George Lynch, guitarist with The End Machine and Dokken, spoke with Jeff Gaudiosi of MisplacedStraws.com about The End Machine's new album, Phase 2, featuring Jeff Pilson (Foreigner, ex-Dokken), Robert Mason (Warrant), Steve Brown. He also touched on the possibility of a Dokken reunion. Check out the interview below.

On his chemistry with bassist Jeff Pilson: "Well, we don't have to go through the whole initial process that I have to go through with a lot of people, which is trying to vet each other out and sort of figure out how to work together and find common ground. All those really triangulated aspects of the process, which is sort of behind the scenes and not really self-evident when you listen to music. With Jeff, it's like an old married couple. Everything is sort of understood and we can finish each other's sentences as related to the sounds we're looking for on any of the instruments or what we're trying to achieve sonically or arrangement-wise or stylistically what we're trying to write. All those kinds of things, we're on the same page so it makes communication way easier, we don't have to spend energy on that."

On if he likes the freedom of doing multiple projects: "From a creative standpoint, absolutely, I like the challenge of playing different styles of music and playing with different people and playing something that's a little bit different style rock that I'm known for or used to. But on the other side of the coin, the business side of it, it's not as gratifying because it's a hard sell. The Banishment is a good example of that. A lot of people are resistant, a lot of fans are resistant. In my case, I've experienced quite a few of them, a large percentage of them or I don't know what percentage, but (they) just reject anything that isn't what they assume I should be doing. I can't belittle that because these are the people that support me and that have bought what I'm selling in the past and I have defined myself and that means something to them and they value that. There's some self-identity involved with that on their part. So for me to abandon that, some people take that very personal as they should, I guess. It's difficult for them. So they think it's sort of self-indulgent and selfish of me to veer from what I made a supposed commitment to us. But I'm not this huge famous guy like an Eddie Van Halen on a commercial level. I haven't been preordained to be something that's set in stone. I have the flexibility to do other things because of my lack of commercial success. So there's a good side to that. It offers me a sense of freedom creatively that I wouldn't have necessarily if I was a slave to selling millions and millions and millions of records every time I put something out and there'd be a lot of consequences if I took a misstep and didn't play to my brand."

On a Dokken reunion: "I've actually been talking to Don (Dokken) a little bit and we're both in agreement that that should probably happen, meaning some kind of a meaningful reunion done in the right way, carefully and with proper preparation and time and rehearsals. Not just throwing it out there like we did last time (in 2016). So and I think the obvious choice to replace Mick would be his brother Steve." 

The End Machine are back with their sophomore album, Phase2, which follows on the heels of their well-received and successful self-titled debut album released in 2018. Watch the band's new video, for the song "Crack The Sky", below.

The End Machine features former classic Dokken lineup members George Lynch and Jeff Pilson, with the awesome singer Robert Mason (Warrant, Lynch Mob) on lead vocals. Classic Dokken drummer Mick Brown handled drums on the first album, but is now retired, so in his place behind the drum kit is none other than his brother Steve Brown.

Phase2 will be released on April 9. Available on CD/Ltd. Ed. Color LP/Digital. Limited Edition Crystal vinyl is available exclusively from the Frontiers' U.S. and EU webstores. Limited Edition Red vinyl is available exclusively for the U.S. market and will be available through all physical retailers there. Limited Edition White vinyl is available exclusively for the EU market and will be available through all physical retailers there.

Pre/order save the album here.

The new The End Machine record, Phase2, builds on the great bluesy hard rock music of the debut, but sees the band move more towards more towards a classic '80s hard rock sound and the result is a 2.0 reboot of a killer music machine.

Says Jeff Pilson, "On this record we set out to make the very best songs possible and are more than excited with how it turned out. We also weren't afraid to let elements of the Dokken sound come through loud and clear. As a result, not only was it a very organic and collaborative process, but it was a helluva lot of fun as well!!! I feel these are some of the best songs we've ever written and I'm blown away by all the performances. George was on fire throughout, Robert makes it clear he's one of the very best rock vocalists around, and Steve delivered with all the passion and enthusiasm any band could ever desire. All in all it is a musical statement we can and will stand behind for a very long time!!!"

Says George Lynch, "Jeff, Robert and I had discussions prior to pre-production and writing sessions that we would make a concerted effort to emphasize hooks and accessibility in our writing. We made sure to constantly remind ourselves of the self-induced parameters we’d created for ourselves so as not to get sidetracked and lose focus. I think that that guidance served us well. I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished with TEM Phase2."

Says Robert Mason, "I feel that Phase2 is a logical progression from our debut record, and I echo Jeff’s point that in the writing process, none of us felt we had to distance ourselves from our past, nor our collective roots. That hit making Lynch/Pilson chemistry and song lineage is surely powerful and present, while allowing me freedom to both embrace it and show my own musical and lyrical flavors. This record shows us solidly in each other’s musical pockets and grooves, and speaking of, Steve Brown showed up to crush it on drums...and he can sing some mighty background vocals! We hope fans of all of our catalogs will embrace TEM and Phase2!"

Originally born from an idea of Frontiers Music Srl President and A&R Director Serafino Perugino, who wanted to have the classic lineup of Dokken team up with a killer vocalist, The End Machine's self-titled debut impressed mightily upon release. Far from being a simple rehash of the members resumes, The End Machine proved to be a gelled unit who sounded exactly like the seasoned pros they are, while taking their hard rock past and putting a stamp of modern production on things courtesy of Pilson.

For their debut album, The End Machine’s sound developed through several initial songwriting sessions between Pilson and Lynch with Mason later partnering with them. While the lineup may have had fans making assumptions about the sound of the band, things took a different turn. Said Pilson at the time, "The real truth of it is that George and I have this great songwriting partnership that's been going on for 35 years, and we love to work together. Robert really gelled with us too, thus making the process smooth."

The tradition started on The End Machine's debut album expands, develops and further impresses on the new album, Phase2.

Tracklisting:

"The Rising"
"Blood And Money"
"We Walk Alone"
"Dark Divide"
"Crack The Sky"
"Prison Or Paradise"
"Plastic Heroes"
"Scars"
"Shine Your Light"
"Devil's Playground"
"Born Of Fire"
"Destiny"

"Crack The Sky" video:

"Blood And Money" video:

Lineup:

Robert Mason - lead and background vocals
George Lynch - guitar
Jeff Pilson - bass, keyboards and background vocals
Steve Brown - drums and background vocals