DOKKEN Guitarist Jon Levin Talks Lightning Strikes Again

DOKKEN Guitarist Jon Levin Talks Lightning Strikes Again


Special report by Deb Rao:

DOKKEN released their tenth studio album, Lightning Strikes Again, on Rhino Records on May 13th. The first single is 'Standing On The Outside'. Dokken will be embarking on POISON's Live, Raw, And Uncut Tour, which is slated to kick off on July 3rd.

I recently caught up with Dokken guitarist Jon Levin to discuss the strong first week of sales, the band's upcoming Rockline appearance on June 11th and the recording industry today.

Q: Jon, congratulations on the first week of sales. Ratings have been revealed for Lightning Strikes Again and Dokken debut on the Billboard 200 at #133. For over 20 years Dokken has been a staple and influenced so many bands in the industry today. How does it feel for the band to be on the charts once again?

A: "Yes, we are surprised and very pleased. Hell To Pay didn't crack the charts at all. When I got the email from Rhino that we debut at #133 at The Billboard Top 200 that was really good news. We were also #1 on CD Universe for
sales and we hit #80 on Amazon.com's Top 100 for the first week of sales. We had a very strong first week and everybody was very surprised."

Q: I think it goes to show that the fans really wanted the old school Dokken sound that is ever so prevalent on Lightning Strikes Again and this was very instrumental in helping boost the sales. Do you agree?

A: "I do too and this is definitely a testament to the fact that we went in the right direction and we are very pleased with the results. The bottom line here is that we made a great record. I have been listening to it all the time. It is really strong and I am glad the fans are responding to it as well as they are. We are real excited."

Q: What are your thoughts on the first single, 'Standing On The Outside'? I hear it is doing very well on the radio.

A: "I think they chose the right first single. It is a strong song and it has all the right elements for what a Dokken song should be. Don sang real well on it. It has been getting a really big response on radio. So they went in theright direction with it."

Q: For the second single release do you think there will be also be a video to go along with it this time?

A: "There are discussions right now about doing a video for 'Heart Of Stone'. If we do the video - we are already talking about it now and it looks like that it might happen - we might shoot it in June and in which case it should be finished by early July."

Q: That is phenomenal news for the band. Has Dokken started rehearsals yet for the upcoming tour and how many songs will the band play from the new album?

A: "We are starting rehearsals in two weeks. We have shows coming up in June. It depends on how much time we have when we do the headlining set. But on the shorter set when we go out with Poison, obviously we are not going to be able to do the full headlining set, so we will have to choose our songs carefully. We should be able to get one new song in there."

Q: Are there any touring plans after the Poison tour ends?

A: "I think we want to keep going as long as we can. Right now they have us booked thru the middle of September. So there is talk after the middle of September, we take maybe two weeks off and come back in October."

Q: Is Dokken going to be on Rockline on June 11th? Will the band be performing live?

A: "Yes, that is still happening. So look out for that. It is going to be live. We are going to be playing; I think six songs and being interviewed. It should be good."

Q: How has the recording industry changed since the early heyday of Dokken?

A: "It is dramatically different. There isn't the retail support that there once was in terms of there are not enough stores selling these records. It is just disappearing. I think if this record came out in the 80's it would be selling 10 or 20 times the amount of records it is selling today. For today’s market, the record is doing extremely well."

DOKKEN - New Interview With Guitarist JON LEVIN

Special report by Deb Rao:

Dokken recently released their tenth studio album, Lightning Strikes Again, on Rhino Records on May 13th. The band debut their first single from the album on Rockline on June 11. Dokken will be opening for POISON on the Live, Raw and Uncut Tour, which is slated to kick off on July 3rd.

Boston writer Deb Rao spoke to Dokken guitarist Jon Levin regarding the bands highlights on their recent Rockline appearance, and rehearsal preparations that are currently underway for their upcoming tour opening for Poison.

Q: Dokken performed on Rockline on June 11. What were some of the highlights from that show? The band sounded great, and you also debut your first single 'Standing On The Outside'. What was it like for you to perform live to a whole new generation of fans on Rockline?

Levin: "It was really an inspirational day and I will tell you why. First of all, I never thought I would ever be doing Rockline. I always used to listen to it when I was a kid. In doing it, it is really sort of a strange thing because you are playing in the studio. You have earphones on. So it is really not the most inspiring thing, and you are sitting there looking at each other in this small room. You don't really perceive that there are really 100,000 people listening to it. Yeah know it is actually quite nerve-wracking."

Q: Well the band sounded great. The fans kept calling in and they really were getting into the live performance. Actually, you had some interesting people call in. Blues performer Edgar Winter called, and I could tell Don was really impressed. That was incredible.

Levin: "I guess what they do is, the person that did Rockline last leaves a question for the next band. So he left a question for Don. Just like Don left a question for FOREIGNER. I guess they are doing Foreigner next week. It was a very good experience. Bob Coburn is a really nice guy."

Q: Yes, he seemed really relaxed and happy to have the band on the air. Bob seemed liked a big Dokken fan himself.

Levin: "Yes, he was. He knew all the songs; he knew all the history of the band. He asked us very intelligent questions, that made me realize that he was fan of the band and really knew what was going on".

Q: Don recently mentioned that Lightning Strikes Again might be the last Dokken album. I know it took a long time to get everything together. The response has been incredible, so do you think they maybe there might be a another Dokken album down the line?

Levin: "Maybe Don said that out of maybe being burned out. It took a lot out of both of us. It took a long time. It took a lot of energy. Three years is a long time to be working on one project. There were times, I think he and I thought get this over with already. But we are really surprised and we are really happy with how well the fans are responding to it. The record is doing fantastically well. So you never know. Maybe we will get the momentum and keep going. It is possible. I would never say never."

Q: That is great news. Now did the band perform in Texas over the weekend with GREAT WHITE on the bill also?

Levin: "Unfortunately we didn't. I heard Jack Russell is sick in the hospital, and they had to cancel the show. I hope he is doing well. I was looking forward to seeing all those guys, because I am a friend with everyone in that band too. It was sad to hear Jack is in the hospital and we wish him well."

Q: Is there anymore news on the Dokken video?

Levin: "Yes, instead of the video I think what the record label started to do is they are going to be running 15 second commercials on MTV and VH1 for the new record. They already have purchased a slot. In retrospect, from a promotional standpoint, I think that was a smarter decision. There are just not enough places to spin the video. That is the problem with it. I think they made a smart decision whey they called me and we are thinking of going with a television commercial. I think it is better for exposing a record. It was probably a better idea to run an advertisement than a video, in which there are very few places to play it."

Q: How have the sale been going on Billboard?

Levin: "Sales have been going well. I haven't been following it for the past couple of weeks. I have been too busy gearing up for the tour. I get an email once a week from the record labels, saying how please they are with how things are going and how the sales are. So I know things are going well. It is doing well in Europe too".

Q: During your rehearsals for the upcoming tour, will Dokken still be performing one or two songs off of the new album?

Levin: "I think we are going to do at least one. When we have the longer set, we will do more than one. We have been rehearsing two or three of them already. They sound great. In rehearsal, we have played 'Standing On The Outside', 'Heart To Stone', 'This Fire', and 'Point Of No Return', all four songs sound good. On this tour, we are talking about maybe mixing it up, and starting out with one set, and reconfiguring as we feel. This way we can change the show up from time to time. This way maybe pleases more people. It is very difficult on a set like this. Maybe where you only get eight songs, what do we do? Do we put in 'Heart To Stone' and 'Standing On The Outside' and then take out 'It’s Not Love'? It is very difficult. If you write them all down something has to be cut. You can't do them all."

Q: When is the second single going to come out, 'Heart To Stone'?

Levin: "I think they are going to work this one for a little longer. It is rolling so far. I think it is too soon to do another one. They are going to go with this for now."

Q: The Poison tour begins July 3rd. Dokken is also performing at Rocklahoma on July 10, and the Texas Rockfest on July 11. Is there anything else that you would like to add?

Levin: "The Texas Festival should be interesting. There are a lot of great bands on the bill. I think we are playing with TESLA and QUEENSRYCHE. That is going to be a good show as well. It should be a real good summer for us."

Q: Why do you think there is such a great demand for 80's bands these days? Would you call it nostalgia?

Levin: "I think a lot of the parents that were into the 80's bands grew up and have kids who are teenagers and they are getting exposed to this music from the parents. That based on also the record industry is not putting out very new product. So with that in mind, people are gearing towards the stuff that has been around."

Q: That is funny that you mentioned the parents having a huge influence on their kid’s music. I went to cover Bret Michaels the other night, and there were a lot of Mothers with their daughters attending the concert.

Levin: "There you go, that's it. It is a new era of fans. We are very pleased with this record."