Under Lock and Key I love this album! Great times, great memories. So bummed I missed them opening up for the mighty Judas Priest. 1. "Unchain the Night" - to this day, I have no idea what it means to unchain the night, but nonetheless a classic opener and all time Dokken top 10 for me 2. "The Hunter"- epic. Clouds roll by and I look to the sky... 3. "In My Dreams" 4:20- arguably the zenith of Dokken’s career. Lynch’s solo still gets me going, their encore to this day 4. "Slippin' Away" decent ballad, but they have so many of them 5. "Lightnin' Strikes Again"- their heaviest tune and perhaps Don’s mightiest vocals. His “Lightnin’” screams at the end are Halford-esque 6. "It's Not Love" love this one live. Still remember the video with the band on a trailer driving through LA 7. "Jaded Heart"- not bad, not great 8. "Don't Lie to Me" same comment as 7 9. "Will the Sun Rise" another decent apocalyptic song, but certainly lacks the punch of When Heaven Comes Down 10. "Til the Livin' End" so so. Doesn’t do much for me Overall, a step up from Tooth and Nail despite some filler, and much better production.
Jeff Pilson Reveals DOKKEN Album He Is Most Proud Of April 5, 2020 Bassist Jeff Pilson was asked to name some of his favorite records that he appeared on over the course of his four-decade career. He said "If there's one record for me with DOKKEN, it would be the 'Tooth And Nail' [1984] record, just because we were still very hungry. It's a pretty raw record, but there's a lot of great writing on there. It's not the best-sounding record we ever did, sonically. We kind of changed horses in the middle of the stream, so we had to do some damage control, sonically. But there's something about it that's very real and it's very hungry, like I said. There's energy and angst in that record that we never quite matched again. So that's probably the record I'm most proud of, but there's [other] great ones. 'Under Lock And Key'[1985] was great. We did a record in 1999 called 'Erase The Slate' that I was actually very, very proud of, with Reb Beach on guitar. A fabulous record. Then there was a DIO record that I did called 'Strange Highways' [1993] that I still think was just a hugely underrated record, because when it came out, people were expecting a more traditional DIO record, and I think over time, people have come to appreciate it more. But that was such an inspired period, and working with Ronnie [James Dio] at that point was such a game changer for me. And the chemistry of that band and the writing chemistry that we had was so powerful and I still think 'Strange Highways' really holds up."
I always found Under Lock and Key to be a bit formulaic, although it doesn't contain some fine recordings. The band's adoption of a "glam" look on the cover is cringeworthy.
whilst I can't imagine there would be many who could disagree with that statement, I can pretty much see them being pushed into that by the record company or management..."the kids'll love it!". But I'm sure there were enough members of the band who'd have been sufficiently off their faces on "substances" to agree with the move.
From UCR: All in all, Under Lock and Key would fulfill its mission and best its predecessor with a top U.S. Billboard position of No. 33. Even more importantly, the album would hang around the charts for an impressive 67 weeks, slowly grinding its way to the all-important gold certification. That offered proof that Dokken were a force to be reckoned with, capable of going toe to toe with the best hair metal talent out there. “At that point, we had really matured as a band," Lynch later told Guitar World. "You could really see the evolution of our writing from Breaking the Chains and Tooth and Nail. Under Lock and Key sounded better than our previous albums. We were really polished and at the top of our game.” Even the decision to open for Twisted Sister on the latter’s historically disastrous Come Out and Play tour was just a momentary stumble, as Dokken proceeded to convert new fans left and right over subsequent jaunts with AC/DC, Judas Priest, Dio and Accept.
No doubt about it, they were likely going along with the trend, probably pushed or strongly encouraged by management and the label. They weren’t the only ones. Ozzy ended up looking like a drag queen during the era.
Under Lock and Key Unchain the Night - Dokken's 3 for 3 with album openers. Great hooks all around. I'd like the first solo to be a little longer, but such is the way for pop songs. The Hunter - This was one of their lesser hits, but I think it's really catchy, especially the chorus. The drums sound good here with a fuller sound than some of the bands previous stuff. Like the other songs on the album, the lyrics aren't great, but fit the mood of the song. That's good enough for this kind of music. In My Dreams - This is classic Dokken with the band showing off its harmonizing chops. I recall this being their biggest MTV hit. Lynch complements the singing nicely with a flourish-y solo. Slippin' Away - There's a heartbreak theme on this album. I always liked this song, though it might be too light for other fans. A sweet, melancholy jam. Lightnin' Strikes Again - Kind of filler, but good filler thanks to George and Don putting in energetic work. It's Not Love - I love the simple opening guitar riff. It's kind of mesmerizing, providing a nice lead in to the song proper and crawling around throughout the song. Another supercatchy song. Jaded Heart - This isn't a bad song but it there's something clumsy about it. Like they had some pieces that didn't quite fit together. Don't Lie to Me - "A knife in my back-ack-ack-ack". I love that litte moment. More good harmonies, and again, I'd like a longer solo. Will the Sun Rise - The verses need some work, but a really nice chorus. A "blink-and-you'll-miss-it" guitar solo. Til the Livin' End - George finally gets to show off, with good results on this nice little rocker, though the guitar is a little too far back in the mix. Solid end to the album. Compared to the first album, the songs are really nicely constructed with hooks galore. The production is also improved. Dokken at their commercial peak with some damn good songs to boot. And how 'bout them purty girls on the album cover!
Under Lock & Key When I got the album I don't recall being jarred by their look at all. Every band was jazzing up their wardrobe. I do remember in the press George and Jeff (I believe) were more happy with the vocals as Don wasn't going for "perfect" but more of a hard rock thing, and I think they were right. And how much better does this album sound from the previous two? Not sure if it was a better production team or more time and money spent, but it was well worth it for the result. Unchain The Night - The thing that George does at 1:40? That was mind-blowing back then. This is a KILLER opening track, but certainly musically not as impressive as Without Warning/Tooth & Nail. The Hunter - Damn do I love this song...what a groove!! This is a precursor to what George would do with Lynch Mob. And George's fills are just fantastic all over the song. This is also one of Don's more memorable vocals. And there is some great bass work on this one too! In My Dreams - third great song in a row! And this one has a great video to go with it that must have cost the band a fortune. I love the unusual guitar sound in the pre-chorus. And George just wails on this tune...and then I love the little breakdown after the lead. Slipping Away - and with that the winning streak is over. Ugh... Lighting Strikes Again - The lights go down! You can feel it all around you! Oh yeah! This song is amazeballs. And now we get to George and Mick tearing it up on the lead break. And Mick going nuts at the 3:05 mark is a favorite musical moment of mine. It's Not Love - OK, I like this song, but I hate the spoken word break. My go-to version of this song is the T&N version from Slave To The Empire. Jaded Heart - this one has aged well and I like it better in 2020 than I did in 1985. This is really well done and I like how George weaves the rhythm parts. Even if they did borrow part of KISS' Under The Rose before the lead break. Don't Lie To Me - I always like the riff, but this is total filler and not something I put on regularly. Will The Sun Rise - much like Jaded Heart I like this more now than I did then, but it's not a favorite. George does some great work on it though! 'Til The Livin' End - I have to say I'm not nuts about the drum sound on this song, but it's a supercharged, fun tune for sure. In My Dreams was redone as a dance tune by The Party (and yes, I own the CD!)
Under lock and Key Unchain the Night –Great opener. The acoustic bit at the start is a nice build up. The chorus is fantastic, although I’m not exactly sure how I would attempt to unchain the night so I will heed the bands warning not to do so. I really like the acoustic guitar in the background throughout the track. It adds atmosphere. Couple of great solos in this song from George. The Hunter – Very polished, arena filling sound with great melodies. This was a minor hit but I’m surprised it wasn’t bigger. Very strong track. In My Dreams – Backing vocals/ harmonization make this a standout. Lynch’s riff and solo take it to the next level. I’m sure I have hearing loss for repeatedly cranking the solo. Love the tone in that main riff. Perhaps Dokken's signature song. Slipping Away – Great vocal melodies. This song in particular shows the growing maturity of the band as songwriters, vocalist and musicians., Love Lynch’s heartfelt solo here. Also love the mix of clean and distorted guitar. Lightning Strikes. – A “Tooth and Nail” type rocker. They did an extended version of this on the Aerosmith tour that rocked even more.. It sounds dated now but still a great track – The band just lets loose. Lightning!!!!. It’s Not love – Nice riff and great hooks throughout. Love the pre-chorus in particularly Another polished rocker. One of the centerpieces of the live show for many years after. The phone call is kind of silly and cliche but it doesn’t bring the song down very much. Jaded Heart- A bit similar to “Slipping Away” but I like this one better - The chorus is stronger here. The song builds really well. Don does a really job with the vocals. The production shines on this track. I like the echos and drum effects. Don’t Lie To Me – Catchy riff to start things off. I love the driving guitar of the verses. Lyrics are pretty standard fare but the melodies are strong enough it doesn’t matter. A nice riff in the chorus also covers the sub-standard lyrics. Will the Sun Rise – One of Dokken’s most underrated songs, in my opinion. The band comes together perfectly. Don’s voice has never sounded better. The music is quite different than anything else they’ve done, to this point. Love the bridge after the solo and Lynch’s guitar fills afterwards. Yeah, the social commentary is corny but it doesn’t take away from the harmonies – Especially at the end. (Will the sun rise – I need to know) Til The Livin End – This one might be a little to fast and chaotic for it’s own good. I like it and it certain rocks. However, the melodies are the weakest of the album. I love the drums on this track. This song certainly has it’s moments. I find Don’s vocals more natural and smoother than “Tooth and Nail”. The backing vocals are enhanced. The songwriting is more refined and a bit more commercial: The harmonies more developed. I usually prefer the rough edges but for some reason, I’ve always slightly preferred “Under Lock and Key” over “Tooth and Nail”. I also think “Under Lock and Key” is a bit more solid from start to finish. I like every song here, where there are a couple lesser tracks on “Tooth and Nail”. Both are solid 4 star albums though – I don’t mean to slight Tooth and Nail. The look on the "Under Lock and Key" cover is embarrassing. They look like teenage ninja turtles.
My short review of UL&K from the Rokken with Dokken thread a couple years ago below. Holy crikes! just realized that it was 6 years ago! Time flies. ............................................... Under Lock and Key (1985) 1. Unchain the Night 2. The Hunter 3. In My Dreams 4. Slippin' Away 5. Lightnin' Strikes Again 6. It's Not Love 7. Jaded Heart 8. Don't Lie to Me 9. Will the Sun Rise 10. Til the Livin' End Don Dokken - Vocals George Lynch - Guitar Jeff Pilson - Bass, background vocals Mick Brown - Drums, background vocals That Dokken kid has his driver's license now - no more crawling, walking or running.....killer, killer, killer songs....every song, riff, guitar solo, vocals are perfect, super catchy melodic stuff with guitar tone and style to die for. My favorite Dokken album. Based on this one Dokken should have been up there in popularity with Van Halen but that didn't happen. It's Not Love is one of my fave songs, the guitar riff just blows me away, every time I hear it it sticks in my brain for weeks. Amazingly, I must admit, that I actually like the 25 years later remake version with Jon Levin on guitar (channeling George Lynch in a most uncanny way). It is with this album that I think Dokken really found their "sound", one which they excel at better than anybody else, & they take steps backwards on later albums where that "sound" is deviated from. Rating: 10 ............................................... I dig this album so much that I bought a Japanese import version of it a couple years ago, was curious if it would be a sonic upgrade of the original CD. I do not recall the details other than it sounded either exactly the same or was not an improvement at all. I 4got there was a cover of It's Not Love on the T&N (aka "Dump the Chump" I was think was Lynch/Pilson's joke title referring to Don at the time) Slave etc album as noted above by Curveboy. I will have to put that album in the car to give it a repeated airing, been a long time.
Not to jump ahead but I see a few mentions of the T&N side project . I was not blown away by those efforts. However I thought the predecessor from years earlier Wicked Undeground was excellent.
Yeah that is a great album IMO. See my post somewhere above for news of a remaster with a bonus track that just came out (I ordered a copy but don't have it yet). P.S. Been listening to T&N in the car today, I like the version of It's Not Love but nowhere near as much as the original Dokken or the remake with Jon Levin on guitar (which is my fave version). The vocals on the T&N version bring it down a couple notches for me, especially all the Whoas, Ughs, and Yeahs.
I have to go an listen to it, but if I remember correctly the version with Levin has the vocals mistimed...like they were recorded separately and flown in with the wrong timings.
So is this the full Dokken family tree of bands? I was disappointed with The End Machine. Felt like the letdown of shadowlife CD on initial listen. Dokken Lynch Mob Don Dokken George Lynch War & Peace Lynch/Pilson T&N Sweet & Lynch KXM Ultraphonix The End Machine Black Swan
A little late to the thread but here goes: I 1st became familiar and liked Dokken when the "Breaking The Chains" video came out, the sound was heavy for the time and Lynch was the new guitar god. I really liked that song but couldn't find the record in my local stores. Tooth And Nail was then released and I also liked this album a lot and did purchase it on release. It sounds a lot like an American Scorpions, which now makes sense as Don was working with the Scorpions. Under Lock And Key continued the trend and it was another album I purchased on release. I caught them live on this tour as they opened for Judas Priest, and honestly, they were better than JP at this time. Dokken the band was on fire and they probably didn't need to be an opening act at this time. These albums are still fun, solid rocking releases.
Under Lock and Key. i agree the album is a bit ridiculous looking. i'm not sure if i think this one is a better album than tooth and nail. production is a bit better. i think dons vocals are better on this one. tooth and nail though you can hear the hunger in the band Unchain the Night -another great opener. as someone else said not sure what it means to unchain the night The Hunter - i think it's weird this song was a single. it is catchy but i think there are better songs to pick as a single In My Dreams - maybe the best harmonies the band did. fantastic tune. should have been a huge hit Slippin' Away - not a fan of this one. has some good harmonies but seems like a generic 80's ballad Lightnin' Strikes Again -things pick back up. this is a stomper. they need to bust it out live now It's Not Love - a song that should have been huge. jeff does it justice on the unplugged album Jaded Heart - this is just like track 4. seems a bit generic for the band. good vocal from don though Don't Lie to Me - this song is buried a bit at the end of the album and overlooked. should get more credit Will the Sun Rise - the band really likes to do this one acoustic. very deep lyrically Til the Livin' End - the band goes all out for the closer. this one reminds me more of something from tooth and nail
think you can add Project NFidelikah, Souls of We, and Shadowtrain - all different flavours of Lynch side project. I like Corey Glover a lot also but I have to say that Ultraphonix really didn’t leave an impression on me.
Are Jeff and Mick “hired guns” in those bands? I guess does that change things. I don’t know if they are writing creating Foreigner -Nugent tunes.
A daunting list indeed, but we will get to them all this summer, but we will pass on Foreigner and Ted Nugent.
Is Ultraphonix the project that Lynch did with Corey Glover from Living Colour? Or am I thinking of something else. Guess I could just look it up lol
