The dreams of a Poison reunion tour for their 40th anniversary have been shattered, and the culprit appears to be none other than frontman Bret Michaels. It's a tale of financial disagreements and clashing priorities that has left fans heartbroken.
Poison, the iconic hair metal band, hasn't graced the stage together since their 2022 stadium tour, where they opened for Mötley Crüe. Excitement was brewing for a special 40th-anniversary tour, celebrating the release of their debut album, Look What the Cat Dragged In. But, according to drummer Rikki Rockett, those plans are now off the table.
Last year, Rockett revealed that a 2026 tour was not on the horizon. He mentioned that he stays in touch with guitarist C.C. DeVille, while bassist Bobby Dall keeps to himself. It seemed tensions were already simmering with Michaels, who found solo success in reality TV. Rockett admitted, "Bret and I do not talk, unfortunately. And that's a shame — honestly, it is."
Now, Rockett is speaking out, telling Page Six that the 40th-anniversary tour was scrapped due to Michaels' financial demands. Here's where it gets controversial: Michaels allegedly wanted a staggering 600% payday compared to his bandmates!
"We had a great offer, I thought. But we left the table," Rockett explained. "It didn't work. Really what it came to was C.C., Bobby, and I were all in, and I thought Bret was, but he wanted the lion’s share of the money, to the point where it makes it not possible to even do it. It’s like $6 to every one of our dollars. You just can’t work that way."
Rockett emphasized his passion for the music, stating, "I don't do this just for the money. I do have a love for this, absolutely. But at the same time, you don’t want to go out and work really hard just to make somebody else a bunch of money."
When asked about the possibility of a Poison tour with a different frontman, Rockett didn't rule it out, calling it "the last resort."
Instead, Rockett plans to perform Look What The Cat Dragged In on tour with his side band, Rockett Mafia, and hopes for a Poison reunion in 2027. He even humorously suggested it would be "a perfect Poison folly to do a 41st-anniversary tour."
But here's a thought-provoking question: Do you think Michaels' financial demands were justified, or was he being unreasonable? Do you think a Poison tour without Michaels would be a good idea? Share your thoughts in the comments below!**
