DOKKEN will release an album called “The Lost Songs: 1978-1981” on August 28 via Silver Lining Music, the label owned by Thomas Jensen, one of the founders of Germany’s Wacken Open Air festival.
It wasn’t always multi-platinum sales and stadium gigs for DOKKEN. There was a first-phase and there were early days, and it is those bold first steps to stardom which are celebrated comprehensively on “The Lost Songs: 1978-1981” LP. “Step Into The Light”, the first album single, can be streamed below.
Featuring spectacular sleeve art by renowned U.S. artist Tokyo Hiro (MOTÖRHEAD, MOTLEY CRÜE), “The Lost Songs: 1978-1981” show the crackle and craft of a hungry young Don Dokken as he embarked upon a journey which started in Southern California and Northern Germany. It is a trek which is testimony to the sheer endeavor and perseverance Don Dokken showed in those few years between 1978 and 1981, starting from when he spent time at a guitar store called Drake’s Music, owned by Drake Levin in Manhattan Beach, California.
A fair selection of the treasure on “The Lost Songs: 1978-1981” are from these early European days. “Felony” carries a thuggish fuzz-coated riff -think early VAN HALEN in really greasy embroidered denims, while “Day After Day” showed that Don could pen a radio-slaying ballad.
The writing and creation of “The Lost Songs: 1978-1981” are further tribute to enduring early days of struggle in both Germany and L.A., Don would return to L.A. for a spell after those brief European gigs, and he worked with Juan Croucier on material, including perhaps the truest view of DOKKEN‘s then-future “Hit And Run”, which incredibly did not end up on the eventual “Breaking The Chains” release. From the sun-baked SoCal hook of “Step Into The Light” to the furious, fledgling, late-Sunset Strip sound of “Back In The Streets”, “The Lost Songs: 1978-1981” shows Don in his unfettered early days of balls-out attitude, qualities doubtless forged in the sheer nature of the adventures undertaken in writing, recording and deciding Europe was the place to keep cutting his teeth.
“The Lost Songs: 1979-1981” not only shares that magic with the fans, it gives them the final, vital and undeniably missing (until now) early album in the DOKKEN collection. The album is available to pre-order at this location on CD, Vinyl, digital formats and special D2C bundles
Musicians who appear on “The Lost Songs: 1978-1981”:
- Don Dokken / Vocals, guitar
- Jon Levin / Guitar
- BJ Zampa / Drums
- Juan Croucier / Bass
- Greg Leon / Guitar
- Gary Holland / Drums
- Mick Brown / Drums
- George Lynch / Guitar
- Rustee Allen / Bass
- Bill Lordan / Drums
- Greg Pecka / Drums
“The Lost Songs: 1978-1981” track listing:
- Step Into the Light
- We’re Going Wrong
- Day After Day
- Rainbows
- Felony
- No Answer
- Back In The Streets
- Hit And Run
- Broken Heart
- Liar
- Prisoner
Longtime DOKKEN guitarist Jon Levin recently confirmed that the band was working on material for the follow-up to 2012’s “Broken Bones” album.
