Dokken is a Los Angeles, California heavy metal band formed in 1978. The most popular line-up of the band consisted of founder Don Dokken (vocals), George Lynch (lead guitar), Juan Croucier (bass), and Mick Brown (drums). Originally the band was called "Airborn", but there was already a band with a record deal that had this name, so the band’s name was changed to Dokken.
In 1981 Don Dokken went to Germany to sing background vocals on the Scorpion’s Blackout album. Scorpion’s lead singer, Klaus Meine was having a vocal ailment, and Don was there to assist with vocals. While in the recording studio Don was heard by the manager of another band Accept (who was also in the studio at the time). The manager was able to get Don Dokken a deal with Carrere Records. Dokken’s first album 1983’s Breaking the Chains was originally released on Carrere under the name Don Dokken, but shortly thereafter Don met George Lynch and Mick Brown who had been playing in a band called Xciter, and with the addition of Croucier, the line-up of Dokken (the band) was complete. The band was signed to a record label in the United States and went on tour as the opening band for Blue Oyster Cult (see 80’s Quest Post of February 2nd) in 1983. Breaking the Chains was very popular in Europe, but did not do well at all in the United States, and the band almost dropped by their record label.
In 1983 Croucier left Dokken and joined the band Ratt (see 80’s Quest post). Jeff Pilson replaced him on bass.
In September 1984 Dokken released their Tooth and Nail album. The album spawned numerous hits such as "Just Got Lucky", "Alone Again", and "Into the Fire". The album charted at #49 in the United States, and sold one million copies worldwide.
In November 1985 the band’s third album, Under Lock and Key, was released. Again it sold over one million copies and spawned many hits, "In My Dreams" which charted at #24, "The Hunter" which charted at #25, and "It’s Not Love". The band did a successful tour with The Scorpions and returned to the studio in December 1986 to record a song for the movie soundtrack of the horror movie A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors. The track, "Dream Warriors" was released as a single in February 1987.
The band took 6 months off and began recording their next album, Back for the Attack which was released in December 1987. Hits included "Burning Like a Flame" which charted at #20, "Heaven Sent" and "Prisoner". This was the band’s most successful album in the U.S. charting at #13. The album also included a remixed version of the song "Dream Warriors". The video for the song featured the band interacting with characters from the Nightmare on Elm Street movie. Dokken toured with the Monsters of Rock Tour in the summer of 1988 along with The Scorpions, Metallica, Van Halen, and Kingdom Come. The band also did an April 1988 tour in Japan which was recorded for a live album called Beast from the East" which was released in November 1988. It contained one hit, "Walk Away".
Don Dokken and George Lynch were having personal problems with each other and not getting along. This combined with creative differences caused Dokken to break up in March 1989. Lynch started his own band, Lynch Mob and took drummer Mick Brown with him. Lynch Mob recorded two albums, 1990’s Wicked Sensation and 1992’s Lynch Mob. Don Dokken recorded a solo album in 1990 called Up from the Ashes. In 1991 Pilson joined the McAuley Schenker Group and played on their album M.S.G., and later joined Dio for their 1994 Strange Highways album.
Lynch and Don Dokken worked together to write the song "We Don’t Own This World" for Lynch’s first solo album, Sacred Groove. Don Dokken was supposed to sing lead on the track, but at the last moment was not able to get to the studio, so Matthew and Gunnar Nelson of the band Nelson sang on the track instead.
In 1993 Don Dokken was going to released another solo album, Dysfunctional, but a record company executive suggested bringing George Lynch back into the fold so the album could be marketed as a Dokken album. Brown and Pilson came back too, and Dokken was reunited in 1995 and signed to Columbia Records. This album sold over 300,000 copies. It was the early 1990’s and grunge music was replacing heavy metal in popularity, so Dokken and bands like them were not selling as many albums as they had in the past. Dokken went on tour in support of Dysfunctional, but tensions arose between Lynch and Don Dokken again. The band was supposed to play live on 120 radio stations, but during one of those promotions, Lynch left the studio and refused to return. Columbia Records later dropped Dokken because of this and other incidents involving Lynch’s unruly and undisciplined behavior.
Somehow Dokken managed to get the band together long enough to be picked up by a new label, CMC, who released a live acoustic Dokken album called One Live Night. There was another album, Shadowlife in 1997 on which Lynch took total control. In an interview on www.metaldreams.net Don Dokken felt that Lynch intended to destroy the band with this album. In late 1997 Lynch left the band again. He tried to re-join the band for the tour for Shadowlife but was told that he was not welcome by the rest of the band. Lynch sued the band for $1 million, but lost. Former Winger guitarist, Reb Beach was hired as the new guitarist. He appeared on the 1999 Dokken album, Erase the Slate and a live album in 2000, Live from the Sun. Beach was replaced by John Norum. Bassist Pilson left the band and was replaced by Barry Sparks. The only remaining original members were Don Dokken and Brown. With this new line-up the 2002 album, Long Way Home was released. While on tour for this album, new guitarist Norum injured his hand and had to be replaced by Alex De Rosso.
In Spring 2003 Dokken toured the United States with The Scorpions and Whitesnake. After the tour De Rosso lost his visa and returned to Italy, and was replaced by Jon Levin. The line-up with Levin lasted through 2008 touring extensively and releasing an album in 2004 called Hell to Pay.
Dokken returned to the studio and released their next album in 2008, called Lightning Strikes Again. During the Summer of 2008 the band toured with Sebastian Bach and Poison. In 2010 Dokken opened for The Scorpions on their U.S. tour. In March 2010 Dokken also released a Greatest Hits compilation digitally on iTunes and Amazon.com. A traditional album was released thereafter including some additional tracks.
Dokken plans to release a new album in 2012 and go out on tour in June.
Lyrics:
Toss and turn all night in the sheets
I can't sleep
Night after night don't know what it means
In my dreams
What can I say or do
You won't come back, we're through
I've realized too late
That, baby, your love has turned away
In my dreams--it's still the same
Your love is strong, it still remains
In my dreams--you're still by me
Just the way it used to be
Calling your name, but you're turning away
Please don't leave
Running in circles, waiting to see you
In my dreams
What can I say or do
You won't come back, we're through
I've realized too late
That, baby, your love has turned away
In my dreams--it's still the same
Your love is strong, it still remains
In my dreams--you're still by me
Just the way it used to be
In my dreams--it's still the same
Your love is strong, it still remains
In my dreams--you're still by me
Just the way it used to be
In my dreams--it's still the same
Your love is strong, it still remains
In my dreams--you'll always be
In my heart and in my dreams
In my dreams--it's still the same
In my dreams--you're still by me
In my dreams--just the way it used to be
In my dreams--what can I say
In my dreams--You're still by me
And in my dreams--You'll always be
In my dreams--You'll always be
In my dreams--your love is strong
In my dreams--You're still the same
In my dreams
I can't sleep
Night after night don't know what it means
In my dreams
What can I say or do
You won't come back, we're through
I've realized too late
That, baby, your love has turned away
In my dreams--it's still the same
Your love is strong, it still remains
In my dreams--you're still by me
Just the way it used to be
Calling your name, but you're turning away
Please don't leave
Running in circles, waiting to see you
In my dreams
What can I say or do
You won't come back, we're through
I've realized too late
That, baby, your love has turned away
In my dreams--it's still the same
Your love is strong, it still remains
In my dreams--you're still by me
Just the way it used to be
In my dreams--it's still the same
Your love is strong, it still remains
In my dreams--you're still by me
Just the way it used to be
In my dreams--it's still the same
Your love is strong, it still remains
In my dreams--you'll always be
In my heart and in my dreams
In my dreams--it's still the same
In my dreams--you're still by me
In my dreams--just the way it used to be
In my dreams--what can I say
In my dreams--You're still by me
And in my dreams--You'll always be
In my dreams--You'll always be
In my dreams--your love is strong
In my dreams--You're still the same
In my dreams
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