New Jeff Pilson Interview Online
Jeff Pilson posted the following interview on his blog. This interview has some really interesting insight into the new Lynch/Pilson project Tooth & Nail. Check it out!
PYNCH: Okay Jeff, let’s cut to the chase… There’s been some nasty interviews out there with George and Don recently. What’s really going on?
JEFF: Yes, a little good old fashioned Dokken nastiness, it’s like a comfortable old sweater!!!!!LOL Anyways, here’s the lowdown: The Dokken reunion has been scrapped, and I take a lot of the initial responsibility for that because of my schedule and commitment to Foreigner. I was, however, up front about that from day one. We did talk, though, and I think we all thought it was going to happen somehow at some time. Then Don and George got in some nasty email fights, which I’m not really in a position to evaluate but they did get ugly and seem to put an end to further reunion thoughts. The two of them had their own business outside of the pending reunion and something just went south. For whatever reason, it was time to move on. Then George asked me about working with him on the next Lynch Mob record- and I jumped at the chance. He and I started writing, got into a groove and wrote an album’s worth of stuff, all with the intention of Oni writing lyrics and it being their next record. Brian Tichy laid down some incredible drums at his studio (and cowrote some music on one track)- and we had an incredibly strong start. Then Oni just wasn’t feeling the music as being Lynch Mob- so it was shelved. We figured it’d be the start of another Lynch/Pilson record some day. Then actually it was Brian who had the idea that Mick, George and I should do a band, similar to what Heaven and Hell was to Sabbath, and call it Tooth and Nail. Because of everything else we have going, it’ll be just a recording project at first, but sure sounds fun. We’d record the classics keeping true to the originals but make them fresh and organic. Then the idea of doing new songs came up, and it grew from there. Now I’ve been working on lyrics and melodies the last couple weeks on my laptop in hotel rooms, and I haven’t been this inspired in years. I can’t wait to get home and lay these tracks down. I have absolute belief that the music George and I make together (along with Brian Tichy in this case) is real and inspired, and that’s what it’s really all about. So out of a mess of a reunion attempt, I think we’ll end up with a really fabulous record, and what could be better than that? But make no mistake it was NEVER intended to be a diss on Don. Don’t confuse George’s sense of humor (“Dump the Chump”- LOL) for the attitude and energy we all have for this project. Don is, and will always be, the singer of Dokken and an invaluable part of the Dokken chemistry. No one ever wants to take that away or dispute it one iota. But the three of us do have time tested amazing chemistry, and because we were writers on these songs, I feel we have a lot to express. If anything I think this will be a show of respect for Don, not some kind of competition. I only hope people enjoy it in the spirit for which it’s intended. Whew- that was a mouthful!!!
PYNCH: The working title is Tooth & Nail… Isn’t this really Dokken without Don?
JEFF: I think I’ve explained that. Don’t think of this as Dokken without Don… that’s misleading. Think of it as a band with great chemistry coming up with new music that excites them, and also paying tribute to Dokken – music which the members all are heavily invested in emotionally.
PYNCH: George tried this once before with Robert Mason on the Lynch Mob REvolution record with mixed reviews… What will make this a really cool recording that the old fans will dig?
JEFF: We’re not going to try and reinvent the wheel. But we plan on making them rock, and giving our all on it. Remember, these songs are a deep part of our psyches as well- regardless if we’re playing them with Dokken or not.
PYNCH: George always seems to frustrate Don and his recent “Dump the Chump” comments about this project have now seemed to frustrate some of the old fans as well… Is George trying to be agitating, or does he just have a unique sense of humor?
JEFF: That’s George’s humor – totally. He just forgets that when you say that along with some of the other comments he’s made about Don, people may not recognize the humor in it. That boy can be so silly sometimes!!!!
Read the rest of the interview at Jeff Pilson’s blog at this link.
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