The Untold Secrets: Dokken's Trouble with RATT 

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After I left WASP in early summer of 1982, I auditioned for The Greg Leon Invasion and then Ratt, in Stephen Pearcy's grandmother's garage in Culver City. Blotzer didn't like me because I played bass for the stupidest reason; I used a pick. I told him that I didn't tell him what kind of sticks to use and he said "only REAL bassists play with their fingers and not picks." I said "you mean, like Paul McCartney and Gene Simmons? Tom Hamilton and Pete Way use both." Well, he didn't like that, although Robbin Crosby and Stephen thought it was funny that I stood up to Blotzer in my sarcastic Brooklyn, NY attitude. I also had prism stars as fret markers, which Blotzer mocked as 'Disco stars.'...Months go by, I'm now in the reformed Steeler with Malmsteen and among the huge audience in our debut Show on March 11th, 1983, were the members of RATT. We opened for Hughes/Thrall at The Country Club in Reseda. Brought down the house. Everyone freaked at how we blew them away. After the show, RATT shows up in the backstage green room, Everyone is saying how great we were...Blotzer forgot that it was me who auditioned for RATT months earlier, walks past me and does a double take; I said, "not bad for Disco stars and a pick, eh?" He turns red and took off in embarrassment. 😂😂 I earned respect and we became friends after that. Everyone always poked fun at Bobby, he was a complaining goofball.

Love Don's stories. Sitting down, refecting on his life, tells story after story..Loved both RATT and Dokken. Discovered both bands in 1983. Bought the RATT E.P and Under lock and key in 1985. Seems like ages ago, which it is :) I'm 54 now, still living in Sweden. Cheers!

Was 17 in 81, what an absolutely great time in music..i have a 2ft high glass jar filled with stubs of every show I've ever been to starting in 76 with KISS👍🏻

Always appreciated Bobby's creativity in creating his drum parts. Some nice drum hooks in those songs.

RATT in about 1983-84 were great live. So much energy!!

Rocken with Dokken 🎼 🎤🎸🥁 Heard that a time or two 🤘. Miss them days 😎

I was Tour Manager for White Lion in 2007 and we did a few shows with Ratt with one being the 1st Rocklahoma, We spent a good amount of time with Ratt and Blotz especially...I'm shocked the fire department didn't come aboard the Ratt bus 👽🔥😆Great dude...Don too is seriously one of the nicest souls ever

King ( Robbin Crosby) died of heroin. He purposely left the treatment place he was living at where they were trying to treat his HIV and other related health complications and then one day Robbin said fuck it, Im terminal and gonna die eventually and might as well not spend the rest of my time on earth trying to get treatment for something thats past getting treatment for ( even though that wasnt the case and it was the heroin addiction that was feeding him those lies) . So he bailed and went straight to his heroin dealer after being in recovery from that shit for awhile., and free falled into a heroin binger and possibly gave himself a super strong dose purposely in hopes of ending his life and pain and suffering. He got what he wanted because he is not with us any longer and on a positive note hopefully not in pain anymore. R.I.P. King Crosby.

For me,Blotzer was a top 5 Rock drummer of the 80's 🤟

I met Bobby blotzer at the guitar center drum department in Hollywood and he was awesome he was very nice

This guy really knows 80`s metal bands to ask such intrequit questions that even long time die hard fans wouldn't know to ask. Listening to Don Dokken thoroughly answer them us something I never even imagined as a 13 year old wearing my Dokken T shirts and reading every story in Hit Parader, Circus, Rip, Metal Edge, or what gave have you magazine

Only band more dysfunctional than Dokken was Ratt. Only thing between the two was Ratt had Crosby the fifth member. He was a true tie breaker.

I went to those New Year’s Eve gigs!..absolutely a blast!.Ratt was amazing live..X

I knew that of them played together at one point and time but it is the first time I heard of Blotzer playing with Dokken, thank you for the show

This will be interesting. Both guys with their fair share of well publicized conflict over the years. Huge fan of both!!

Stefan, these are amazing tales! Thoroughly enjoying these!🤘🏼

Saw Bobby Blotzer play with Great White in early 90's they were touring Psycho City album in a club called the Attic Good Concert Great Times🤘

Thx Adika! That was awesome! In 2007 I was neighbors with Bobbys (then) fiance- Him & I got along hecka well. Really fun guy

BB brought nothing to the crafting of the songs or lyrics in the entire RATT music catalog. As for his heightened earnings, other members of RATT had to sign over a portion of their own publishing rights over to BB to make it look like he was earning something comparable to the other 4 members, all the while keeping BB happy. Beau Hill stated BB was very difficult in the studio and his least favorite personality. Great drummer but really there is a reason why no one is talking to him anymore.

Now that was interesting. I thought I knew almost all the good from the 80’s…still got more to learn Great bands,great times,loved the 80’s!

Dig this channel. Keep up the good work.

I saw both of these bands back in the day, many times, and they never disappointed! Without the fighting, they wouldn’t put on such kick ass shows!

Strange because Bobby and Mick always reminded me of one another.

Don hasn't changed a bit. Can't tell a story without having to denigrate those he's talking about. I was a huge Dokken fan and it's sad his ego tore them apart.

Dude I love this stuff great Don I never ever knew that wow way cool the things you have seen thank you

Love Don's stories ❤ 💕

Blotzer is done and has been meanwhile Don Dokken is still ROCKIIIIIN!!!Oh and let me add to this Stephen Pearcy band is on fire rite now firing on all cylinders I don't care what people say!!!

I'm praying for Don .

A Dokken Ratt reuniting collab album

Bobby never got enough credit for forming songs around the drum set and got screwed out of alot of money cuz writing credit only went to guitar riffs or lyrics, so I feel that. I wish ratt could get along so they could play together but 🤷‍♂️ both ratt and dokken are great bands and still in my playlist 🤘😎🤘 love the 80's.

Bobby was a solid drummer in Ratt

I'm still waiting for Bobby Blotzer's Batushka... 🥁

Throughout time so many bands have high levels of dysfunction. Especially in the debauchery days of 70s 80s and 90s

You got to love this stuff. If you read Blotzer's book it is just the opposite. Sad these bands go after each other now days.

Love listening to all of this.

DOKKEN was one of the best bands of the 80s and 90s...

Great video, but I’m thinking it can do without the zooming in and zooming out, perhaps? 🤔 🙏🏻

I think Blotzer was the best heavy rock drummer of that era. He could keep the groove solid, play some "outside" fills and flashy rolls, but not interfere with the song. That is mighty rare in heavy rock. He seems to be difficult to work with, however.

Is that how you Pronounce Juan’s last name? Always loved that guy, the most entertaining member of Ratt, Juan was always the most fun to watch live, he was all over the place. Kind of like the Angus Young of bass players

Dokken preferred DeMartini over Lynch. But settled for Lynch.

Trouble? Doesn't sound like he had much trouble. Misleading title. Typical

Wasn’t Airborne the band that Beau Hill (Ratt’s producer) played in at one point???

Love both bands, wouldn’t have been the same growing up without them. I went to probably over 100 concerts and the best drummers were Jimmy Degroso, Tommy Lee and Jason Bonham. Bobby was second or third tier at best.

❤

I wonder why and how Robin Crosby got the nick name "King"!!!!!! 😊😊🙂🤔 I always thought he was the coolest in Ratt!!!! Yeah I know Warren Demartini was hot shot awesome Lead guitar player but Robin had the cool looks!!! I'm sure he was a BIG HIT with the ladies!!!!! I miss him!!!! Ratt was never the same without him!!!! I read in a guitar magazine that Invasion Of Privacy was practically a Robin Crosby album!!!! Meaning he wrote most of the riffs on that album!!!! I could be wrong though!!!!😊 Anyway I'm A Ratt 🐀 fan for life!!!!

I always liked Ratt but Dokken blows them away just my opinion !

Amazing how the original sunset strip scene of bands had been so tight knit. Funnily, Don does not make mention of Great White, who had also been active during said time. I myself, missed it by about 1 decade - moved from New York to LA/hollywood to attend GIT. I managed to catch the tail end of the glam movement which had dominated the area. And tho these guys were truly the godfathers

Hey Don…bust out some of those old board tapes let’s hear.

i always like Blotzer's sound . he used regular snares and kick drums but electric toms. very cool sound

This show is great not like Eddie Trunk that he think is bigger than the Artists!

I'm 61, I watched a lot of bands on the sunset strip, but also in OC. I was a big fan of Ratt, Doken, Guns, Great white, YnT, Van Halen and many other southern california bands. I've seen many bands over the last 15 years in clubs, the house of blues and your name it, if they are an 80s hair band, I'll go see them The absolute worst performance was Dokken. Don Dokken wasn't just bad, he was rude to the sound guys at the club, who did nothing wrong. Ad insult to injury, not only can he not sing, he was a dick. Totally Embarrassed for him. Talked to many other people and its not just me. Totally ruined the night. ITs too bad. When I hear about in fighting, then I saw what I saw, I got to believe it was all him.

Warren Demartini taught George Lynch Randy Rhoads guitar parts when George was trying to join Ozzy before Sharon screwed that up!

Just to correct Don’s math: 3/5 of Ratt played in Dokken at one time or another.

I need some wine for all this cheese

A Van Halen didn't name the band. It was Dave Roths idea.

No one has ever cared about blotzer. He's by far the least popular band member ratt ever had. Same with any band he's been in.

BIG BIG BIG INFLUENCE IN OUR BAND

I have heard about them switching players, it makes you wonder who really wrote what when it comes to the guitar. both great guitarist but they had to play each others music unless they didn't write anything for the 6 months or more they played together.

I can understand being full of bobby

I'm not saying I don't believe Don but there have been other interviews where his accounts of some of the stories have been refuted and corroborated by both George and Jeff.

No one else find it odd that Don’s stories all come with rebuttles or recounts from who they are about?

When you catch lightning in a bottle, You better hang onto it , Most bands burn out in 10, Mass money to be made, Just deal with the BS, Then 20 years later tour again and make even more money, Dokken and Ratt was money making machines at the time they broke up

Blotzer was great on the Ratt records! Awesome drummer. Seems like a d-bag as a person though.

I saw Airborne play the starwood around1977 l was 17 they played l dont need no doctor by humble pie it was horrible the guitar and vocals anyway not an easy song to pull off for anyone at least they were cool enough to give it a try

The trouble is Don can't sing no more

You would think Blotzer would just keep quiet and be thankful he was in an 80s rock band, considering how unattractive he was in an age of pretty-boy rockers. He was bad looking and had a weird name yet he kicked up a stink, brilliant. There will never be a band called Blotzer, at least not a successful one, and it burned his ass.

😂😂😂😂 Don: IT was absolutely not because of my well documented ego issues- I named the band after myself because my last name rhymes with Rokken. 🤦‍♀️ WTF???

Crosby overdosed

What does Don say here? 2:53

I thought Donnie Baker died?

Warren wasn't as good as George Lynch

Don Dokken tells the truth. The problem is that most people don't want to hear the truth.

I thought robin died of a overdose

Robin had aids, but he died from a heroin overdose.

Bobby was only cool MF of Ratt to sign my jacket in London . He only one positive from Ratt 🎉

Dudes,,,,Don Dokken played a show not too long ago and he was drunk off his ass and made a complete idiot of himself......back in the day he may have been good,,,,,but time was not good for him,,,I'm on Blotzer side all day long on this issue

Not a fan of either band, but both guitar players are great. So if DeMartini was in Dokken where did George Lynch come from?

I trust Dons story’s because he was the only sober one

Whenever you see Dokken inexplicably wearing a hat inside his own home, you know the guy didn't want to put in the time to reapply the Velcro and wig glue.

Don saying someone is wrong ! Don once said that he wrote 80% of dokken songs. Which is a lie. Look up the credits.

No George Lynch no Dokken.

Delusional Don.

The only problem Dokken had was that they sucked

Don's math is bad. Lol, Juan, Bobby and Warren played in Dokken yet he says 2/3rds of Ratt played in Dokken, lol.

Mick Brown sucked. He was why Dokken never went big. I would love to hear Blotz on those songs.