Blabbermouth — DOKKEN frontman Don Dokken has pushed back against criticism of his band’s live performances, saying that people “don’t know” what he went through during his various health battles.

In recent years, Don has been ruthlessly lambasted by fans after radiation treatments from a bout with stomach cancer and eventual vocal-cord surgery hurt his singing ability. The negative reviews were seemingly amplified after he underwent neck and spine surgery last November, leaving him unable to play guitar.

Asked in a new interview with SiriusXM‘s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk” how he responds to the criticism from fans about his live performances, Don said: “I think they can kiss my ass. I see the criticism.

“It wasn’t just my arm and my hand [that were affected by the surgery] — it was a lot of things. When I came out of surgery, I couldn’t walk; I was in a walker, I was in a wheelchair. I had nothing. I couldn’t even walk more than 10 feet without sitting down. So when I [performed at the Metal Hall Of Fame in Anaheim, California in January], I remember saying, ‘I’m not sure I can stand here for five minutes to sing this song. I probably won’t make it.’ But I did. And then I went out, about two months later, as a test, and we did that LYNCH MOB / LITA FORD / DOKKEN show, and I made it through the first two shows, and then the third show, I had to sit on a chair; I just couldn’t stand. My legs were giving out.

“When they severed all the muscles and cut all the nerves — I’m not a doctor — apparently they severed muscles to my hips, muscles to my back, my legs, everything,” he explained. “They just butchered me. So it’s been a hard struggle.


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