Dokken comes from the iconic era of glam metal bands like Ratt and Poison, where image was nearly as important as the music. Big hair, big drums, big vocals, big guitar solos— if everything is in fact bigger in Texas, then everything was indisputably the biggest in 1985 when hair metal stood on top of the music world.
Dokken got big in Europe in the early 80’s long before they found much commercial success stateside— in fact, Elektra Records nearly dropped them in 1983 following a massive arena tour supporting Blue Oyster Cult that didn’t end up generating much in the way of album sales. But by 1985 and the release of Under Lock and Key the boys from Dokken had made it, going platinum off the success of smash singles “In My Dreams” and “The Hunter.” And while glam metal would slowly die out by the turn of the decade, dealt the final blow with the release of Nirvana’s 1991 album Nevermind, Dokken would continue to soldier on and retain a rabid fan base that continues to this day amongst hardcore hair metal fans.
Standout Songs: “Unchain the Night”, “In My Dreams”, “Slippin’ Away”
