Don Dokken says his Dokken reunion is “about money” and that he believes the same to be true of the Guns N’ Roses classic lineup’s comeback.
The frontman will be joined by George Lynch, Jeff Pilson and Mick Brown for a run of six shows in Japan in October, after which Dokken will revert to the current lineup of Don, Brown, guitarist Jon Levin and bassist Chris McCarvill.
And Don Dokken makes no bones about the fact that the reunion has come about to boost their bank balances rather than because they have any real love for each other.
Dokken tells Eddie Trunk Live (via Blabbermouth): “I’m looking forward to playing with George and Jeff. Of course, Mick’s still in Dokken, the current lineup.
“It’s not glorious. But when someone sticks an ‘X’ amount of dollars with a lot of zeroes attached, what are you gonna say? ‘No, I’m busy’? I mean, c’mon.
“You think David Lee Roth went back with Van Halen because he just felt like it. I mean, it’s about money. And Guns N’ Roses — do you think they’re doing it because they’re all madly in love with each other? I don’t think so.”
On the future of Dokken after the Japan shows, Don adds: “I’m really content playing with Jon Levin. He’s been in the band 13 years. Mick’s in the band. I’ve got Chris Mccarvill on board now, from House Of Lords, on bass. And I’m just really happy with that lineup.
“George has Lynch Mob. Jeff’s got Foreigner. So this is it. It’s just a window in time. We were probably maybe more famous in Japan than we were in America. At one point, it was pretty crazy. It was just intense.
“So we thought we would put an exclamation point on what we did, and we’ll play all the classic hits, and it’ll just be six shows. And then it’s back to business as usual.
“George will be doing his Lynch Mob, and I go back on the road. I get home from Japan, I have four days off, and then right back on the road.”
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The reunited Dokken will play a warm-up show at Badlands Pawn Gold And Jewellery in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on September 30 before heading to Japan. The Sioux Falls show is expected to be recorded for a future DVD release.
Don, Lynch, Brown and Pilson are also working on a one-off new track together. The singer says: “We’re right in the middle of writing a new song right now. Just one.
“I thought it would be kind of cool, if you’re in Japan, to have a surprise and play one brand new song that no one’s ever heard before, from the four of us. I’ve just gotta sing it, and we’re gonna put it all together in rehearsal.
“And we won’t be recording it. We’ll be doing it live in Japan.”
Classic Dokken lineup tour dates
Sep 30: Sioux Falls Badlands, SD
Oct 05: Osaka Namba Hatch
Oct 06: Fukuoka Civic Hall
Oct 08: Tokyo Loud Park Festival
Oct 10: Hiroshima Blue Live Hiroshima
Oct 11: Aichi Zepp Nagoya
Oct 12: Tokyo Zepp Divercity
