Don Dokken recently posted a video discussing DOKKEN’s upcoming album called “The Lost Songs: 1978-1981”. It’s set to arrive on August 28 via Silver Lining Music.
The physical album features some incredible 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 sunbaked 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.
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:
01. Step Into The Light
02. We’re Going Wrong
03. Day After Day
04. Rainbows
05. Felony
06. No Answer
07. Back In The Streets
08. Hit And Run
09. Broken Heart
10. Liar
11. Prisoner
