Don Dokken talks about rehab experience

[Rip Rokken]

From DOKKEN.NET:

DON DOKKEN SAYS "REHAB WAS SCARY AND PAINFUL BUT WORTH IT"

July 2, 2008

The following is a message from Don Dokken posted on www.dokken.net:

"Hi everybody, it's been an interesting couple of weeks since Lightning Strikes Again came out. We entered the billboard hard rock charts at #18, #1 on CD Universe and #80 on iTunes. All I can say is thanks, you are the ones that made it happen. We leave this week for our summer tour with POISON. I'm looking forward to it and hoping to sing the best I have in a while. I recently had surgery on my sinuses. I've had problems with my voice for a long time and it was driving me nuts, the smoking didn't help either. It turns out I've had a sinus disease for years, and NO it wasn't from doing blow! So now it's as good as it's gonna get especially at my age, hah!

It took almost three years to finish LSA.. Mostly because the producer wasted all the time and guess what? I'm the producer! So that's why I recently spent some time hanging out with Stevo from Jack Ass at Las Encinas hospital. He's a very cool guy, I left just in time for my friend STEVEN TYLER (from AEROSMITH) to have my room, seems it's getting really popular there. Steven has been the poster child for living a clean life for so long, I was shocked to hear he was coming my way. It is so true that addiction is a life long struggle.

So by now I think you've figured out what I was doing there, the QUEENSRYCHE tour was a wakeup call. we were all on the same bus and they got really worried about me. I was a mess. let's just say 17 years was enough, and think of the money I'll now be saving LOL.

So since I was wandering around in my bathrobe for a month looking and feeling like a homeless person, counseling with Dr Drew and ten other Docs, I figured I might as well quit drinking at the same. Rehab was scary and painful but worth it. I don't recommend trying to get clean on your own if you have a serious drug problem. My problem was... I didn't think I had a problem, I was wrong.

So here I go with a clear mind, repaired vocal chords and some great new songs to sing from LSA. I hope everyone comes to at least one show, or two or 30. We will be adding some headlining shows in between the Poison shows, so check for the dates here. So that's it for now, enjoy your summer, and if you see me drinking on stage it's just ice tea, honest!

Keep Rokken"
Don Dokken

Awesome, and I thought it was super cool for him to end by advising Andrew to keep me around here at MR. I'm still hoping they will come somewhere near so that I can get to a show. I'll be close enough to take a video like weatherman90 did -- check out his video, and Don pointing and smiling at him right before he starts singing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G_mHD_5Cxo

[Duncan]

Rip - don't know if you used to read Kerrang back in the good old days, but the first time I ever heard of Don Dokken was when my eye was drawn to a photograph in that magazine of the great man with a young lady. Her legs were wrapped around his hips and she was naked from the waist down. Do you remember that photograph?

[Perrydise]

Rip - don't know if you used to read Kerrang back in the good old days, but the first time I ever heard of Don Dokken was when my eye was drawn to a photograph in that magazine of the great man with a young lady. Her legs were wrapped around his hips and she was naked from the waist down. Do you remember that photograph?

Oh you can believe if there is a pikture like that out there Rip has seen it, took it and probably even orchestrated it for DD.

Thanks for the post Rip, he sounds like he is in a good place

[(Crazy)Dulce Lady]

you beat me to the re-post RR.

San Antonio. purty close to me. maybe we can talk about this........

good for don, btw.

[Rip Rokken]

Rip - don't know if you used to read Kerrang back in the good old days, but the first time I ever heard of Don Dokken was when my eye was drawn to a photograph in that magazine of the great man with a young lady. Her legs were wrapped around his hips and she was naked from the waist down. Do you remember that photograph?

Ummm..... never saw it! LOL! Are you serious?

[Rip Rokken]

you beat me to the re-post RR.

San Antonio. purty close to me. maybe we can talk about this........

good for don, btw.

Really? I would have guessed somewhere in L.A. Hey, PM me and let's talk about it...

[(Crazy)Dulce Lady]

you beat me to the re-post RR.

San Antonio. purty close to me. maybe we can talk about this........

good for don, btw.

Really? I would have guessed somewhere in L.A. Hey, PM me and let's talk about it...

no that was randon. Dokken is in a festival in San Antonio on July 11. it is in an article a little farther toward the top. I'd like to go. never been before. maybe we can call the cuz.........

[Rip Rokken]

no that was randon. Dokken is in a festival in San Antonio on July 11. it is in an article a little farther toward the top. I'd like to go. never been before. maybe we can call the cuz.........

Oh, yeah! Yes, there are 2 Texas gigs that I know of, but neither are within driving distance of me. I'd forgotten how BIG Texas is... haha! But certainly go and meet Don and get some pics if you can. You will have a great time. Hey, check out that YouTube weatherman90 posted, and then look at his others from that show as well. He got several great ones of Don's raps and stories with the audience between songs, and they are fun to watch.

[Duncan]

Rip - don't know if you used to read Kerrang back in the good old days, but the first time I ever heard of Don Dokken was when my eye was drawn to a photograph in that magazine of the great man with a young lady. Her legs were wrapped around his hips and she was naked from the waist down. Do you remember that photograph?

Ummm..... never saw it! LOL! Are you serious?

Totally serious. I also remember a cool photo of Neal Schon sitting on a skate board. Wish you could look up back copies of the at mag on line.

[Rip Rokken]

Rip - don't know if you used to read Kerrang back in the good old days, but the first time I ever heard of Don Dokken was when my eye was drawn to a photograph in that magazine of the great man with a young lady. Her legs were wrapped around his hips and she was naked from the waist down. Do you remember that photograph?

Ummm..... never saw it! LOL! Are you serious?

Totally serious. I also remember a cool photo of Neal Schon sitting on a skate board. Wish you could look up back copies of the at mag on line.

Hmmm.... that could be the only rock magazine out that featured both Dokken and Bush in the same poster! A collector's item!

[JH'sTXfan]

no that was randon. Dokken is in a festival in San Antonio on July 11. it is in an article a little farther toward the top. I'd like to go. never been before. maybe we can call the cuz.........

Oh, yeah! Yes, there are 2 Texas gigs that I know of, but neither are within driving distance of me. I'd forgotten how BIG Texas is... haha! But certainly go and meet Don and get some pics if you can. You will have a great time. Hey, check out that YouTube weatherman90 posted, and then look at his others from that show as well. He got several great ones of Don's raps and stories with the audience between songs, and they are fun to watch.

Friday night I'll be Stolkken Dokken with a couple of coffee cups and a camera in hand.

I probably won't get to meet him, but it will be a great time anyway.

[Rip Rokken]

Friday night I'll be Stolkken Dokken with a couple of coffee cups and a camera in hand.

I probably won't get to meet him, but it will be a great time anyway.

Hey, let me know how the show goes, and of course you'll get to meet them... make it your mission! Photos, photos! If you do, please send them Rip Rokken's regards.

[Matthew]

Hey Rip...I really enjoyed those clips of Don Dokken chatting to the audience. He's a witty old raconteur isn't he? I don't what I was expecting...but somehow this surprised me.

Plus I can't believe the guy is 55. That would have made him fairly ancient even at Dokken's peak....

[Rip Rokken]

Hey Rip...I really enjoyed those clips of Don Dokken chatting to the audience. He's a witty old raconteur isn't he? I don't what I was expecting...but somehow this surprised me.

Plus I can't believe the guy is 55. That would have made him fairly ancient even at Dokken's peak....

Yes, he's got a great sense of humor and is a great storyteller as well! Even his acoustic set w/Queensryche was most entertaining! The people I went with said they are really surprised at how much they enjoyed it!

[Matthew]

Hey Rip...I really enjoyed those clips of Don Dokken chatting to the audience. He's a witty old raconteur isn't he? I don't what I was expecting...but somehow this surprised me.

Plus I can't believe the guy is 55. That would have made him fairly ancient even at Dokken's peak....

Yes, he's got a great sense of humor and is a great storyteller as well! Even his acoustic set w/Queensryche was most entertaining! The people I went with said they are really surprised at how much they enjoyed it!

Has he always been funny like this? Or has this just developed as he's got older?

[weatherman90]

Hey Rip...I really enjoyed those clips of Don Dokken chatting to the audience. He's a witty old raconteur isn't he? I don't what I was expecting...but somehow this surprised me.

Plus I can't believe the guy is 55. That would have made him fairly ancient even at Dokken's peak....

Yes, he's got a great sense of humor and is a great storyteller as well! Even his acoustic set w/Queensryche was most entertaining! The people I went with said they are really surprised at how much they enjoyed it!

Has he always been funny like this? Or has this just developed as he's got older?

I don't know, but I find myself watching the clips over and over again as well to relive the concert. I'm glad I filmed his banter because it's just priceless!

Also during most songs you can catch him leaning on an amp and just smiling at the crowd, it's pretty funny stuff. He's probably my favorite frontman because when you go to a show you don't know what he's going to say or do, but it's bound to be hilarious.