Dokken or Ratt?

Which do you prefer?

To me there’s no question. I’ll be Rockin’ with Dokken. That being said, I think Out of the Cellar is possibly the best album between the two, just ahead of Back for the Attack.

Dokken for me, but not by much. I like Ratt quite a bit as well.

Dokken by a Ratts tail.

Like the others, I go with Dokken but just slightly. Ratt is awesome.

Dokken send Ratt home in a stretcher. Them and Holy Soldier are perhaps the only hair bands I really like. Throw White Cross in there too. Like White cross more than Ratt too maybe b/c heard first possibly but also like guitars, better vocals, catchier riffs/hooks and better overall tunes to my ears.

I should check out more Ratt though only heard a couple songs and they were so so you know

When Ratt is on they're great but Dokken has the better overall catalog and are less cringe lyrically.

Excellent point about lyrics. Dokken is one of the few hair bands who aren’t completely puerile.

I have always really liked Ratt.  I remember discovering that first album when it came out (full album anyway - Out of the Cellar).  Great stuff.  Saw them in concert.

But...I find that Dokken's music has held up better over the years.  
I even like their newer stuff.   So, Dokken for me, but both are musically great.

Man, that is a tough one!

Ratt had that 2 guitar attack of DeMartini & Crosby that gave them more power live.  They had the sleezy sounding vocals that oozed the sleazy topics they sang about.

Dokken, on the other hand, has Don's smoother voice.  He started off trying to do some higher pitched tricks but is always at his best when he sticks to his mid-range.  They had George Lynch, John Norum, Reb Beach, and Jon Levin as guitarists over the years.

Musically, there are a ton of similarities save for the vocalists.

I don't think I can pick one.

Ratt.

For the simple fact that I was a fan before I liked or knew about Dokken. Plus Warren DeMartini is one of the greatest lead players ever! That said, George Lynch is also one of the best. 

Warren DeMartini, George Lynch and Vito Bratta are the best guitarists from the “hair metal” genre. Nuno Bettencourt is also great.

Only know a few songs by each from listening to classic rock radio, but based on that definitely Dokken. I always listen to their songs all the way through, whereas I usually end up changing the channel when Ratt comes on

TZ75 wrote:Ratt.

For the simple fact that I was a fan before I liked or knew about Dokken. Plus Warren DeMartini is one of the greatest lead players ever! That said, George Lynch is also one of the best. 

Warren DeMartini, George Lynch and Vito Bratta are the best guitarists from the “hair metal” genre. Nuno Bettencourt is also great.

Reb Beach has entered the chat.

I voted before looking at the comments (went with Dokken) but I'm a little surprised that most here did as well (at least so far).

I would have loved Dokken to have the twin guitars of two incredibly great players like Ratt did (not that Lynch is a slouch by any means).  I think the background vocals in Dokken are part of the clincher for me.  Just fantastic and melodic (even if a little too Beatlesque at times). All that to say I thought the lead singers for both bands were kind of the weakest element of each group.  Dokken isn't bad and has a rather decent voice, just not as heavy as some of the music seemed to command.  Pearcy on the other hand is probably one of my least favorite vocalists in most of popular hard rock and metal at the time (along with Vince Neil & Axel Rose).

Black Rider wrote:

TZ75 wrote:Ratt.

For the simple fact that I was a fan before I liked or knew about Dokken. Plus Warren DeMartini is one of the greatest lead players ever! That said, George Lynch is also one of the best. 

Warren DeMartini, George Lynch and Vito Bratta are the best guitarists from the “hair metal” genre. Nuno Bettencourt is also great.

Reb Beach has entered the chat.

He was actually my first guitar hero when I discovered hard rock and metal in 1988. I love his shredding on the first Winger album a lot. Unfortunately, I haven’t really followed him since (although I know he has been playing with Whitesnake for a long time). 

But yes, he should be included on the list! His tapping technique is phenomenal!

He's also been playing with Whitesnake and Black Swan.

Interesting interview in light of the discussion here:



It actually explains a lot about why George tends to be inconsistent in a live setting.
But I can relate, I get the tendency to play in a more "free form" style as opposed to rigid note-for-note soloing..

The full interview is here, it's over an hour long:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfKDUBA34l4

Black Rider wrote:He's also been playing with Whitesnake and Black Swan.

Yeah, I mentioned Whitesnake. He’s been in that band for about 18 years. I have heard of Black Swan, but I haven’t actually heard the music.

Constantine wrote:
It actually explains a lot about why George tends to be inconsistent in a live setting.

Explains everything actually.  I often thought that Michael Wagner focused George or brought out the best in him or pushed him to heights of greatness.  Now, Don kinda takes credit for all those classic Lynch solos like "In My Dreams."  Saying he told Wagner what parts to cut and what parts to keep is quite hilarious and maybe a bit exaggeration. Hah! However, it does make sense, but I'm sure Wagner had his say. 

First time I saw him play "Kiss of Death" live, I was less than impressed.  I was like "why doesn't he just replicate the solo which is better than this improvisation he came up with?"

This is probably what got him fired from Ozzy during those soundchecks he did with the band.  Jake probably just played it like the record and that's what Ozzy wanted.

Both. Still listen to both. Between Amon Amarth, 3" of blood, A7X, Austrian Death Machine, and thank to Spotify I've got everything I want at the touch of a button. I spent 4 yrs in San Quentin dreaming of getting on The Spot.

I guess I'm odd man out. I like Ratt for what they are, but just can't tolerate Dokken.