George Lynch strapped on his guitar last month for a string of East Coast dates and need I say more? Ripping through classic Dokken and Lynch Mob tunes like, “Unchain The Night,” “Million Years,” “Wicked Sensation,” and “Tooth & Nail,” he showed no signs of fading when I saw him at Ding Batz in Clifton, NJ, the night after his 50th birthday. In fact, his laid back, classic riff guitar playing was as brilliant as ever, when I caught him again at the Downtown in Farmingdale, Long Island and then at the Pirates Den in Gloucester, NJ.As a fan, I guess I “Just Got Lucky,” because when my friend, drummer John Macaluso, got the call from Lynch to join the tour I was kindly invited to tag along on three dates. Aside from Lynch’s masterful musicianship, Rob DeLuca was a rock, locking into songs with his full bass, while Macaluso grooved heavily on vocal songs, and complimented Lynch with intricate chops on instrumentals, particularly on “Mr. Scary.” Singer Andy Freeman mimicked Don Dokken so capably, I thought I’d get my behind-the-scenes Lynch trivia from the front man and find out how it felt playing with a man who’s music he was weaned on.
“It felt like that movie Rock Star, minus the arenas and the money,” says Freeman. “I think I actually smoked my first cigarette in 7th or 8th grade listening to "Breaking the Chains.” My friend had the cassette and a pack of Newports.”
Freeman realized a lot of people wanted to hear songs verbatim, so he obliged. While diagnosing the songs, the band found Dokken lyrics a source of constant amusement.
“We were all making fun of some of the Dokken lyrics, about how simplistic a lot of them were,” says Freeman. “George referred to them as ‘The finest 7th grade poetry.’ Everybody lost it.”
So how does Lynch spend his day on the road?
“All I've been hearing for the longest time about George is how he is this fitness and health nut,” says Freeman. “You know the guy’s 50 and he's in better shape then most 20-year olds. Well the whole tour its Jagermeister all day, Krispy Kreme's, Burger King and cigarettes. So fuck salad and the gym. Light up and hit the drive thru!”
Lynch’s lifestyle may seem to fit rock ‘n’ roll protocol, but his humble nature is far removed. He’s often more into talking to fans about gear than anything else. In fact, Macaluso tells me Lynch recently had to be reminded that he’s a rock star.
“I broke my bass drum head in the middle of a set in Maryland and George turned to me and Andy and says, ‘What are we going to do now?’” says Macaluso. “Andy says, ‘You’re a guitar hero. Play a fucking guitar solo.’ George goes, ‘Oh, yeah.’”
Actually, a lot of fans wondered why Lynch fixed himself in one place on stage during solos, rather than play out towards them (though he did move to share swigs from his Jagermeister bottle with the front row at Ding Batz). Lynch explained that he looks for his “sweet spot,” the place where all of the sounds mix just the way he likes and that’s where he stays. So discerning is Lynch’s ear that he bought a Marsh Amp on the spot from Montana Studios following his New York band rehearsal.
Throughout the dates Lynch also favored the sound of his tiger guitar, but some trivia you may not know is that Lynch’s famous skull and bones guitar featured in the “Breaking the Chains” video actually has human parts built into it. Lynch’s guitar builder lovingly crafted it with his own teeth and hair. We didn’t see the instrument, but we heard “Breaking The Chains.” After 20 years Lynch wanted a change, so the band played the song in a half time feel, a breath of fresh air that enlivened the set.
Lynch is touring China right now and plans to resume his U.S. tour soon.
Lynch's "Wicked Sensation" video.
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