Tag: poison

  • Rikki Rockett Talks Hall of Fame and New Poison Music

    Poison drummer Rikki Rockett was recently interviewed by Tigman for Albany area rock station Q103. In the interview, Rockett talks about the possibility of new music with Poison, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and how the band got its name.

    When asked whether he feels Poison deserves a Hall of Fame nod:

    I think we are, but I’m biased. [Laughs] Listen, honestly, I think the criteria for that is longevity, having lots of songs that have impacted people, which I think [we have] both of those things, and also a social impact. I think we have all three of those qualifications. So, really, I do. I think we should [go in there], for the sake of our genre.

    Rockett was asked if he is open to the idea of making new music with the band, and if he thinks that venture could possibly happen. He responded:

    There has been some talk. It’s acting on it is always the key thing. [Laughs] I would love to do it. I’ve been wanting to do new stuff for quite a while. I’m always thinking about ‘Okay, what would we do?’ Throwing ideas out there and stuff like that. I hope, I really, really hope, that maybe in the fall that we could go in and at least cut a couple of songs. Even if it’s not a whole record, we could get out there and do a couple of things.

    Tigman was curious as to how Poison became the name of the band, Rockett replied:

    Believe it or not, it was one of our road crew guys who spit it out. But it was with another name, like, it was ‘POISON something’ he said and we wrote it down and nixed all these other names and went back and said, ‘What if it’s just POISON and not ‘POISON anything else’?’ I forget what it was, what the extra word was that we threw in there. So we wound up shortening it to ‘POISON’ and went, ‘You know what? No one else has done it.’ And I love one-word band names. They’re easy to remember.

  • Bret Michaels Talks Future of Poison

    Ready to embark on a summer tour with Def Leppard and Tesla, Blabbermouth reports that during a recent interview on Sirius/XM’s “Trunk Nation,” hosted by Eddie Trunk, Poison frontman Bret Michaels, talked about his upcoming reunion with all the original members of Poison, and the future of Poison.

    Trunk asked Michaels why he felt it was the right time to re-connect with the original members of Poison for the upcoming summer tour:

    It’s two things. One, it will be awesome – honestly – it will be awesome to see Bobby [Dall, bass] and C.C. [DeVille, guitar] and Rikki [Rockett, drums] again. We always have fun. I know there’s notorious stories of… You know, the great thing about us, if we have any problems, we don’t bother to air it out backstage, we just wait until we’re onstage to beat the hell out of each other. So I’ve always laughed and told you, it’s great music, there’s always a great energy, and occasionally you get a lot of pyro and a good prizefight once in a while. But, honestly, to me, we’re mixing up with the solo dates and with Poison/Def Leppard… We had such a great time out with Def Leppard last time, and obviously with Tesla out there, it’s just a great early summer… I call it early summer, but it’s starting off… kicks off first week of April, I believe in New Hampshire, and I’m really looking forward to it — playing all the greatest hits and just being out there and having fun.

    Michaels was asked if he has had any contact with any of the band members since their last stint. Michaels replied:

    We go and do some of the private [gigs as Poison], and it’s really great. And every time we do it, we get together [and] we rehearse, everyone’s having fun, it’s great to catch up, but not on a daily… You know, I don’t see them on a daily basis. It’s like I said, we’re four guys that if you asked us for direction to any place, we would give you four completely different directions to get to the same location. It’s just our personalities. But also that energy – the fact that none of us are ‘yes’ men to the other person, we all have our own individual identity, but when we get out there on that stage and it’s working, there’s a certain energy in the air and a certain party and feeling that everyone’s on their feet, hands in the air. And it’s truly a great time. And probably of all of ’em, Bobby’s the one I’m in the most contact with. You know, we’re all friends, but Bobby’s probably the one I speak to the most about… not just about Poison; just about life in general.

    Michaels on the future of Poison after the tour:

    We would all have to go do this and have a great time together and say, ‘Look, next year I think we’re gonna go out, just headline, pick out twenty or thirty dates, and go play.’ But I think we have to go through this… I think you just simply go through this. This isn’t gonna be one of those scenes where — God forbid — we’re ever inducted into the [Rock And Roll] Hall Of Fame, and no one will show up or this; there’s none of that. It is truly as real as it gets. Those moments that we’re having a great time are real, and when it goes ugly, it’s real; it’s not a pre-thought-out thing. And I think we just go through this, have the best time in April, May and June. We’ve added more dates through Canada and a bunch of stuff, and just see where it goes. I would literally, when it’s done, say, ‘Hey, guys, I think it would be killer next year to go out, pick out some great headlining dates and have an amazing time again.

    If fans could expect a possible new Poison album:

    Very simple. You know with me that I still live and breathe for the creativity and making new music. A lot of the reason, for me, to be able to go out with Pete Evick and all the guys in the solo band… We get on that bus and we truly get up there, and even before and after shows, we’re up there at soundcheck writing new music, playing new music. And, of course, one day it would be awesome. I don’t look at the business of it. It would be great if we could sit down as Poison and say, ‘Look, let’s just make a really fun, upbeat new ‘Nothin’ But A Good Time’ or ‘Talk Dirty To Me’…’ I’m not saying the same song, but something that just feels like what we do, obviously with modern production, and have a great time making a new song. But in the meantime, I’m gonna keep creating with what I do, with the solo band.

  • Def Leppard and Poison To Hit The Road Together Again This Spring

    Def Leppard and Poison will reunite and hit the road together for the third time in in less than 10 years, with an extensive spring tour across North America that will hit 38 different cities across the United States and Canada. The two bands last toured together on the Rock Of Ages tour in 2012 that also featured Lita Ford.

    Kicking off on April 4, at the SNHU Arena in Manchester, NH, the tour will also feature Tesla in the opening slot for most of the shows. The tour is set to close on June 25 at the Klipsch Music Center in Indianapolis, IN.

    Cites in New York, and surrounding areas, that were missed during the 2016 tour will benefit from this go-around. The tour will make stops at the Bell Centre in Montreal on April 10, the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT on April 12, and at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, NY on April 15. Tickets go on sale on Jan. 20 and Jan. 21  through Live Nation.

    Blabbermouth reports, when talking about the upcoming tour, Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliot stated:

    We’re thrilled to be able to take this tour to cities we didn’t play in 2016. The demand for us to return, or rather extend the tour was phenomenal! There’s a great buzz around the band right now and we’re loving the fact that we can do this with the latest album being so well received.

    Poison frontman Bret Michaels added:

    I could not be more excited. I know all of us will give one thousand percent on stage and we are looking forward to performing our hits together. I personally could not be more thankful for the three generations of fans and I love the music of Def Leppard and Tesla. This will be an amazing night of rock and roll. Don’t wait because god only knows.

    Def Leppard, who toured over 70 cities in 2016, will also headline some of the major rock festivals this summer including Fort Rock, Welcome To Rockville, Carolina Rebellion, and River City Rockfest.

    This will also mark the first time in over five years that all the original members of Poison:  Bret Michaels, C.C. DeVille, Bobby Dall and Rikki Rockett, will take the stage together and perform. Rockett, who was diagnosed with oral cancer in 2015, is now cancer free.

    Def Leppard, Poison & Tesla Tour:

    April 8 – SNHU Arena – Manchester, NH
    April 10 – Bell Centre – Montreal, QC *
    April 12 – Mohegan Sun Arena – Uncasville, CT
    April 14  – Royal Farms Arena – Baltimore, MD
    April 15  – Nassau Coliseum – Uniondale, NY
    April 17 – Van Andel Arena – Grand Rapids, MI
    April 19 – Resch Center – Green Bay, WI
    April 21 – Xcel Energy Center – St Paul, MN
    April 22 – Sanford Premier Center – Sioux Falls, SD
    April 24 – Wells Fargo Arena – Des Moines, IA
    April 26 – KFC Yum! Center  –  Louisville, KY **
    April 27 – Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN
    April 29 – Fort Rock  – Ft Myers, FL ***
    April 30 – Welcome to Rockville – Jacksonville, FL ***
    May 2 – Tuscaloosa Amphitheatre – Tuscaloosa, AL
    May 3 – Lakewood Amphitheatre – Atlanta, GA
    May 5 – John Paul Jones Arena – Charlottesville, VA
    May 6 – Carolina Rebellion  – Charlotte, NC ***
    May 24 – Pinnacle Bank Arena – Lincoln, NE
    May 26 – Rocklahoma  – Pryor, OK ***
    May 27 – River City Rockfest – San Antonio, TX ***
    May 29 – Broadmoor World Arena – Colorado Springs, CO
    May 31 – Brick Breeden Fieldhouse – Bozeman, MT
    June 2 – Rogers Place – Edmonton, AB *
    June 3 – Scotiabank Saddledome Calgary, AB *
    June 6 – Rogers Arena Vancouver, BC *
    June 7 – Spokane Arena – Spokane, WA
    June 9 – White River Amphitheatre – Seattle, WA
    June 10 – Moda Center – Portland, OR
    June 12 – Save Mart Center – Fresno, CA
    June 14 – Citizens Bank Arena – Ontario, CA
    June 16 – Sleep Train Amphitheatre – San Diego, CA
    June 17 – MGM Grand Garden Arena – Las Vegas, NV
    June 19 – ASANA Amphitheatre – Salt Lake City, UT
    June 21 – Sprint Center – Kansas City, MO **
    June 22 – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater – St Louis, MO
    June 24 – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater – Chicago, IL
    June 25 – Klipsch Music Center – Indianapolis, IN

    Tour Key:

    Def Leppard solo date *
    Def Leppard & Poison date only**
    Def Leppard festival appearances ***