Don Dokken Willing to Blame Metallica for Dokken's 1989 Breakup

In a new interview, Don Dokken appeared willing to blame Metallica for Dokken's temporary 1989 breakup that resulted from tensions between the namesake lead singer and Dokken guitarist George Lynch. But other reasons have been cited for these early Dokken lineup issues before.

Still, on Battleline Podcast this week, Don suggested Metallica was "kind of maybe the reason we broke up" after Dokken toured with Metallica as part of 1988's "Monsters of Rock" package, as Blabbermouth pointed out — mainly because an aggressively ascendant Metallica showed Dokken up each night.

Watch the video near the bottom of this post.

"That was a tough tour," Don says, "because they hadn't done the 'Black Album' yet. Metallica is now the biggest band in the world. … And that was kind of maybe the reason we broke up — because of Metallica."

He continues, "Because when we played the stadium tour, Metallica came onstage every day with this attitude like, do or die. They just gave it 100 percent, 110 percent. They were kicking ass. They were just coming out with …And Justice for All, which was not my favorite Metallica album. And they hadn't done the Black Album yet that's now [taken] them into superstardom."

The Dokken vocalist recalls, "I would talk to the band. I'd say, 'Look at Metallica.' And they're opening for us. And we had the same manager. And I used to say, 'Well, Cliff [Burnstein], I know they're opening up and they're only making half the money as us, but could you put them on after us?'"

Metallica in 1988. (Elektra Records)

He added, "Because when Metallica went on and they closed the show with whatever it was — [a] Kill 'Em All [song] or something like that — we're coming onstage doing 'In My Dreams.' We look like The Monkees practically because we're just a straight-ahead rock 'n' roll band."

Metallica Really to Blame?

However, Don says he "respected Metallica so much because we'd be in Texas, and it'd be 105 degrees, and they'd go on at three o'clock, and it's just sweltering hot. But they went on every day. Metallica had this mindset that, 'If this is our last show, we die. So be it.' They gave it 110 percent."

In the past, the Dokken singer claimed that Lynch's excessive drug use was the reason for the split. Lynch has previously pointed to disagreements over Dokken's financial arrangements as the reason for the breakup.

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Why Metallica Is to Blame for Dokken Breaking Up

Rockers Who Have Defended Lars Ulrich

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Gallery Credit: Philip Trapp