During a wide-ranging appearance on the latest episode of The SDR Show, DON DOKKEN sat down with hosts RALPH SUTTON and AARON BERG for an unusually candid conversation. The DOKKEN frontman touched on everything from the band’s early days to deeply personal chapters of his life, while also addressing the long-standing question fans continue to ask: could the classic lineup of DOKKEN reunite for new music?
Throughout the interview, DON DOKKEN reflected on the band’s history, his upbringing, health struggles, and the possibility of one final creative effort involving guitarist GEORGE LYNCH and other members of the classic lineup.
A life shaped by adversity and music
During the discussion, DON DOKKEN revisited formative experiences that shaped both his personality and artistic outlook. He spoke openly about growing up in an orphanage until the age of six, later being sent to juvenile hall, and eventually moving to Los Angeles to live with his father.
Before fully committing to music, DON DOKKEN also worked as a sous-chef for his uncle. At the same time, his musical roots were already taking shape. He started out as a drummer and guitarist, coming from a family where music was always present.
These experiences, he suggested, helped form the emotional depth that later defined DOKKEN’s songwriting.
From early success to physical setbacks
As the conversation continued, DON DOKKEN also addressed serious physical challenges that have affected his ability to perform. He revealed that he has dealt with a paralyzed arm and an ankle that was broken in four places.
Despite those setbacks, DOKKEN has continued to tour and perform, including appearances at major festivals such as the first-ever Rocklahoma. However, the physical toll has played a role in how DON DOKKEN now views the band’s future.
Is a classic Dokken reunion album still possible?
When asked directly whether a full reunion album featuring the classic DOKKEN lineup could still happen, the 72-year-old musician offered a thoughtful and measured response.
Transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET:
“Well, the last 20 or so shows we’ve [the current lineup of DOKKEN] done in the last few months, George was coming on as special guest. And he would play two songs with us, or three. And we’re old — we’re too old to bicker and fight, even though a couple years ago he went at it again with the lawsuits. But that’s in the past. So, we’re both gray haired now. And then the last show he just did, he brought his whole band, the LYNCH MOB, and they opened for us. And he still came on stage at the end of the night and did two songs, or three maybe. He did three songs…”
According to DON DOKKEN, time and perspective have softened tensions that once seemed impossible to overcome. While past legal disputes caused deep rifts, he emphasized that those conflicts are now behind them.
Creative differences still remain
Despite improved personal relations, DON DOKKEN made it clear that creative compatibility remains a major hurdle.
Transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET:
“So we talked about it. And I said, ‘But the problem is I can’t play guitar anymore.’ And I said to George very openly, I said, ‘And you don’t write like I write.’ He’s got his own trip. If you listen to the last four LYNCH MOB albums, they have nothing to do with DOKKEN. And you listen to [former DOKKEN bassist] JEFF PILSON solo albums, they have nothing to do with DOKKEN.”
For DON DOKKEN, songwriting remains a deeply intuitive and spiritual process. He explained that his approach has never been mechanical or formula-driven.
Transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET:
“It comes out of your mind, your spirit, God. I can’t stand when people go, ‘How do you write a song? You get a piece of paper and you sit down and you start playing your guitar and that sounds cool. And start writing lyrics.’ I’ve never written like that. I wait — I wait for the moment. And the b-tch is sometimes it doesn’t happen for, like, three weeks. I’ll write four songs. I’ll come back to ’em in my studio and go, ‘It’s crap.’ Or ‘I just repeated myself.’”
A past experiment that didn’t work out
DON DOKKEN also recalled a previous attempt at rekindling the classic lineup. Several years ago, the band agreed to test the waters by collaborating on a single song.
Transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET:
“So I talked to George — to answer your question — and a lot of labels keep approaching us. And we did an experiment — what’s it been, like seven years now? — we did an experiment, and we said, ‘We’ll write one song together’. And that was ‘It’s Another Day’.”
The project led to a short tour in Japan featuring original members, which DON DOKKEN admitted did not go as planned.
Transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET:
“I said, ‘I’m not doing America. We’ll go to Japan, and we’ll see if we don’t kill each other.’ And that’s exactly what I said. We did the Japanese tour. It was a disaster, mostly because of me. I just wasn’t on my game.”
After returning home, DON DOKKEN concluded that a full-scale reunion was not sustainable at the time.
Why an EP might still happen
Despite that history, DON DOKKEN revealed that the idea of a smaller collaboration has not been completely abandoned.
Transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET:
“So now I’ve talked to George when we played, and I said, ‘I might be up for an EP only.’ But I said flat out, ‘It has to sound like DOKKEN. I’m not trying to insult you, George, but I’ve listened to all your records. It has to be DOKKEN.’ That’s what the fans want. They don’t want to hear tripped out stuff…”
In his view, fans are looking for authenticity rather than experimentation. While he respects GEORGE LYNCH’s creative path, DON DOKKEN stressed that any collaboration must honor the band’s original identity.
Still just a possibility, not a plan
When pressed on whether the EP idea is still actively being discussed, DON DOKKEN clarified that nothing concrete has been finalized.
Transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET:
“We haven’t got down to the nitty gritty. George is now my neighbor, which is weird. I live in New Mexico. He lives in New Mexico. He actually dropped me off from the airport two weeks ago.”
The remark highlighted how far their relationship has come on a personal level, even if professional collaboration remains uncertain.
Looking toward retirement with perspective
As DON DOKKEN considers retirement, his comments reflect a desire to close this chapter on his own terms. While a full reunion album seems unlikely, the possibility of one last EP offers fans a glimmer of hope.
Whether or not it happens, DON DOKKEN appears focused on honesty, legacy, and respecting what DOKKEN has meant to generations of listeners. For him, any final release must feel true, intentional, and unmistakably DOKKEN.
