During a recent episode of The Hook Rocks! podcast, former Dokken guitarist George Lynch reflected on the internal dynamics of the band’s songwriting process, challenging claims made by lead vocalist Don Dokken.
Lynch’s remarks come amid ongoing discussions about the contributions of each band member to Dokken’s most successful hits. The musician disputed Don’s assertion that he was the primary songwriter for the majority of the band’s hits.
Lynch’s Harsh Critique Of Don Dokken’s Ethics
Revisiting the controversy on the podcast, George accused Don of exploiting other people’s talents for personal gain, explaining:
“Don is very good at one thing, and that’s self-promotion, lying, and using other people’s abilities to further his agenda and then taking the credit for it. And he has a gift for it, and I will say, in all deference and honesty, that because he has that gift, I’ve been able to do things that I wouldn’t have been able to do — have a music career — because he’s the kind of person that’s willing to do things I would never be willing to do: lie, cheat and steal. I’m not saying that I haven’t probably cheated a little bit here and there, but Don does it on a whole other level. And he can sleep at night because he’s just wired that way.”
The Uncertain Future Of A Classic-Lineup Dokken Album
While there is still interest in a new album featuring the classic Dokken lineup, Lynch elsewhere expressed concerns about Don’s vocal abilities and whether they could deliver the quality expected for a potential record. He stated:
“We get Don involved, and he does his thing, and Don has a kind of a poetic — or at least did; I think he still does to some extent — a poetic sensibility. That’s his kind of narrow little thing that he does that’s cool. But his voice is not — I don’t know if it’s up to snuff to where we can even pull off a record; that’s the problem.”
The Real Story Behind Dokken’s Hits
Lynch also previously challenged Dokken’s claim of being the main songwriter for most of the band’s popular songs. In a conversation on the 80’s Glam Metalcast, Lynch explained that the songwriting was a group effort involving himself, Jeff Pilson, and Mick Brown, contrary to Don’s assertions. Lynch also shared a note on how they sometimes found inspiration for lyrics and titles from the TV Guide.
From Don’s perspective, he argued that he was responsible for writing 75 percent of the band’s hits, a claim that he believes led to significant financial losses for him due to the way royalties were shared among the band members.
Adding his voice to the discussion, Jeff Pilson dismissed Don’s claims about his songwriting contributions, especially regarding the band’s third album, ‘Under Lock And Key.’ Pilson pointed out that the creation of that album was a collective effort and suggested that Don’s recent statements might be aimed at drawing attention to a new Dokken record.
Watch the full podcast episode here.
