Dokken - Just Got Lucky

What this video is

Released in January 1985 to support 'Just Got Lucky,' the second single from Dokken's breakthrough album 'Tooth and Nail' (Elektra Records, September 1984), this video emerged at the precise moment LA metal was transitioning from Sunset Strip club circuit to MTV-fueled mainstream arena success. The song charted for seven weeks on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks, peaking at No. 27. The production's decision…

Why it matters

A canonical example of mid-decade LA heavy metal's MTV crossover strategy, 'Just Got Lucky' demonstrates how Elektra and directors like Isham leveraged extreme-location spectacle to differentiate harder acts in an increasingly crowded glam-metal field. The volcanic shoot set a benchmark for…

The director

Wayne Isham (born December 2, 1958, Vinita, Oklahoma) is an American director who has helmed over 150 music videos since the early 1980s. Inspired by David Bowie's 'Ashes to Ashes,' he rose to prominence directing arena rock and pop videos for Bon Jovi,…