Dokken frontman Don Dokken and guitarist George Lynch have begun snapping at each other ahead of the band’s reunion shows in Japan, says drummer Mick Brown – and he adds that he’s tired of it.
The classic lineup, also featuring Jeff Pilson, are set to pay six gigs in October, before Dokken revert to the current formation featuring Dokken, Brown, Jon Levin and Chris McCarvill.
The vocalist said earlier this month that the brief tour was “about money” and argued that the same was true of the Guns N’ Roses reunion.
Brown tells Focus On Metal, “Nothing’s changed. George and Don, during the conversations to get this going, they’re already starting up.
Jeff seems excited about it. I would like to see it happen. There’s not much time – Jeff has only got a 10 or 12 day window to do this.
We don’t have time for much bickering. I’m a little standoffish about it. Maybe I’ll get a good feeling from it when it happens. I hope so.”
The drummer says he’d be delighted if the reunion was for artistic reasons, but continues, “I don’t feel that way. It’s a money thing, and the money’s too good.
I’m tired of the bad-attitude stuff. You put Don and George together and it just starts happening again, and then it gets really confusing.
I think it’s very sad when grown men act that way, and I’m tired of being around it. But here we go.”
Brown adds, “Listen, for that kind of money, I’ll shut up and do what we used to do. Jeff and I will stand there and go just the same way we did before.”
With no further reunion shows planned, he reflects: “If we blink this will be over. What’s probably going to happen is we’ll end up doing it, it’ll come off really well, then they’re going to talk about doing it again. And I’ll be like, ‘Oh man, here we go, all over again!’”
Unleashed In The East tour dates:
Oct 5: Osaka Namba Hatch
Oct 6: Fukuoka Civic Hall
Oct 8: Tokyo Loud Park Festival
Oct 10: Hiroshima Blue Live Hiroshima
Oct 11: Aichi Zepp Nagoya
Oct 12: Tokyo Zepp Diverci
additional source: Classic Rock via teamrock.com
23 Responses
Not really shocked that there’s tension between those two guys. If the money is so good and it’s the only reason they are doing this, then I guess they don’t have to get along, just as long as all the shows happen. They know this is temporary anyway. I think once they play the final show, Don and George need to step out into the street and settle this like men once and for all.
I’ve got to wonder what these guys consider “a lot of money,” because most of the venues they’re playing in Japan are between 1,500 and 3,000 in capacity….
I suspect it must be the money they are getting from the promoters. A portion from the tickets sales may just be icing on the cake, not to mention what they will clear in march sales.
D 🙂
Absolutely knew this would happen. I have yet to hear an interview from Don, where he didn’t take a shot at George. Don is worried that the original lineup will get a response that he will never see with his current version. I wish they could just act like grown-ups long enough to bang out this mini tour. They are a great band, and the fans deserve better than this.
I think George Lynch seems to be just as dysfunctional as Don…Don gets most of the bad press but I think they both have taken strange paths since Dokken and both have hurt their careers in that the main thing they are still known for is the band that hasn’t been together in years…neither lived up to what could’ve been. How many bands has George Lynch been in over the last 3-4 years alone…Don, well he’s still using the Dokken name, but no one cares about any of their music since the 80’s…two talented guys whose egos ruined it, while Jeff and Mick continue to be pawns in those two fighting, even over this little reunion…absurd.
He’s still using the DOKKEN name? It’s his actual name. What should he call himself? AC/DD? DARK SUNDAY? EGGSHELLSNAKE? BON JOVI S BROTHER, LITA CHEVY, or TWISTED MISTER?