Dokken’s former bassist, Jeff Pilson, has openly criticized Don Dokken’s recent statements regarding his songwriting contributions to the band’s third album, ‘Under Lock And Key,’ during a new interview with Full In Bloom.
Pilson contested Dokken’s claim that he had written ’80 percent’ of ‘Under Lock And Key,’ the band’s 1985 release. Labeling the assertion as ‘total bullsh*t,’ the musician clarified that while Don was a significant contributor, he did not solely write the majority of the tracks.
Stirring Up Attention
Specifically, Pilson noted that songs like ‘It’s Not Love,’ ‘Unchain The Night,’ and ‘Lightnin’ Strikes Again’ saw little to no involvement from Dokken. Jeff suggested that the singer’s exaggerated claims might be a strategy to garner attention for an upcoming Dokken record, explaining:
“It sounds like he’s been trying to stir up attention to himself because he’s got a new [Dokken] record [to promote]. Because it seems kind of desperate and weak. I just have to laugh. I mean, I don’t understand it. I think it’s kind of weird.”
He continued, reflecting on the band’s past practice of equally splitting royalties:
“I know he’s resentful of the fact that we split everything equally, but if you would have broken it down to what we did, I’m not sure — maybe he would get a little, yeah, he’d get more than a quarter if it was really broken up, but not enough more to make all the noise he’s making now 30 years later, 40 years later.”
George Lynch Weighs In
Further supporting Pilson’s stance, former Dokken guitarist George Lynch also refuted Dokken’s claims in an episode of the 80’s Glam Metalcast. Lynch emphasized that the bulk of the band’s material was a collective effort, saying:
“Jeff [Pilson], Mick [Brown], and I wrote almost everything. There was a point where the manager… This is always a thing with Don. He goes off about how he wrote everything. That’s bullshit. Jeff and I, and Don and Jeff wrote some things, and Don wrote a thing, something on his own here and there, and important songs, but the bulk of the material was written by Jeff and I, and that’s just the truth.”
Contrasting these viewpoints, Don has maintained that he was the principal songwriter for the band, attributing 75 percent of the hits to his efforts. In interviews, he has acknowledged making significant financial sacrifices by sharing royalties equally among band members, suggesting he lost millions as a result.
You can listen to Pilson’s interview below.
