Reviews

Dokken

The Elektra Albums 1983 – 1987

As a ‘long–time‘ Dokken enthusiast, my fascinations with the Los Angeles, California-born quartet began with the inclusion of “Dream Warriors” on the A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warrior (1987) soundtrack. Although I soon found myself enthralled amid the release of the multi-Platinum Back For The Attack (1987) and the in-concert testimonials Beast From The East (1988), the group’s unti-mely demise only left me longing for more. Temporarily finding solace amid Up From The Ashes (1990) from Don Dokken and Wicked Sensation (1990) from the George Lynch-fueled Lynch Mob, even their all-too-brief comeback (i.e., Dysfunctional, One Night Live and Shadowlife, released in 1995, 1996 and 1997, respectively) failed to fill the proverbial void left amid their wake. Now, over a quarter of a century (!) later, with yet another failed reunion long behind them, I find myself intrigued by the release of the curiously long-overdue, earliest of career–spanning CD/Vinyl compilations The Elektra Albums 1983-1987. However, this question remains: are you really ready?

Interviews

Brett Carlisle

(All Or Nothing, Great White)

Let’s face it; the careers of certain artists and groups, it would seem, never truly come to an end; they simply roll with the proverbial c-hanges, re-defining and, in some cases, arguably improving themselves (both Black Sabbath and Van Halen serve as ideal examples). A-lthough the use/abuse of such a hackneyed descriptive might appear unnecessary, it remains entirely appropriate whenever discussing the lineages of battle-scarred Hard Rock masterminds Great White. Having survived a veritable plethora of label and inner band-related turmoil–most notably the issues related to the departure of original frontman Jack Russell and the multitude of vocalists that have foll-owed in his wake–the group again finds themselves basking amid a renewed critical renaissance with the addition of All Or Nothing ma-inman Brett Carlisle. Recently, the charismatic Carlisle, always a man of many words and interesting stories despite his relatively tender age, was kind enough to speak with us regarding, among many other things, his escalations from obscurity to ‘mainstream’ recognition.

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