Dokken
Dokken is an American glam metal band from Los Angeles, California. The band celebrated their biggest success in the 1980s and is named after its vocalist Don Dokken.
- 3.1 Studio albums
- 3.2 Live albums and compilations
- 3.3 Singles and EPs
History
The Early Years
Singer Don Dokken began his career in the late 1970s in Germany, where he played with several American musicians. The first Dokken line-up in 1978 was besides the namesake of the former Vic- Vergat bassist Juan Croucier and drummer Greg Pecka. The latter was quickly replaced by Gary Holland. Other members of the early stage, the two bass player Jeff Tappen and Gary Link and the former Quiet Riot guitarist Greg Leon. The Xciter guitarist George Lynch Dokken finally found a suitable songwriting partner. The songs Paris By Night and I Can not See You Anymore aroused the interest of several record companies.
Dokken took in 1978 to the limited edition of 500 copies Single Hard Rock Woman, which secured a record deal with the local in Stommeln near Cologne studio of producer Dieter Dierks of the band.
When the Scorpions in 1982 her album Blackout recordings in this studio, Don Dokken was involved as a background singer. The first album Breaking the Chains appeared in 1981 Carrere Records, soon aroused the interest of the major label Elektra in 1983 and reissued with a different track listing.
Also in 1982 they played with Udo Lindenberg some songs for his album a club.
After Breaking the Chains 1983 was also released in America, the band toured with Blue Öyster Cult and Aldo Nova by the States. End of the year they played the opening act for Rainbow on their U.S. tour, however, were thrown after a few concerts from the tour. According to rumors, it was said that the Rainbow guitarist Ritchie Blackmore not so strong players like George Lynch wanted to have a support act. The same year, Lynch was invited back to audition for Ozzy Osbourne. Lynch was initially awarded the job, but was ousted at the last minute by Jake E. Lee.
The breakthrough
In 1984, bassist Juan Croucier moved to California band Ratt and was replaced by Jeff Pilson. Dokken attended as the opening act for the USA - Tounee the legendary British heavy metal band Judas Priest through America, later Dee Snider's band Twisted Sister, and then played a European tour supporting the German heavy metal band Accept.
The published 1987 album Back for the Attack Dokken reached the peak of her career. The album made it to number 13 in the U.S. charts, and the band again went on an extensive American tour, this time opening for Aerosmith. In the same year Dokken contributed two songs to the new Freddy Krueger movie Nightmare on Elm Street Part 3. In 1988, the band toured in England as the opening act for AC / DC and was part of the American version of the monster -of- rock festivals. On a Japan tour, the band cut with a live album, released in 1988 under the title Beast from the East. 1989 gave Dokken by internal disputes announced their separation.
After the dissolution
Don Dokken presented after the separation together a new band, which he was not allowed to call Dokken after a complaint by the former members. The Don Dokken Band was next to him from the former Europe guitarist John Norum, the ex - Watchtower guitarist Billy White, the former bassist Peter Baltes and Accept the ex - King Diamond drummer Mickey Dee. The 1990 released album Up from the Ashes in the U.S. reached only the 50th place in the charts and remained the only one in the band. Guitarist George Lynch and drummer Mick Brown formed the band Lynch Mob and recorded several albums. Bassist Jeff Pilson founded War and Peace and rose in 1993 at a Dio. He is now the bass player for Foreigner.
Reunion and renewed separation
In 1994, the band reformed for an offer from Japan and played for the local market the album Dokken one, which appeared a year later under the name Dysfunctional in the rest of the world. The album peaked in the U.S. charts 47th place in 1996, the band released with One Live Night an acoustic live album.
The 1997 album Shadowlife only reached the top 200 on the Billboard charts. Tours of the U.S. and Japan followed, among others, with Alice Cooper. In October 1997, George Lynch left the band and was replaced by John Norum.
For the next studio album Erase the Slate Dokken took the ex- Alice Cooper / Winger guitarist Reb Beach in the band. In the summer of 2000, Dokken toured with Poison, Cinderella and Slaughter. A year later, Jeff Pilson was Rockstar seen as bassist for the fictional band Steel Dragon in the movie.
2001 John Norum returned, and new bassist was the ex- Yngwie Malmsteen - and Michael Schenker Group Member Barry Sparks. With this lineup the band played the album a Long Way from Home. In the summer of the same year, the band toured as part of the Metal Edge Rock Fest tour with LA Guns, Ratt, Firehouse and Warrant by the United States. During the tour Norum left the band because of an injury to the arm. His replacement was the Italian guitarist Alex DeRosso. The drummer Mick Brown retired due to exhaustion shortly afterwards also, and was at a concert in Tucson / Arizona replaced by the LA Guns bassist Adam Hamilton, who stepped in on drums shortly. The tour was then aborted.
In January 2003, the band toured as the opening act for the Scorpions and Whitesnake through the stages of America. Published in 2004 a new Dokken album called Hell to Pay. New guitarist is now ex- Doro - guitar wizard John Levin, but the album flopped.
In April 2008, the new album was released, titled Lightning Strikes Again in the cast of Hell to Pay on Frontiers Records. In November 2009, Dokken toured the U.S., opening act was Lynch Mob, the band led by former guitarist George Lynch. On November 29, 2009, there was the House of Blues in Anaheim to a "Reunion", as Lynch and Jeff Pilson together with Mick Brown and Don Dokken for the encore went on stage and played In My Dreams from the album Under Lock And Key.
Following this event has been speculation in fandom about a soon upcoming re-formation of the group in the original line, which was on the Dokken site by the question of whether it would shortly come to a grand announcement, fueled in May 2010. On 8 December 2010 Lynch, said on its website, however, that it would not give this reunion, though he and Jeff Pilson had really tried it. Failure to reach alone was Don Dokken decision. Literally wrote Lynch:
"We feel it 's important to let folks know there will be no Dokken reunion in the Foreseeable future, if ever. This is Don's decision Despite Jeff 's and my best intentions and efforts over the past few years to make this happen in good faith. My apologies to VH1, Eddie Trunk, Steve Strange and all the fans who were pulling for this to happen. "
"We believe that it is important to let people know that there are, if any, will be no reunion with Dokken in the foreseeable future. This is Don 's decision, despite Jeff 's and my best intentions and efforts in recent years. This we did with best conscience. I apologize to VH1, Eddie Trunk, Steve Strange and all the fans who had believed in a reunion. "
Trivia
- Dokken joined in early years a lot with the German heavy metal pioneers Accept. So the band did not last (then Gaby Hauke ) managed to get a record deal with Carrere Records through the intervention of Accept- manager Gaby Hoffmann. In addition, bassist Peter Baltes, Accept has recorded as a session musician all the bass tracks on the album Breaking The Chains Dokken and 1986 accompanied the Solinger as the opening act on their Russian Roulette European tour.
- For the movie " Nightmare on Elm Street 3 - The Dream Warrior" Dokken contributed a song ( Dream Warriors ) at. The video clip contains excerpts from the film. The song is also heard in the closing credits.
- Dokken plays in an advertising campaign for Norton products. They threaten in the spot a chicken.