GEORGE LYNCH has opened up about the internal tensions that led to the breakup of the classic DOKKEN lineup in 1989. In a candid conversation with Talkin’ Bout Rock, the guitarist detailed how financial disputes, power struggles, and failed attempts at consolidation ultimately pushed the band apart. While rumors about the breakup have circulated for decades, Lynch offered one of his most direct explanations yet, making clear that the root issue centered on control and money.

“Don really wanted to control everything.” — GEORGE LYNCH outlines the core conflict

Reflecting on the collapse of DOKKEN’s classic lineup, Lynch explained that the primary issue boiled down to founder and frontman DON DOKKEN’s desire to take over the band’s operation and secure the majority of the revenue. Although creative differences played a role over the years, Lynch said those tensions were secondary to a more fundamental business dispute.

He stated:

“The truth of the matter is, and I said this many, many times, and I’m not saying it in any kind of disparaging way, but the fact is that Don really wanted to control everything and have the lion’s share of the money. And that’s really what it all came down to.”

According to Lynch, the situation escalated as Don began distancing himself from the shared decision-making process. The guitarist noted that the shift wasn’t sudden — it happened slowly, with the frontman seeking more control behind the scenes before attempting to formally alter the band’s structure.

Separate management, separate deals, and an attempt to oust the band

Lynch described how Don’s efforts grew strategic over time. He said the singer secured separate management and then negotiated a separate record deal — moves that put him on a different path from the rest of the band. Eventually, Don attempted to remove the other members from DOKKEN entirely, though this effort failed due to the band’s legal structure.

Lynch recalled:

“When you boil it down to its foundational element, most basic thing, that’s what he was trying to accomplish. He got his own separate management and then he had his own separate record deal and he was trying to fire us, but we couldn’t do that — he couldn’t do that because we all owned the band.”

Since Don could not legally remove the others, he ultimately chose to dissolve the lineup and pursue his own path forward.

Lawsuits followed — and nobody won

Once Don Dokken’s attempt to oust the members failed, the next phase involved legal action. Lynch said that Don started his own project and then sued the band, prompting a countersuit. However, the results of these lawsuits were disappointing for everyone involved.

He explained:

“So, he disbanded the band, or whatever, or left or whatever. He tried to fire us, but he couldn’t do that, so he just started his own thing and then sued us. So we countersued, and the end result was nothing. Everybody just went their own way, I guess. But, really, everybody lost. We all did.”

The breakup created years of animosity and financial strain, and it also marked the end of what many fans consider the band’s golden era — the era that produced beloved albums such as Tooth and Nail, Under Lock and Key, and Back for the Attack.

Lynch believed equal profit-sharing was the key to creativity

While discussing the long-standing tension, Lynch shared that he had always supported equal financial splits between the four band members — a 25% share for each musician regardless of songwriting credits. He believed this approach fostered better creativity and prevented conflicts motivated by money.

He said:

“I had insisted that all throughout the band’s career, when we were intact, I was insisting that we be four for one, one for all, quarter splits on everything, regardless of who wrote what, regardless of anything.”

Despite being the member who contributed the most to the band’s songwriting catalog, Lynch supported the equal system because he felt it ensured that the strongest material reached the albums without creative pressure or resentment.

He added:

“I wrote the most music and I suffered the most for that, if you wanna call it suffering, but I gave up the most.”

This philosophy clashed directly with Don Dokken’s preference for a system that rewarded the frontman with a larger share.

Why Lynch felt the equal-split model protected the music

Lynch explained that equal splits kept financial motives from dictating creative decisions. He believed that when band members compete for writing credits to increase earnings, the album suffers because weaker material gets forced into the tracklist.

He said:

“I still believed in that, ’cause I thought you get the best results that way because you’re letting the people that are contributing the most important music, you’re letting them do that and you’re not forcing people that are contributing inferior music to feel compelled to insist on their contribution musically to the album because they wanna make more money.”

Lynch argued that this system even benefited members who contributed less, as they still received an equal share without adding unnecessary pressure.

He said:

“This way you’re paying the weaker writers to stay home, and they get just as much money. So I was very comfortable with that, and Don was not. And that was our problem.”

“It’s not what good people do.” — Lynch reflects on the fallout

In closing, Lynch shared his lingering disappointment about how everything unfolded. He felt betrayed when Don Dokken pushed for greater control just as the band reached its commercial peak.

Lynch concluded:

“That was his problem with me. I didn’t have any problem with him other than the fact that he wasn’t comfortable us with being fair and sticking to the plan and the agreement that we all worked under for those 10 years. And then when it came down time for the big payday that we all worked for, he wanted to take it all and pretty much kick us to the side, off to the side. And it’s not what good people do. I lost a lot of respect for him, and I fought him on that. And here we are today.”

His comments reveal how the breakup — though decades old — continues to carry emotional weight. The classic DOKKEN lineup never fully recovered from these disputes, and Lynch’s reflection sheds new light on why reconciliation has remained difficult.