Poison Scraps Tour After Bret Michaels Seeks Higher Pay Than Bandmates, Drummer Reveals

Thanks to hits like “Fallen Angel” and “Something to Believe In”, the hit rock band Poison did more than sell millions of albums – they were considered one of the Top 5 hair bands of the 80s. While crossing numerous milestones over the decades, 2026 marked a special moment for Poison. Back in 1986, the group released their debut album with Look What the Cat Dragged In. Unknown to them at the time, that would be the launching pad for a career that continues today. But with the group wanting to celebrate the milestone with a tour, it appeared that the idea fizzled after Bret Michaels wanted a staggering amount of money. 

There was never an official announcement about a Poison tour – but fans knew how important the new year was. And even a few members of the band discussed the possibility of a 40th anniversary celebration. Michaels himself said in 2024, “It would make perfect sense to have the possibility of a reunion in 2026.”

With 2026 here and fans remembering what Michaels said, drummer Rikki Rockett revealed, “It didn’t work.” According to the musician, the band had a “great offer” when it came to touring, but it seemed egos got in the way. “Really what it came to was [guitarist] C.C. [DeVille], [bassist] Bobby [Dall] 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.”

[RELATED: On This Day in 1991, C.C. DeVille Got Kicked Out of Poison After Sabotaging a Performance]

No “Better Frontman For Poison” Than Bret Michaels

Although not the first singer to ask for more money, Rockett admitted, “It’s like $6 to every one of our dollars. You just can’t work that way.”

While Rockett cared little about the money, he struggled with the idea of working hard for somebody else. “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.”

Holding no animosity toward Michaels over the tour, he considered it like “hating your parents.” Even when asked about touring without Michaels, he insisted, “I don’t want to do that. I’m not quarreling with Bret… We just didn’t come to agreement. I don’t like it, and I’ll say that, but it’s not like, ‘Let’s put up our dukes.’ I don’t think there’s a better frontman for Poison.”

Without a deal in place, Poison’s milestone year moves forward without the reunion many fans had hoped for.

(Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images for Stagecoach)