Forum DON (aka DOKKEN re-records on the way!)

[Rip Rokken]

Looks like they are finally going to surface! I don't see how they can be any improvement, but ol' Don may have a trick or two up his sleeve yet!

From Blabbermouth.net today:

"As previously reported, DOKKEN's "Greatest Hits, Vol. 2" — a collection of all-new versions of tracks such as "Dream Warriors", "Breaking the Chains" and "Just Got Lucky", paired with several new songs and a cover of "Lies" by THE KNICKERBOCKERS — is tentatively due in October via Rhino."

Waiting for Andrew to come in any minute asking me why I'm quoting Blabbermouth when he scooped it on MelodicRock.com prior to this. Did he?

[Don]

Did they do all the hits acoustically already or just Dream Warriors and one or two others.

Se what Journey started. Kiss , Dokken. MAKE THE MADNESS STOP!

[Rip Rokken]

Did they do all the hits acoustically already or just Dream Warriors and one or two others.

Se what Journey started. Kiss , Dokken. MAKE THE MADNESS STOP!

According to AJM quite a while back, the re-records were "in the can" but they've been sitting there. Not acoustic that I know of. Again, no reason to be excited about re-recorded versions of Dokken's greatest hits because you can't top the classics, but I still think Don may pull some tricks out of his sleeve and impress us all.

[conversationpc]

Ugh...I really hate this kind of thing.

[Michigan Girl]

Ugh...I really hate this kind of thing.

ME TOO!!!!

[strangegrey]

Heard this on Hair Nation last weekend....


well, I guess Don is looking to repeat the same mistakes Journey has made....he's already quite adept at firing band members.....so why not a set of retreads too!?!

[Rip Rokken]

Heard this on Hair Nation last weekend....

well, I guess Don is looking to repeat the same mistakes Journey has made....he's already quite adept at firing band members.....so why not a set of retreads too!?!

Don won't put out a substandard product -- he'll find a way to kick A, one way or another.

As for Journey, I don't see how doing the Wal Mart deal was a mistake in any way. Whether or not people like the idea of the re-records, they were part of the arrangement and the band has been riding on a high ever since the Revelation package came out (plus the boost from The Sopranos of course).

[texafana]

oh christ...old Don just doesn't have near the pipes or the range anymore to redo the classics. Bring on pro tools and auto tube baby!

[Melissa]

Guess they're going to leave "Walk Away" alone, which is good. Can't improve that one, and it's their best, so it's good they leave it alone. lol

[weatherman90]

Everything Dokken has ever done has been absolutely solid - with the exception of Shadowlife (even that one has its good moments).

I have no doubts that GHV2 will be impressive!

[verslibre]

Wow. Aren't Don's pipes pretty...rusty, compared to even a decade ago?

I figure he re-recorded these so if the new versions are used for anything, he doesn't have to pay Jeff and George? Or?

[wastingbeerz]

Looks like they are finally going to surface! I don't see how they can be any improvement, but ol' Don may have a trick or two up his sleeve yet!

From Blabbermouth.net today:

"As previously reported, DOKKEN's "Greatest Hits, Vol. 2" — a collection of all-new versions of tracks such as "Dream Warriors", "Breaking the Chains" and "Just Got Lucky", paired with several new songs and a cover of "Lies" by THE KNICKERBOCKERS — is tentatively due in October via Rhino."

Waiting for Andrew to come in any minute asking me why I'm quoting Blabbermouth when he scooped it on MelodicRock.com prior to this. Did he?

I'm guessing this is in response to the Lynch Mob REvolution album that came out years ago. And, might I add SMOKIN' version of Tooth and Nail on that one!!!

[weatherman90]

Wow. Aren't Don's pipes pretty...rusty, compared to even a decade ago?

I figure he re-recorded these so if the new versions are used for anything, he doesn't have to pay Jeff and George? Or?

I think that Rhino wanted more Dokken product - a second album is actually what they wanted. They won't get the second album for a while, but now they will have GHV2, and it will sell almost as good if not better than a new studio album.

[Rip Rokken]

Everything Dokken has ever done has been absolutely solid - with the exception of Shadowlife (even that one has its good moments).

I have no doubts that GHV2 will be impressive!

You know it!!! Even when they do a Christmas song, it's killer and beats every other band's song hands down on that disc. Dokken is not to be messed with.

[Rhiannon]

Everything Dokken has ever done has been absolutely solid

Are you talking about the quality of his stool?

[wastingbeerz]

Everything Dokken has ever done has been absolutely solid - with the exception of Shadowlife (even that one has its good moments).

I have no doubts that GHV2 will be impressive!

I own Shadowlife and really hear no good moments. Enlighten me?

Seriously, only spent $3.99 at a used CD place and still feel ripped off. Now that's BAD. Will say, though, that's the ONLY time Don & Co. EVER let me down. Really hope GHV2 isn't a Shadowlifization of all the classics... LOL.

[conversationpc]

Everything Dokken has ever done has been absolutely solid - with the exception of Shadowlife (even that one has its good moments).

"Shadowlife" has NO good moments...at all. I listened to it once and have tried to listen to it again a few times since then. It's one of the worst albums I've ever purchased by any band...and this is coming from a Dokken fan.

[strangegrey]

Heard this on Hair Nation last weekend....

well, I guess Don is looking to repeat the same mistakes Journey has made....he's already quite adept at firing band members.....so why not a set of retreads too!?!

Don won't put out a substandard product -- he'll find a way to kick A, one way or another.

That's not the issue. I haven't really said that the Journey retreads were a bad idea because they sound bad (even though they have a 'demo' quality to them)....The retreads are a bad idea because of various other factors....

But let me address that....while I have no doubt that the current incarnation of Dokken could do the songs justice, since their new guitarist is a damn fine guitarist....Don's voice is NOT what it was in the 80s. That's a fact, Rip. I like Lightning Strikes Again and it's one of my favorite Dokken albums...but that's because I didn't hear Don sing these songs back in 1984, when his voice didn't sound like a throw rug flapping in the wind. As soon as this band retreads these songs, Don's voice wear will become very identifiable.

As for Journey, I don't see how doing the Wal Mart deal was a mistake in any way. Whether or not people like the idea of the re-records, they were part of the arrangement and the band has been riding on a high ever since the Revelation package came out (plus the boost from The Sopranos of course).

Don't tell me that Journey couldn't have negotiated the retreads out of the agreement, had they NOT wanted to record them. The whole "walmart wanted them" is an excuse to get the retreads recorded and released in the stores.....Neal has been wanting to erase Perry from the band as much as possible and the discussions about rerecording the music has been floating around the band since long before Augeri was ousted from the band....

So really, the band wanted it...walmart wanting them is rather inconsequential to this. The fact that they can say walmart wanted it as part of the deal, is simply a way to shift the blame/focus on Big, Bad, Wally....so they can save face with fans that don't approve.


Regardless, I defy anyone to point to the retreads as a reason why Revelation sold 750k units. I view it as a mistake....because I don't think that redoing 25 year old music that has been iconic for several generations does anything other than water down the originals. Granted, I will admit that it hasn't had the negative affect I thought it would. In reality, the retreads have become inconsequential. I get the distinct impression that people buy Rev, they rip the first CD into their computer, put the CD in the car changer....and toss the DVD and the retreads disc into the drawer where it never sees the light of day again. People have zero interest in them....perhaps some have a morbid curiosity to hear what Arnel could do....but in the end, they're largely overwhelmed...


The *only* way the retreads make a statement, was if Arnel sang these songs way better than Perry.....and not the comparison that the anti-perry folk around here like to us, which is comparing today's arnel with today's perry (assuming they've heard perry sing recently )....but the more difficult comparison of comparing Arnel today to Perry in his prime. Sorry, the Arnel of today isn't fit to wipe the sweat off of the balls of the Steve Perry from the early 80s....and that's the comparison these retreads force, by nature of them. And that's why it's a failure/throwaway.

Trust me, it'd be news if Arnel could outpipe Perry from his prime. Then people would be buying this disc for the retreads and going apeshit over it....but that's not the case. It's inconsequential to 99% of the people that have purchased Rev in this country...

So in the end, we have a disc of new material getting counted twice because it comes with another disc that holds as much value to people as a promotional AOL CD.

[Rip Rokken]

But let me address that....while I have no doubt that the current incarnation of Dokken could do the songs justice, since their new guitarist is a damn fine guitarist....Don's voice is NOT what it was in the 80s... As soon as this band retreads these songs, Don's voice wear will become very identifiable.

Don doesn't need to hit the high notes on this one. That's what you'll do when you pop in the new CD and Don busts out of your speaker and kicks you square in the scrot!

So in the end, we have a disc of new material getting counted twice because it comes with another disc that holds as much value to people as a promotional AOL CD.

Hey, those old AOL discs are going back up in value, and I'm about to start reinvesting in them and make bank, man! Tons of AOL users wish they could go back to earlier versions of the AOL software.

[weatherman90]

Everything Dokken has ever done has been absolutely solid - with the exception of Shadowlife (even that one has its good moments).

"Shadowlife" has NO good moments...at all. I listened to it once and have tried to listen to it again a few times since then. It's one of the worst albums I've ever purchased by any band...and this is coming from a Dokken fan.

"Puppet on a String". It's brief, but before the distorted vocals kick in, the riffing rocks! The song could have been much better if Don sang without distortion.

[weatherman90]

Hey, those old AOL discs are going back up in value, and I'm about to start reinvesting in them and make bank, man! Tons of AOL users wish they could go back to earlier versions of the AOL software.

Well said, Rip. Well said!

[Rip Rokken]

Everything Dokken has ever done has been absolutely solid - with the exception of Shadowlife (even that one has its good moments).

"Shadowlife" has NO good moments...at all. I listened to it once and have tried to listen to it again a few times since then. It's one of the worst albums I've ever purchased by any band...and this is coming from a Dokken fan.

"Puppet on a String". It's brief, but before the distorted vocals kick in, the riffing rocks! The song could have been much better if Don sang without distortion.

"Shadowlife" is really the only bad move in their catalog, and is what happens when bands give up their image to try to appeal to a different audience. BUT... it's not without good moments. "Puppet" is a good song, and it also has one of my favorite ballads -- "Bitter Regret". I don't know how anyone can't like that song. Even this Karaoke dude loves it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZrs3Rmut7A

[wastingbeerz]

Everything Dokken has ever done has been absolutely solid - with the exception of Shadowlife (even that one has its good moments).

"Shadowlife" has NO good moments...at all. I listened to it once and have tried to listen to it again a few times since then. It's one of the worst albums I've ever purchased by any band...and this is coming from a Dokken fan.

"Puppet on a String". It's brief, but before the distorted vocals kick in, the riffing rocks! The song could have been much better if Don sang without distortion.

"Shadowlife" is really the only bad move in their catalog, and is what happens when bands give up their image to try to appeal to a different audience. BUT... it's not without good moments. "Puppet" is a good song, and it also has one of my favorite ballads -- "Bitter Regret". I don't know how anyone can't like that song. Even this Karaoke dude loves it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZrs3Rmut7A

I say, though... if you're only gonna make one bad album... make it so bad it's LEGENDARY bad. Dokken definitely seems to enter "what the HELL were they thinking" territory on this one, for sure!!!

[strangegrey]

Don doesn't need to hit the high notes on this one. That's what you'll do when you pop in the new CD and Don busts out of your speaker and kicks you square in the scrot!

Damn, I forgot about the ass-kicking factor. You're right. I need to protect my chicken!

[weatherman90]

Finally - a Dokken forum!

[Rip Rokken]

Don doesn't need to hit the high notes on this one. That's what you'll do when you pop in the new CD and Don busts out of your speaker and kicks you square in the scrot!

Damn, I forgot about the ass-kicking factor. You're right. I need to protect my chicken!

It's a very precise maneuver, perfected over a 50-something year career. The slightest miscalculation, and you could get booted in the... Rhiannon, what do you call that neutral zone between the cajones and the aft refuse port?

[strangegrey]

It's a very precise maneuver, perfected over a 50-something year career. The slightest miscalculation, and you could get booted in the... Rhiannon, what do you call that neutral zone between the cajones and the aft refuse port?

For some, it's the chinstrap (or chinrest)....

[weatherman90]

Everything Dokken has ever done has been absolutely solid - with the exception of Shadowlife (even that one has its good moments).

I have no doubts that GHV2 will be impressive!

You know it!!! Even when they do a Christmas song, it's killer and beats every other band's song hands down on that disc. Dokken is not to be messed with.

Oh yes - this is a classic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kKa1cnNpsM

"Gonna find out who's naughty or nice..."

[Rip Rokken]

It's a very precise maneuver, perfected over a 50-something year career. The slightest miscalculation, and you could get booted in the... Rhiannon, what do you call that neutral zone between the cajones and the aft refuse port?

For some, it's the chinstrap (or chinrest)....

LOL... She may not be reading this thread, but I believe "taint" is the word she uses.