The Exies - Interview with Freddy Herrera

After dealing with the loss of a record label and 2 band members, most bands would crawl under a rock and hide. Rather than doing that, the Los Angeles based band The Exies regrouped, took the experience as a learning curve, and found that their is light at the end of a dark tunnel. That positive shining light is their new cd titled A MODERN WAY OF LIVING WITH THE TRUTH, which comes out on May 8.

What appeared to be a promising career was cut short, when suddenly, the band found the carpet ripped out from under them. The problems for the band started when their previous label decided to not pick up the option for another release. The problems then snowballed when 2 of their members quit. From there you could almost say they almost slipped into a deep depression - questioning everything about life and where everything went wrong. However, that experience and how they dealt with that dark period is the lyrical content that makes up their new release.

Locked, loaded, and rejuvenated - prepare for a sonic shotgun blast to the senses. The Exies have re-emerged with a release that packs alot of punch. Compared to the old material, the new material has alot more "musical muscle" added to the bone of their previous efforts. The songwriting has matured and the group has incorporated alot of their influences into their recipe of creating songs - everything from new hard rock bands to older rock bands is thrown into the mix. The lyrics are thought provoking and the music is just as heavy as the lyrics. Mix in the melodic overtones of some of the songs and A MODERN WAY OF LIVING WITH THE TRUTH is a release full of songs that will bridge the gap between the younger rock audience and the older rock audience. Consider it like this - The Exies are a battery. The younger rock crowd is the negative wire and the older crowd is the positive wire. Once those 2 hotwires connect to the battery that is The Exies, the engine is going to fire up on all cylanders and explode The Exies into mainstream popularity.

Scott Stevens (lead vocals, guitar), Freddy Herrera (bass, vocals), Chris Skane (guitar, vocals), and Hoss (drums) are out on the road now getting an early jump start to promoting the new releases. Check their website for tour dates for a show near you. Band co-founder Freddy Herrera checked in from the road to talk about the band and the new release.

Mydenrocks - It's like everything gelled and came together just right - the songwriting and production is really a step up from your previous efforts. From top to bottom, there isn't a sleeper track on the new release. Any thoughts?
Freddy Herrera (FH) - We worked really, really hard. I don't know what it was. I guess it's the whole thing of struggling and paying your dues - being in pain and what's going on in your life that makes you create great art. I never really believed that before. But, now after going through that low point the band went through, I kind of believe it's true now.

MR - Would you consider the new cd almost a concept record in that there is a running theme of dealing with life throughout the whole cd?
FH - Almost. I think the reason people may get that is because the songs are so focused and there's a sound that's going on for what we shot for. It might seem like there is a deeper thing - and that thing is just growing and building yourself up to not be afraid of things that are coming or what you're dealt with.

MR - Let's back up a minute. What happened with your previous label Virgin Records?
FH - Virgin is such a big company. God bless 'em. They did everything they could for us. Miscommunication was a big problem there. We can't fault them because they did alot of stuff for us. When it came down to the fine tuning and making stuff right - alot of things got lost in the shuffle. They decided to not pick up the option for another cd. Being such a big label you have to sell alot of copies just to break even.

MR - The reason I brought that up is because you have a new label Eleven Seven Music and a new management company. Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue shares the same management and I know he has been a big supporter of The Exies. Did he have anything to do with setting you up with your new deal and management?
FH - Yeah. He was the one who introduced us to Allen Kovac - our new manager. Nikki had a talk with Scott and was asking if we were really happy at Virgin and our management. Scott told him things could always be better. So Nikki set up a meeting where we met Allen and we just really hit it off. Nikki saw something in us. We were so fortunate to go on tour with Motley Crue because so many good things came out of it.

MR - That tour exposed you to a different rock crowd, which was good because the Breaking Benjamin (one of the bands The Exies have toured with in the past) type crowd isn't the same crowd that would be going to see Motley Crue and vice versa...
FH - I have to admit..to be totally honest with you...we were a little afraid because we know those walls that exist too. We wondered if it would be right to play with bands that had different followings. We said "screw it" because we couldn't pass up an oppurtunity to tour with somebody as legendary as Motley Crue. It worked out great because their fans were really receptive to us. We learned a big lesson that way - to not be afraid to play with somebody no matter what you do. Because, if you're good they're going to get it.

MR - It has to feel good having someone in your corner supporting the band like Nikki.
FH - The new record is really a miracle in itself. We went through 2 guys leaving and the record company not picking up the option. We had everybody step up. I don't think we really ever realized how many friends we had and how many favors people were willing to do for us. I can't even begin to list the favors. All the way down to our producer going out and doing 6 weeks of basically finishing the record for free - just because he wanted the record to come out right. Allen went the extra mile and making sure he let us do our own thing and having alot of faith in us. The list goes on and on from there.

MR - Back to the new release...it's tough for me to single out any single track as being better than any of the rest because I literally like them all. What are a few of your favorites?
FH - I'm really happy that we went with "Different Than You" - just because it's such a bouncy and upbeat thing. I really like the message it's saying. "Stray" is really big with me because it has such a huge sound. I love the total recklass abandonment of "Lay Your Money Down" - that just kills and it's really great to play live.

MR - Are you working alot of the new songs into the live set? How has the response been to the new material since it's in a little different direction than your previous songs?
FH - Oh yeah. We're only playing 3 songs from our old records. We're really proud of this new record - not that we're not of the old songs. We really want to let people know that this is what we're really about and the response has been nothing but positve from the fans.

MR - I respect that fact that you're playing alot of new material. It gets kind of boring when you see a band numerous times and each time they might only drop 1 or 2 new songs in there.
FH - That's cool that you like that. I think part of the fear that some bands have of playing mostly new stuff is that they want to please their audience. Alot of people just like to hear stuff they know. I guess it also depends on how many hits you have!

MR - Why did you decide to cover "These Are the Days" for the new one?
FH - We thought that Scott's take on the song was so good and so original that it needed to be heard. I thought it was amazing how he turned what David Byrne wrote in the song and shined a different light on the lyrics. I wasn't a big fan of the Talking Heads. I never listened to the lyric and what was being said. But, now that I hear the lyrics I'm like "That's a really heavy song".

MR - How are the new band members adjusting?
FH - Chris is loving it. (Chris was actually in The Exies early on in their career) Hoss has been on tour before. He played last summer with Nick Oliveri (Queens of the Stone Age) in a band called Mondo Generator. Nick called Hoss up to play all the drums on the record and then he called and asked him to play all the European festivals last summer. Both of them are immensly enjoying this.

MR - Thanks for checking in with us!
FH - No problem. Hopefully, everyone will open up and give the new record a chance. We're really happy with it and I think there's something there for everyone. Our live show is alot of high energy rock and roll and if anyone can make it out to check us out - please come...we won't disappoint!

For more information on The Exies log onto www.the-exies.com and www.myspace.com/theexies

Dirty Little Secrets of the Record Business - Why So Much Music You Hear Sucks

Someone had to stand up and cry out from the mountaintop why the music that you hear on the radio today stinks. Thank you Hank Bordowitz for creating a bible that hits that nerve with everyone associated with music - whether you're a fan or a member of the industry. So much talk goes on behind the scenes that alot of fans do not get to hear - the "insiders" are privy to this knowledge of why the music business sucks. Auther Hank Bordowitz nails everything here - radio, record labels, RIAA, internet. Nothing and nobody is safe! After reading this book you will understand how and why the music industry arrived at the sorry state it is in today. Put this at the top of your "must buy" lists and head over to the Amazon link at the right and pick this up. I garauntee you that you will not be able to put this book down. It was so good for myself that everything else got put on the backburner and whittled away at 284 pages of pure truth that keeps your mind locked into it - very enjoyable read and highly recommended. Oh yeah...I blew through it in 2 days - couldn't put this sucker down! Great stuff and this gets the ELITE 10 STARS out 10. Thank you Hank Bordowitz for being the voice that speaks out for millions of music fans across the globe!

Daughtry

Daughtry
DAUGHTRY
RCA Records

One release that has eluded me is Chris Daughtry's self titled release. I finally got a copy of it and all I can say is "Wow!". This is like a smack in the face that you weren't expecting. The first release from this American Idol contestant is surging towards two million units sold after rocketing to one million units sold faster than any other rock artist for their debut release according to sales based on Soundscan. For the record I want to state that I'm not jumping on any bandwagons here. When I first heard that Chris was going to be releasing his own cd, my first thought was "Oh great. Here we go with the whole corporate spin and marketing him by doing whatever it takes to sell records and please the sheep." Even though this is backed by a major label it is anything and everything other than a corporate product. For starters, I thought the label would bring in songwriting teams and basically make Chris their vehicle for the music that the label thought would sell. Thank God the label didn't stick their noses in this release as Chris wrote or either co-wrote 10 of the 12 tracks on here. His tracks show a certain songwriting maturity not seen by any of the other American Idol contestants and the sales prove it. The songwriting is a great mix of blues based rock songs with a modern edge to them. This is sure to please any fan of the rock genre.

The opening track "It's Not Over" has been well received at radio and was the initial spark that sent this release into orbit. The swaying and swaggering vocal melodies really drive home this mid tempo rocker. This was co-written by Chris with a group of writers, which inclued his former American Idol contestant - Ace Young. The biggest slam dunk on here is a song Chris wrote himself "Home". This is a song of epic proportions that, with it's slow buildup to the emotionally hitting chorus, launches the mood level to a stratospheric level that is sure to burn into your mind and become a song that sticks with you forever - a hit song that you can look back ten years from now and remember a specific moment from when this song was popular. "Over You" is another solid song that is right up there with the strongest Creed or Nickelback material - really catchy lyrics sung over great melodies. Move over Creed and Nickelback because there's a new powerhouse in town. "What I Want" is a riff based and fast paced dirty rocker fueled by the guitar work of none other than Slash. I bet Slash was wishing he had this song all to himself. It's a song with alot of balls and probably would be the heaviest song if it were to appear on Velvet Revolver's cd. "There and Back" has an underlying fast paced funky bass line that is the backbone of the song. It's another heavy hitting song and it's one of those songs you would turn to 10 while driving in your car.

Even though this cd came out at the tail end of 2006, if I had to put together my favorite releases of 2007 right now - DAUGHTRY would be number 1. The release has a great flow and you won't be skipping over any tracks. It rocks and rocks hard from beginning to end - some songs having the fast in-your-face type approach and other tracks have that slow churning power of a flow of molten steel eating up everything in its way. I think Chris Daughtry has the ability to lose the American Idol tag eventually. The intitial sales of DAUGHTRY were obviously fueled by the American Idol fans. However, I believe that after the hard core anti-American Idol rock crowd sinks their teeth into this, it's going to strike a nerve with them and drive this thing through the roof. If I really like a cd, I'll tend to go with a 8 or 9 rating. For DAUGHTRY I would give this one a 9 and a sidebar that states "Really damn close to a 10!"

For more information log onto www.daughtryofficial.com and www.rcarecords.com

Unwritten Law - The Hit List cd review

Unwritten Law
THE HIT LIST
2 AM Distribution

What we have here is a greatest hits package of re-recorded songs all spit, shined, and polished up with two new songs thrown in for good measure. I'm not big on re-recorded songs, but I understand the need for bands to do it and I'll describe that here in a minute. This batch of songs is actually pretty good compared to alot of the other re-recorded songs I've heard from various bands.

Punk rock veterans Unwritten Law acheived success with their previous record labels. However, that success didn't translate to fatter wallets for the band and it is a story that is told over and over by various bands. So, rather than slave away for another label, Unwritten Law decided to start their own label and THE HIT LIST is their first release on their new label.

Like I said earlier all of the hits are re-recorded songs. The reason why bands re-record their own material is because their former labels won't give up the master recordsings - even if the bands want to buy their own material back. The labels hold on to the masters in order to bleed every song for every penny it's worth. The labels do this buy constantly re-packaging greatest hits compilations and releasing them under different titles to throw off the consumers. Your die hard fans see through this garbage and avoid these releases. However, your casual fan will pick these up on impulse and they don't get anything new. These hits compilations put out by the label don't have to have the permission of the bands either since the label owns the master recordings. Now that we have that cleared up - let's see how THE HIT LIST stacks up.

The hits are obvious - songs like "Celebration Song" and "Up All Night" are good examples of the of the great heavy driving songs on here. Unwritten Law kind of touches on different styles of punk - such is the case with the Blink 182 flavored "Save Me". "She Says" is acoustic during the verses and erupts into rocking chaos during the chorus. One of my favorite Unwritten Law tracks is "Seein' Red" it's a great rhythmic song with a catchy vocal hook. Speaking of the hook, the band has mastered the art of writing catchy hooks that are memorable. Mix that with their infectious grooves and vocals and THE HIT LIST is a great cd worthy of picking up. The re-recordings actually sound better - better production work and a more beefier sound and not that "tin can" sound that some of these previous recordings had.

Now the real highlight of this disc is the song "Shoulda Known Better". This song is receiving some heavy airplay and could possibly rocket Unwritten Law to another level. It has all of the ingredients (hooks, infectious grooves, and vocals) all coming together cohesively to create a memorable song. The other new song "Welcome to Oblivion" quite possibly could also get as much radio airplay as "Shoulda Known Better". It's a bit toned down in the verses but picks up the beat as it breaks into a great drawn out mid-tempo vocal chorus. If these two new songs are any indication, I can wait for their next studio release. The band has really matured and have become great songwriters.

Now for an interesting twist on THE HIT LIST. Upon hearing that Unwritten Law were releasing a greatest hits package, one of their former labels rushed out one of those greatest hits compilations that I mentioned earlier to try to beat Unwritten Law to the store shelves. THE HIT LIST is the cd you should pick up - you get more bang for your buck and the recordings actually sound better. What I love about this situation is that as the hype builds over this release, it's like Unwritten Law is slowly throwing a middle finger towards their former labels and the business side of the music industry. The more the success they achieve, the higher the middle finger goes!

This is a disc that I think can span different genres of rock. Whether you're into punk, rock, pop rock, hard rock, open up your minds and give this cd a chance. I think you will like what you hear. It's a great cd and it's one that won't end up in my trade in pile. I give this cd 9 middle fingers out of 10 middle fingers!

Unwritten Law's THE HIT LIST is out now. For more information log on to www.unwrittenlaw.com

Lehigh Valley Rocks - new cd for fans of the 80's

I grew up in the 80's and was part of a generation that got to be a part of a vibrant scene that saw local bands pack the clubs and provide the soundtrack to endless weekends of decadance. That scene has long been dead and instead of your local band playing to a club packed with 700 people, local bands are lucky to pull in 100 people. There is a great cd that has just been released that captures that local band scene of the 80's and early 90's. The cd is called LEHIGH VALLEY ROCKS THE BEST OF 1984-1994. It's 2 cds containing 30 songs of the popular local bands of the Lehigh Valley, PA region. You don't have to be from that region though to truly appreciate the impact of the music on this cd. The hard rock music of that era is gift wrapped here for you for you to experience and if you like that music from then, you're going to love this. The cd booklet is top notch, glossy and has a paragraph containing a bio and a picture of every band on the disc. A proper cd review will follow. I just wanted to get the word out there on this cd asap. For more information log onto www.lehighvalleyrocks.com and www.myspace.com/lehighvalleyrocks Check it out...If you're a child of the 80's, it's well worth your money to pick this one up.

Don Dokken Interview

Dokken has two releases coming out this week - FROM CONCEPTION LIVE 1981, which is a recording of one of the earliest live performances featuring the classic Dokken lineup and the UNCHAIN THE NIGHT dvd, which was previously only available on vhs. Don Dokken checked in with us to discuss the new releases and what the future holds for Dokken. This will be the first installment of somewhat regular updates from Don leading up to the new studio release LIGHTNING STRIKES AGAIN.

Mydenrocks - So you literally stumbled across the tapes for the new FROM CONCEPTION LIVE cd?
Don Dokken - We store all of our master tapes at a vault in Hollywood. They are temperature controlled so they don't go bad. I was down looking for the master tapes from the German recordings of BREAKING THE CHAINS to do a remix for a 25th anniversary. I saw some old faded boxes with 2 inch tapes that just said "Dokken Live". I didn't really know what it was because they're were really no other markings on them. So, I took them with me, put them on the machine and found they were old recordings from way back when.

MR - How much other unreleased material is stored in the Dokken vaults?
DD - That's it. We got masters, etc. There's nothing unreleased in there. Everything has been released from what I could see. I actually looked through the tapes, but unfortuantely these new live tapes were it.

MR - The quality of FROM CONCEPTION is pretty good considering the condition they were in when you first found them. Was it hard to get the sound to come back to life and make it sound so good?
DD - It was alot of work, but it really wasn't that hard. Wyn Davis mixed it, who has done alot of Dokken albums in the past. We just transferred it to digital and got rid of all the ticks and pops. It came out sounding good.

MR - Who actually plays bass on the new live release?
DD - It's Pilson. Pilson is playing bass. He had just joined the band about a month before. Juan didn't even play on BREAKIN' THE CHAINS. His picture is on there, but he didn't play on BREAKIN' THE CHAINS. Peter Baltes, the bass player from Accept played on BREAKIN' THE CHAINS because Juan was in the U.S. and couldn't get to Germany in time to do the bass tracks. So Peter played on the tracks. Then Juan came to Germany did the European tour and the Beat Club show, then came back to the U.S. did like 1 or 2 showcases and got the record deal. But, then Juan left the band to join Ratt. Pilson joined right after Juan left and that's when these tapes for the new live release were recordeed.

MR - Why did you decide to release FROM CONCEPTION now and just not hold on to it for a later date?DD - We signed a deal with Rhino for a new studio album and I just said to them "Hey I got this old live recording that's kind of cool. You should check it out." I gave it to them and they were like "We should put this out for the Dokken catalog because it's a pretty good recording." I said "Yeah, that would be good to hold us over until we get the new studio album done." There's a big gap - it's been 2 1/2 years since we put out HELL TO PAY. So, it's about time we put out some product. It was perfect to release FROM CONCEPTION and the dvd at the same time.

MR - You're probably happy to get the UNCHAIN THE NIGHT dvd out for the first time in that format?
DD - It took a long time. Elektra didn't want to release it. They thought there was no point in putting it out because they said nobody wants to buy it - nobody cares. I said "I disagree"

MR - I heard some rumours about releasing the Dokken back catalog?
DD - I don't know anything about that. They're putting out some heavy metal compilation on Rhino that I think we're going to have one song on. Maybe that compilation thing is what you were hearing about.

MR - Do you have a target release date for the new studio release LIGHTNING STRIKES AGAIN?
DD - We wanted to put out in June. But, it doesn't look like we're going to make it. Like all albums they always take longer than you expect. It looks like it will be out late summer or Sept. at the latest. We've already booked the European tour starting in Sept. and then we'll do the U.S. tour right after that.

MR - Any particular songs stand out to you for the new studio release that you would like to give a little advance on?
DD - No song titles yet. I haven't even titled the songs yet. (laughing). I got the music. I got the lyrics. In about a month I should have some pretty concrete titles to throw out there. It's hard to describe the music without matching it up to a song name. So, no one will know what we're talking about anyhow. As far as the sound as a whole for the new material, I would say it's good hard rocking music that is in the veign of the classic Dokken sound.

MR - Where does your solo cd stand right now? Any release date planned?
DD - Nowhere apparantley. I finished it. It's done. I gave it to a few labels. Alot of people don't get the solo cd. They don't get the songs. They think it's too mellow and there's no market for it. It's a different kind of music. It's new age. It's different. It's not signed to a label yet. I'm really proud of the record. I just have to find the right label to put it out on. A rock label is not the way to go with it.

MR - Do you look at the new studio release as a make or break it type milestone for the band? If it doesn't sell, will that mean an end to Dokken?
DD - It is a make or break it album. If this album doesn't have some success, then I don't know what to say. We got great label. They're marketing it, promoting it, doing whatever they can. If it doesn't sell, then what's the point in making new cds? I won't disband the band if it doesn't sell. But we'll just stop making new records and be like Poison - we'll go out on tour every year and just play our hits.

MR - Hopefully, it does well. The whole music industry is just a mess when it comes to promotion and selling a rock product. It's almost like people who should know how to market, promote, and sell rock music don't even know how to hit a target audience anymore. Look at Cleveland for example, rock radio is just pathetic. I'm embarressed to call Cleveland the rock and roll capital anymore. It's a pathetic shell of what it once used to be and you basically have these large corporations that control the whole industry. The end result is bands like Dokken get shut out of radio airplay, venues to play, etc.
DD - The record business is so screwed up right now. It's a mess. There's no more rock radio stations. People don't how to market anymore and that's why the record companies are going down the toilet. No one wants to play in Cleveland anymore because they don't sell tickets there.

MR - Has Wild Mick and Barry ever come back from a Ted Nugent tour sporting loin cloths? They ever come back with some good stories?
DD - (laughing) No. No loin cloths. That's funny. But, you can imagine - it's Ted Nugent! They've come back with some stories. Oh yeah. But, they're stories I can't repeat. You don't want to get on Ted's bad side - don't be a rabbit! Ted will put an arrow right through you!

MR - Thanks for checking in with us Don!
DD - In about a month from now, we'll catch back up. I'll have more songs to talk about, a more solid release date, etc. Until then, check out the new releases and thanks for the support!

For more information check out...
www.dokken.net
www.dondokken.com
www.rhino.com

Also, be sure to catch the Classic Metal Show on Sat. March 17 when Don Dokken will be phoning in to the show to talk about the new Dokken releases. www.theclassicmetalshow.com

Dokken - From Conception Live 1981 cd review

Dokken
FROM CONCEPTION LIVE 1981
Rhino Records

Dokken is gearing up to have a big year for releases. The first in the line of releases is titled FROM CONCEPTION LIVE 1981 and it hits the store shelves March 13. This is one of the earliest Dokken shows recorded before they ever had a record deal. This is the classic Dokken lineup on the release - Don Dokken, Mick Brown, George Lynch, and Jeff Pilson. Don Dokken accidently stumbled across the tapes while digging through the Dokken archives and he had to rescue them from mold damage. This is truly a goldmine for any Dokken fan.

The release consists of 10 tracks showcasing a band that was tearing up the Sunset Strip in Hollywood, CA circa 1981. Dokken was hungry and you can definately tell by the aggressiveness of the music here. The setlist consists of 6 songs from the BREAKING THE CHAINS release, 3 unreleased songs, and a guitar solo showcasing the abilities of George Lynch before he became a guitar hero within music circles. It's not "Mr. Scary" but it's what you would expect to see at a live show - lots of weeedly, weeedly, weeedly guitar work.

If you're a fan of the classic Dokken lineup, you will be interested in the 3 unreleased songs. My personal favorite is the song "Goin' Down". All I can say is "Why was this never on a Dokken release?" This is a high octane fueled song that moves like a dragster roaring down the strip. Musically imagaine an uptempo/slamming bass and drum rhythm mixed with shredding guitar work - mix that with Don Dokken's melodic vocals and this is a real hidden gem within this release. "Hit and Run" has a mid-tempo galloping groove that is the backbone of the song and there is some interesting vocals where Don switches from a relaxed singing style within the verses to hitting the drawn out and melodic high notes come chorus time. We also get to hear backing vocals from the band that grab your ear. The last unreleased track "Liar" is straight ahead in your face rock that has all the signatures of the classic Dokken song.

Other song highlights on FROM CONCEPTION are the obvious ones - "Paris""Breakin' the Chain""In the Middle" and "Night Rider". Quality wise the sound is incredible for a show that happened over 25 years ago. The recording doesn't sound dated like alot of live recordings from that era. It actually sounds like the show was recorded last week and is definately not what I expected to hear becasue the original tapes were in such poor condition. Great production work on every track.

This is an absolute must have for any fan of Dokken or a fan of that scene and/or genre that Dokken is part of. You will not be disappointed. Put this at the top of your wish list. I give this 8 weeedly guitar notes out of 10.

FROM CONCEPTION LIVE 1981will be out this coming Tues. March 13. Also, on that date Dokken will also release a dvd - UNCHAIN THE NIGHT, which is a reissue of the vhs title of the same name - unreleased videos and new interviews with the band are added to the original release.

For more information check out...
www.dokken.net
www.dondokken.com
www.rhino.com

Rokken with Dokken

Mark your calenders for March 13 - that's the date Dokken and Rhino Records releases the great 1981 Live cd and the re-release of the Unchain the Night video on dvd for the first time. LIVE 1981 FROM CONCEPTION is a live cd that captures Dokken circa 1981 in their element delivering a high energy setlist from one of their early live shows known to have survive through the years. The original tapes for this release were recently discovered and had to be salvaged from the mold by Don Dokken. There is a few never before released songs on it and the songs are sure to please any fan of the classic Dokken sound of the 80's. Also out on March 13 is the UNCHAIN THE NIGHT dvd. There is some performance footage and additional behind the scenes shenanigans from the band added to the original vhs release. Definately snag this one as it really captures a moment in time from when rock bands played arenas and it was all about having fun - it's like going back in time for 65 minutes, which is the length of the dvd.

Those two releases kick off a big year for Dokken. Look for a new Dokken studio release this summer as well as reissued releases of all their releases up to Beast From the East - complete with bonus tracks. Also, a Don Dokken solo cd should be arriving soon. It's good to be a Dokken fan in 2007.

Keep your eyes locked on to the Classic Metal Show for all things Dokken in the coming weeks. You can find the Classic Metal Show at www.theclassicmetalshow.com Be sure to drop Wendell "Banana Peeley" Neeley an email and let him know what you think of the show. While you're there, buy a T-shirt and show some love.

Great website paying tribute to Columbus, OH local bands of the 80's

If you were around the Columbus, OH music scene back in the 80's, here is a great website paying tribute to a number of the local bands from that era. There are also a few other bands from other areas. If you were part of the scene back then, this website will take you back in time and is sure to jog something in your memory. Check it out... www.sumthinfierce.com