GEORGE LYNCH Is 'Hoping' For More 'Classic DOKKEN' Shows In 2019

George Lynch is "hoping" that the classic lineup of DOKKEN will play more reunion shows in 2019.

Lynch, vocalist Don Dokken, bassist Jeff Pilson and drummer "Wild" Mick Brown reunited for one U.S. concert in September 2016 before embarking on a six-show Japanese run dubbed "Unleashed In The East".

A DOKKEN concert DVD, which is tentatively due in April, will reportedly feature footage from two of the Japanese gigs — including Tokyo — as well as the band's Sioux Falls concert. The band also recorded one new song called "It's Just Another Day" and two acoustic remakes of a couple of DOKKEN classics.

During a January 29 interview with SiriusXM's Eddie Trunk, Lynch spoke about the DOKKEN reunion and the band's upcoming DVD. "We've been doing work behind the scenes and getting the [live] record finished up," he said. "We wrote a new, original studio track that's wonderful. We shot a video for that. We've just been working on editing the live concert and mixing the record, but it's pretty much all done at this point. It's all put to bed, and we're ready to go. I think we've got an April release date, and we're excited about it. Without making any promises, I think there might be a path forward, I'm hoping, for 2019."

Asked if he thinks more shows with DOKKEN's original lineup will indeed come to pass next year, George said: "I think so, yeah. I'm kind of thinking it might happen in 2019. Of course, we've all cried wolf a million times, but everybody's been really positive about this. I think one of the key things is the fact that we got back together and it was wonderful. The magic was there, personally and musically especially. I think the [new studio] track is everything that you'd want and expect it to be and hope it to be, without being cheesy and without being old guys trying to play new music or anything like that. It's just modern enough but still had all the old DOKKEN chemistry. Don sounded great on it. Mick sounded fantastic. It's got a lot of energy. I think quite honestly, it's kind of hard to find your favorite old bands that continue to surprise you in good, positive ways, and I think this song will have that effect on people. I don't mean to read too much into it, but it does it for me — I mean, I get off on it. I love listening to it, and we're all sort of patting each other on the back and feeling good about it, so I'm thinking that it might be a path forward. I'm hoping."

Lynch also talked about his most recent appearance with Dokken, which took place on January 27 at the "Ultimate 'NAMM' Night" event at the Hilton hotel in Anaheim, California. They performed a couple of DOKKEN classics — "Kiss Of Death" and "Tooth And Nail" — with the help of guitarist Ira Black, bassist Marten Andersson and drummer Phil Varone.

"Don and I got up there and made nice," George said. "Everything was cool. It was definitely a lot of love in the room, and it was fun. Went off without a hitch. We played a couple old DOKKEN songs. Unfortunately, the rest of the guys weren't there, but it was cool. Lot of fun, good energy."

Last month, Don told "The Classic Metal Show" that "It's Just Another Day" is "very DOKKEN-sounding" and "very classic '80s" with "big harmonies. It's just like 'Paris Is Burning' meets 'In My Dreams'," he said. The track marks the the first new song by the classic DOKKEN lineup since the 1997 "Shadowlife" album.

Don has repeatedly said that the main reason he doesn't want to continue with the classic DOKKEN lineup is that he "loves" the band he has now — which features Brown, alongside guitarist Jon Levin and bassist Chris McCarvill.

The 2016 Japanese tour featuring Pilson, Dokken, Lynch and Brown marked the first time in 21 years DOKKEN's classic lineup had hit the road.