Don Dokken has once again addressed the idea of collaborating with former bandmate George Lynch, suggesting that a final EP together is not off the table—provided one key condition is met. Speaking during an appearance on The SDR Show, Dokken clarified his stance amid renewed speculation about a possible reunion with his longtime guitarist.
Reflecting on recent live performances, Dokken explained that Lynch has joined the band onstage several times over the past few months as a special guest. According to Dokken, those appearances helped put old conflicts into perspective.
“Well, you know, the last 20 or so shows we’ve done the last few months, George was coming on as special guest. And he would play like two songs with us So, you know, and we’re old. We’re too old to bicker and fight. Even though a couple years ago he went at it again with the lawsuits, but that’s in the past,” Dokken said.
He went on to describe how those guest spots expanded into more involved collaborations, including Lynch appearing with his own band.
“So, you know, we’re both gray-haired now. And then the last show he just did, he brought his whole band, the Lynch Mob, and they opened for us. And he still came on stage at the end of the night and he did two songs or three maybe. So, we talked about it and I said, ‘But the problem is I can’t play guitar anymore.’ And I said to George very openly, I said, ‘And you don’t write like I write.’ You know, he’s got his own trip, you know? If you listen to the last four Lynch Mob albums, they have nothing to do with Dokken, right?”
Dokken also revisited a previous attempt to work together, recalling a short-lived reunion that included a tour of Japan—an experience he admitted did not go well.
“We did an experiment and we said we’ll write one song together and that was it’s just another night and just another day and we wrote recorded it made a cool video original members went to Japan. I said I’m not doing America. We’ll go to Japan and we’ll see if we don’t kill each other. And that’s exactly what I said. So we did the Japanese tour. It was a disaster. Mostly because of me. I just wasn’t on my game,” he continued.
Despite those setbacks, Dokken emphasized that he is still open to recording a short release with Lynch—but only if it stays true to the band’s classic sound.
“So now I’ve talked to George and we played and I said I might be up for an EP only, right? You know, but I said flat out it has to sound like Dokken, right? I don’t want I’m not trying to insult you, George, but I’ve listened to all your records. It has to be Dokken. That’s what the fans want. You know, they don’t want to hear tripped out stuff, you know,” Dokken stated.
This condition underscores Dokken’s desire to preserve the musical identity that longtime fans associate with the band, should any new material come to fruition.
The comments arrive amid continued discussion about Dokken’s future, as he has spoken frequently throughout 2025 about the possibility of retirement. The strained relationship between Dokken and Lynch has remained a recurring topic in the media for decades, largely due to past legal battles and creative conflicts.
Earlier in April 2025, Dokken told Cassius Morris that he was contemplating retirement and possibly one final Dokken show within the next year. During that same interview, he initially mentioned the idea of recording a final EP with Lynch, setting the groundwork for the current conversation.
Interest in the Dokken–Lynch relationship has never fully faded, particularly because of the long-standing tensions that contributed to the band’s breakup at the height of its success in the 1980s. A recent YouTube discussion highlighted how media outlets continue to revisit the pair’s history, especially given that the band unraveled just before achieving full arena-headliner status.
Lynch has also shared his side of the story. In a November 2025 interview with Tone-Talk, cited by Blabbermouth, he responded to Dokken’s past comments and defended his views on band finances and creative equality.
“I’ve been the benefactor of his cheating due to his lying in a big way,” Lynch stated during the Tone-Talk interview. He challenged Dokken’s portrayal of their business dealings and argued that equal splits are essential to preventing what he described as “weak songwriting.”
If it happens, the proposed EP could serve as the final chapter in one of hard rock and metal’s most contentious partnerships. With both musicians now in their 70s, the focus appears to be shifting away from legal disputes and toward legacy.
