Don Dokken recently opened up about his experience touring with Metallica during the 1988 ‘Monsters Of Rock’ U.S. stadium tour. He shared candid details about an honest comment he made to Jason Newsted that he later regretted, as revealed in an interview with Can You Get Me In.
The Dokken frontman reflected on how challenging it was for his band to perform alongside Metallica during their peak period.
“[Metallica] kicked our butts. It’s hard to play with Metallica. They’re the biggest band in the world now,” Dokken said. “And I remember on ‘Monsters’, they were going on right before us, and I thought… It is kind of, like, we’re not heavy like them, so I told [our manager]. We had the same managers — [Cliff] Burnstein and [Peter] Mensch [of Q Prime] — and I said, ‘Cliff, can you put ’em on after us?’ I go, ‘It’s kind of hard to go on stage and sing ‘In My Dreams’ [after Metallica’s set].'”
Dokken described the overwhelming impact of Metallica’s performance during that tour period.
“They crushed us. They were right in the middle of recording the ‘Black Album’. It took ’em four years with [mega producer Robert John] ‘Mutt’ Lange,” he continued.
The most revealing part of Dokken’s story involved a private encounter with Metallica’s then-bassist Jason Newsted. Newsted sought his professional opinion on their upcoming album.
“And I remember, the [Metallica] bass player [at the time], Jason [Newsted], came to my hotel room one night and he wanted me to listen to a track [from the album that turned out to be ‘…And Justice For All’], and he said, ‘Just give me your opinion, as a producer. Do you think the bass is too low?’ And I said, ‘Honestly, I wouldn’t know ’cause I can’t hear any bass.’ I didn’t mean to be mean,” Dokken explained.
The comment had unintended consequences that Dokken immediately recognized.
“And, of course, he told Kirk [Hammett, Metallica guitarist] and [the other guys in the band]. And I went, ‘Oh, shit. I shouldn’t have just said nothing.’ But it was true. Metallica doesn’t put a lot of bass [on their albums]. It comes from their guitars and their kick drums,” he concluded.
This candid revelation provides insight into the dynamics between the two bands during one of metal’s most significant touring packages of the late 1980s.
The 1988 Monsters of Rock tour showcased the stark contrast between the two bands’ musical approaches and stage presence. Setlist.fm documented that Dokken’s typical performances during the tour featured melodic metal anthems like “Just Got Lucky,” “Heaven Sent,” and “Mr. Scary.” These songs stood in sharp contrast to Metallica’s heavier material. The tour hit major venues including Alpine Valley Music Theatre and Rice Stadium, where the difference in musical styles became particularly evident.
Metallica’s setlist during the tour demonstrated their growing dominance in the metal scene. Concert Archives reported that their performances included crushing renditions of “Creeping Death,” “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” and “Seek & Destroy.” These songs would leave audiences in a frenzy before Dokken took the stage. This created the exact challenge Dokken described, as his band’s more melodic approach seemed almost gentle in comparison.
The tour statistics reveal the scope of this musical mismatch across multiple venues. Setlist.fm tour statistics showed that Dokken consistently performed their signature tracks throughout the Monsters of Rock 1988 tour. However, the band’s commercial metal sound was overshadowed by Metallica’s increasingly aggressive and complex compositions. This touring experience would prove to be a turning point for both bands. Metallica ascended to global superstardom while Dokken continued to find their place in the evolving metal landscape.
The incident with Jason Newsted also highlighted the collaborative nature of the metal community. Musicians often sought each other’s opinions despite being competitors on the same bill. Dokken’s honest assessment of the bass levels on “…And Justice For All” inadvertently touched on what would become one of the album’s most discussed production controversies among fans and critics alike.
