Drummer Wild Mick Brown - "I Am In DOKKEN

Drummer Wild Mick Brown - "I Am In DOKKEN And Have No Intention Of Leaving That"





Special report by BW&BK's Mitch Lafon

DOKKEN crazy man, Wild Mick Brown, has been spending his last few summer vacations on the road with TED NUGENT. This summer, however, both Dokken and Ted will be touring at the same time. That fact has led to many internet rumours about Mick’s status within Dokken. BW&BK sat down with Mick last week to set the record straight.

Mitch Lafon: What is your status with Dokken and Ted Nugent?
Wild Mick Brown: “I am in Dokken and have no intention of leaving that. We’re rushing to get my drum tracks done on a new record (that should be out in September). The problem is that we still have some writing to do before I leave for Ted Nugent in May. The reason I did the Ted Nugent thing is because Dokken had slowed up a bit and playing with Ted is just something else... a real shot in the arm. He’s the Original King of The Wild ‘70s – he’s everything and Superman. This will be my third summer tour with Ted and Dokken is really trying to get busy with touring as well. I wish I could balance them both out and I’m sure it gets frustrating for Don (Dokken) because I’m not going to make some shows. They’ve hired Vic Foxx and they say he’s really good and he fits in well, but I want to be there, you know. And they want me there because I’m the motivator of the band – I’m the engine.”

ML: How does Don react to you being with Ted?
WMB: “It’s a bitter sweet thing. He’s glad I had Ted to be financially secure...and sometimes it’s good to step out. I’ve been in Dokken for 25 years and I’ve never played with anybody else, so this was a good way to gauge where I was as a musician, a person and how you present yourself to a boss rather than being one, so this is really a kick for me. So, Don is really happy for me, but he doesn’t like thinking half of Don’s band is in Ted’s band. Ted’s tour ends in September then Dokken and KINGDOM COME have a package in Europe and once the record is out – Don will get knocking on some doors and get a tour going and remain busy.”

ML: What can you tell me about Dokken’s new album, Lightning Strikes?
WMB: “The band is playing better than it ever has – it’s just kicking butt. Now, Don had been writing some very modern songs and submitted the tapes to the record company and they said ‘we don’t want this. We don’t want your new stuff. We want you to be Dokken. Cheerios are Cheerios – you put raisins in them and it becomes Cheerios Raisin Bran and we want you to be Cheerios’. They want an ‘80s record and I’m looking at my wall right now and the only Gold and Platinum records on there are from the ‘80s. I never put one up after ’89 at all. So, the new songs sound like – pick any number from the ‘80s and that’s what we do. We’re going to give them what they want. There’s a lot of melody and lots of strumming – total Dokken. These songs could have been on any one of our ‘80s records. The songs could be on Back For The Attack, Under Lock & Key, Tooth And Nail. They sound like they came right off those records. It’s amazing how spooky that is.”

ML: I think that’s what the fans want.
WMB: “Well, they do. A lot of people don’t know we have any records after 1989. They think Back For The Attack is our last record. Some of our best work is later. We did a great record with Reb Beach and John Norum did a record with us, but people just don’t know because MTV dictated all that and everybody knew. So when we play, we play the songs that people know and we throw in some new stuff we like to play and you see the big question marks over their face – ‘what record is that from?’ We tried to move ahead and we made some great records after our heyday, but as soon as we were off MTV and our audience grew up and had kids of their own – it was over. We tried to write modern stuff, but it was a very funny time because we didn’t have a big record label or anybody pushing us. It was very awkward and now we just gave in to it. If they (fans) want us for something, then we’ll give them what they want. If people are happy hearing that and it’ll get us some work – I’m all for it.”

ML: You re-recorded your Greatest Hits with Jon and Barry. When will that album be out?
WMB: “Right, we basically did our set list that we’ve been playing for years ‘Breaking The Chains’, ‘It’s Not Love’, ‘Alone Again’, ‘Into The Fire’. We did it in studio, but it came off with a real live feel and it has a new more modern sound unlike those old DEF LEPPARD snare drums sounds. Barry said ‘it sounds aggressive’, but I guess we ran out of money and it just stopped. We were deep into it, but just couldn’t finish it. Don said he’ll hang onto it until we get the money to finish it.”

ML: So, it’s not coming out?
WMB: “I’m hoping so, but right now we’re focused on the new album.”

ML: There’s also the new Live From Conception 1981 album...
WMB: “It sounds great. We were such an aggressive band, but you could tell the song-writing wasn’t all there yet. I remember those shows. We were so excited to be a band and we were giving it everything we had. The energy level was up there and we were just stomping it out. We really did our best and I really got a kick out of that album.”

ML: Any last words?
WMB: “The Dokken band – it’s so wonderful to play with the people that are in it now because the tension is gone. I’ve never played in Dokken without it. It was always so intense. I mean – we had fun, but you had to walk on eggshells. Now, it’s a lot of fun. Also Ted is going to make a new record and I just want to be a part of that.”

For more Mick, Dokken or Ted Nugent info visit:
http://www.dokken.net
http://www.tednugent.com
http://www.dondokken.com
http://www.barrysparks.com