is horrible, Kiss is the only band I respect. I love Ace, he's a killer and I respect him so damn much. Keep speakin the truth, ya rock Ave, love ya brotha. Long hate all 80's metal except for Kiss. Anger is an energy. Anger is an energy.

[Jeff]

^^^^^Wow...TROLL alert...TROLL alert.....^^^^^^

[bkallday]

Please do not feed the trolls.

[Ken]

Big typo in your post - you wrote Lynch Mob when you meant Dokken.

[Metalboy!]

I say bring it. Maybe they can rehabilitate Dokken's voice. But HE has to be the one who wants to do it!

Jagger's lost his voice for years on end and just recently has been able to regain it. And listen to Tom Keifer, who's managed to regain his voice. I would totally go see Dokken, especially behind a new album and with the original line-up. The potential is HUGE!

p.s. Haha!! Caught that, too, Ken. Hey, it happens to the best of us!

[Ace Steele]

I love good hair metal, lived & breathed it. No hate at all... Just the facts, Don's voice is shot. Go look at the videos of current Dokken live at the Whiskey in L.A. They're tuned down 1&1/2 steps... It sounds horrible.

And as Ken pointed out, Blabbermouth got it right.. a Dokken reunion, while the BBG version says Lynch Mob.

[Him]

We agree again bkallday (and Jeff): what holy hell made Anus and Gary (drive-time DJs on your favorite classic rock station in Sparks, Nevada?) think this was the place to air their/his/her atrophied mockery muscles? Gallagher's sledgehammer packs more of a concussive punch.

Remember: a marketplace of ideas isn't a "six lane highway to nowhere" (to quote an underrated Sabbath song). But if you want to play Zero the Hero, feel free. You are swimming in waters far too deep. And some gene pools, by the by, have no diving board for a reason.

Now, back to Adult Swim: Ace, you have to admit that Dokken has been taking a bit more care of himself in recent months? Or maybe you don't. But you certainly must see the smarts in adding Boals to his band, at least to keep the bass going and also to fill out the harmonies and high points in the vocals he can't hit anymore? The non-studioed parts of _Beast from the East_ certainly point to his now diminished range. But no points for stage presence or attempting to at least own up to his own short-comings (a thing he has been known to do, on stage, while singing)? Which isn't to say that the guy doesn't have the ego of a singer far better or far more known that Dokken. I just think that the slagging sometimes gets a bit comical. I might be a small (meaning: one) minority on this.

[Sweet Lou]

What's up Metalboy! Loooooooong time since I've actually posted in a "semi live" thread as of late, but I do read them all and REALLY enjoy Ace and Him's input. MB you still make me nuts as the HumanGoogle, but damn you do have the knowledge so flaunt it baby!

As for Mr. Dokken's "shot" voice...I had him and Mark Boals in my club last year and I'm telling you, the 'old' voice was ALMOST in tact. That being said, Mark brings a lot of Pilson with him and THAT helps a great deal.

Don was telling me he did have some medical problems with his throat and was mending and taking care of himself a little better than in the past. Sure we drank a lot of Jack Daniels that night, but if I remember correctly, he didn't smoke. He did VAPE at some point in the night however (and no THC lol). We recorded the show that night and mixed it from the ol' Presonus and it sounded so good even Don didn't believe it was that nights show. Don had some excess weight that hits most of us in our 50's. THEN...

...I hung out with him at Roar on the Shore in June while in Erie PA. He looked like a completely different Don physically. He dropped the weight and the voice was amazing. Well, it was amazing from Mark's monitor from where I was on the stage...Don had some issues with his and began every singers nightmare...screaming through it for a couple songs. So I don't know what it sounded like out front but I gotta feeling 20 plus thousand bikers dug it.

I'm sure something could and probably will trigger some of those bad habits that helped prolong the voice getting healthier. All I know is right now he's sounding better than he has in years. So don't write him off completely, not yet. Will he ever reach the heights he did so many years ago? It's doubtful because aging and years of ignoring your instrument will take it's toll, but don't believe it's as horrid as it has been in the past either. Plus as KixChx know with Steve W, Jack Daniels does the body and chords good. HAHAHAHA!

Peace out!

[Gary]

Like Ace pointed out,the more you tune down to accommodate the vocalists fading voice,the murkier the music gets. It pretty much becomes a rumble. Maybe Lynch can take up the 8 string guitar and drop that to. C if they reunite.....

[bkallday]

Lightning Strikes Again & Sound Mountain Sessions both kicked ass, let's not waste anymore time with trying to rekindle old flames....especially when it's never worked before. Having said that, i liked Dokken back in the day. Under Lock & Key and Back For The Attack were killer!

[Him]

Nice to hear that my suspicions aren't entirely off base, Sweet Lou. It does sound like Boals is filling in the missing pieces as of late (and a talented musician no less). Again, I would never claim that Dokken sounds like his younger self. But he does sound a lot better nowadays (even if I was willing to put up with his less than stellar performances because I dug his stag presence).

And we agree again (in part) bkallday: _ULK_ and _BFTA_ were great, the first more than the second. What is your opinion of _Breaking the Chains_ and _Tooth and Nail_ which, to me, represent Dokken (the band and the singer) at their/his peak? As much as I jab, I truly do think we share more in common in terms of music. Just curious your thoughts.

[bkallday]

BTC & T&N are very solid, but not as solid as their next 2, at least not imho.