DOKKEN – From Conception : Live 1981

After the recent remastered version of DOKKEN‘s first American album featured here, one of you asked for “From Conception : Live 1981”, capturing the band in an early, previously unheard concert recorded before the band signed with Elektra Records, plus 3 songs that weren’t included into the studio album.
“From Conception” finds singer Don Dokken, guitarist George Lynch, drummer Mick Brown, and bassist Jeff Pilson ripping through 10 unreleased live performances of several songs that were eventually recorded for the band’s debut album, “Breaking The Chains”, including “Live To Rock (Rock To Live)”, “Night Rider”, the album’s title track, and “Paris”, a showcase for Lynch’s formidable guitar heroics.
The release also contains three previously unreleased songs that were excluded from their debut album because the label did not feel they were commercial enough at the time: “Goin’ Down”, “Hit And Run”, and “You’re A Liar”.

Like many of the early hard rock acts of the day, Dokken began earning their reputation where it counts in the metal world: on the road. One listen to the first song “Paris” and you’ll understand why this band was signed by Elektra Records and why they became one of the most influential bands in the ’80s.
The mere fact that this show was recorded while the band was still something of a local sensation and before having a widely distributed LP to speak of, although I believe that “Breakin’ the Chains” was enjoying regular radio play at this point.

Most fans of Dokken or of this early ’80 era of hard rock/metal music will enjoy this for the novelty of the three unreleased songs; however, that’s certainly not the only reason to get this disc.
The live versions of these early songs are all superior in attitude (and sound quality) to the Beast From the East live effort that came out later in the ’80s when Dokken was a legitimate arena act

The recording captures an energetic ’81 club date in great, natural sound.
A young Don Dokken feels like pro, and Lynch’s tone is ripping delivering killer riffs and two-handed tapping and whammy bar divebombs equal of Eddie Van Halen and Randy Rhoads.
But the real stars here are the songs, which are maddeningly catchy.

There’s inspired performances of classic songs like “Breakin’ the Chains”, “Nightrider”, “Paris”, and even the previously unreleased metal anthem “Liar” and the punchy “Hit And Run”, and you can taste the utter chemistry that you can feel the band has with the audience.
No live disc would be complete without inane stage banter, and this one has it in spades – lots of “I can’t hear you!” and such. At one point, Dokken congratulates the crowd on making some noise: “That’s the LA attitude!”
Ah, those were the days….

For those who see Dokken as mere corporate rock or an ironic T-shirt, this disc should be a pleasant surprise. In a way, it lives up to the promise of hair metal more than the era’s studio albums ever did: hot, sweaty rock ‘n’ roll.
And the sound quality is first rate
Highly Recommended

01 – Paris Is Burning
02 – Goin’ Down (unreleased track)
03 – In The Middle
04 – Young Girls
05 – Hit And Run (unreleased track)
06 – NightRider
07 – GTR Solo
08 – Live To Rock
09 – Breakin’ The Chains
10 – You’re A Liar (unreleased track)

Don Dokken – Lead Vocals, Guitar
George Lynch – Lead Guitar
Jeff Pilson – Bass
Mick Brown – Drums

BUY IT !
www.amazon.com/Conception-Live-1981-Dokken/dp/B000MG1ZFG