Rikki Rockett has thrown shade at Pete Evick, who is best known as Bret Michaels‘s music director and guitar player of the last 21 years, after Pete suggested that Bret is “the one carrying the torch” for POISON while the multi-platinum rock act is not actively touring.
Earlier this week, Anthony Bryant of The Hair Metal Guru shared a new interview with Evick in which Pete was asked if he ever talks to the POISON drummer. Pete responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “I keep quiet about a lot of things, but most people know I do not. I don’t speak to Rikki. I have spoken to Rikki.
“Me and Rikki, our birthdays are only two days apart. If you believe in astrology and know anything about a Leo, we are poster children of Leos. There is incredible insecurity and incredible arrogance in the soul of a Leo. I’m the other woman. I’m Bret‘s best friend in [Michaels‘s solo] band. He’s Bret‘s best friend in POISON, even though him and C.C. [DeVille, POISON guitarist] get along notoriously better, because these days Rikki is the one out of the three of them that still cares the most about POISON, still carries the flag. It’s his pride and joy. He doesn’t want anything else.
“Rikki loves POISON and wants to do it,” Pete continued, apparently referring to the fact that POISON hasn’t toured in more than three years. “And I respect that and I respect everything Rikki is. He’s one fourth of one of my favorite bands of all time. A lot of times I have to go to the POISON rehearsals and take care of things. And the last time I actually saw Rikki face to face, I said, ‘Rikki, I know you don’t want me here, buddy. I’m sorry that I’m in your world.’ And he gave me a hug and he said, ‘Life’s too short.’ So, I think that any of the problems that maybe me and Rikki had — and we had some problems — I think that that’s over.”
Evick added: “But I think your question is, there’s so much mystery behind the POISON camp, and do I have any insight that I’m willing to give? That’s the question, right? I’m glad you asked that, because the one thing that I wanted to correct you about … you had mentioned, why wouldn’t Bret play solo and keep the portion of the money as opposed to splitting it four ways? The truth of the matter is he doesn’t split that money four ways with POISON. He does get the lion’s share of that because he’s worked that out in his deal because he’s the one carrying the torch.
“A lot of people have this misconception. This isn’t about POISON; this is about the music industry. A lot of people have this misconception — I call it the BON JOVI theory, because when I was a kid, I fell for it. I believed that BON JOVI were all best friends and that they were splitting everything four ways, and they were gonna live happily ever after in the neighborhood together. It’s just not fucking true. And any job in any business, someone gets paid more than someone. There’s hierarchy. There’s that. And so many of the fans just think they split it four ways, and they don’t. And I know Bret gets mad when I say this, but I’ve already said it a million times. He deserves that. [He’s done the reality TV shows] ‘Rock Of Love’, ‘The Apprentice’, just staying out there. Even the solo band itself, ’cause Bret‘s a year-round guy. We don’t stop playing. It’s nonstop. And the POISON guys don’t wanna do that. C.C. doesn’t wanna play Thursday, Friday and Saturday all year long. Bret does. So I see both sides of it. Does the solo band tarnish POISON‘s worth because we’re oversaturating the market? I see that, but I also know there’s a whole lot of people that only go to see POISON that still don’t come to see [Bret‘s] solo band.”
Pete went on to say: “The POISON politics are intense and unique and would be a smash hit movie or a smash hit reality show in itself. However, it’s not punching each other out. It’s cordial. It’s business. No one’s fighting with each other. No one’s hating each other. There’s not stupid childish rock and roll drama, but there is a lot of politics to get those four on that stage together.”
After apparently watching at least past of Pete‘s interview with The Hair Metal Guru, Rikki took to his social media to write: “If Pete Evick thinks that the BMB [BRET MICHAELS BAND] is carrying the POISON torch then Pete must be a Bic lighter! Keep practicing CC‘s solos, Pete!” Rikki also commented on various fans’ responses to his post, explaining that “When POISON tours we do 40 plus shows in a year. BMB does not do that… BMB is out there because Bret doesn’t want to tour with POISON. Not the other way around.” Rockett added that “Pete needs to stay out of POISON business. That’s all.”
A short time later, Pete personally took to the comments section below Rikki‘s original post to write: “Oh Rikki Rockett I love you buddy, I truly do. I’m going to say this one time to you and all your fans and all the POISON Fans. First is… I’m not going to fight with Rikki, I’m not going to say anything negative. He is 100% correct in his statement. CC is a hero and an influence of mine, He has also been a good friend to me on more than one occasion. EVEN if I played those solos NOTE FOR NOTE, they are his. I have never written a solo that millions of people can hum note for note, he has written several. I also never in a million years said ‘BMB‘ was carrying the torch. I DID NOT SAY THAT. I said Bret was, and by that I mean his TV shows, his appearances at NFL games, his interviews. Just like Dee Snider, Rob Thomas, Mark McGrath and so many others.
“Moving on, I’m curious if Rikki or anyone listened to the interview? If you did you know I spent the entire time praising POISON and Rikki.
“I played POISON songs in every high school talent show, My band learned ‘Unskinny Bop’ the day the video was released and was playing it in a bar the next night. I am a FAN, I am a huge fan, I have NOTHING to say negative about any member of the band or the collective.
“I’ve been in Bret‘s band 21 years now, and though it’s out of passion and love for those songs, It’s also been about blocking some clown ass hired gun from making a paycheck from music he probably doesn’t like or appreciate.
“Again, I will never claim to be as talented or as original as CC Deville, he wrote the soundtrack to my life. But, all of you are reading click bait way out of context.
“Rikki, put aside the legend that you are and all the rockstar stuff, as a human, we are both LEO’s and we have both proven to be outspoken at times. I know I Irritate the shit out of you on the rare occasion that I end up on your radar and for that I’m truly sorry, I’ve spent many nights wide awake bumbed out that I’ve created such a tension with a childhood hero, a guy I’ve paid money to see, a guy I had posters of on my wall.
“Did you know the last time you played Charlotte with JACKYL, I bought 4 tickets, never told Bret I was there till after the show and sat there in the crowed as a fan! Even while I was on Bret‘s payroll! I’m a fan. That’s it, IM A FAN.
“I do not regret a thing I said in that interview, most of the comments were incredibly kind and uplifting on the YouTube page untill this. But, I will say it again, Rikki I’m truly sorry to have irritated you today. I hope you at least find the time to listen to the part where I talk about how original your swing is and that all your jazz influence created a perfect style for the POISON songs and how no other rock drummer could have done it like you!”
An hour later, Rikki, who has spent the last few months playing sporadic shows with his new band THE ROCKETT MAFIA, responded to Pete‘s post, writing: ” I’m not out to get you, but your facts are not straight. CC does in fact want to tour and has never been the reason POISON doesn’t tour. POISON on tour as a band carries the torch. TV shows from 15 years ago, do not. Sure, any amount of attention to our members, Bret or otherwise helps with visibility, but at the end of the day, making music and playing music as a band is the silver lining. It’s what really counts. The songs, the hits, the music that speaks to someone’s soul, the long haul upstream and the sacrifice is the real sauce that is POISON.
“I have never taken anything away from Bret, but playing our songs with other guys does not carry the torch,” Rikki continued. “If anything, when done to death, it erodes the legacy eventually. In ROCKETT MAFIA, we do a couple POISON songs, but I would not fill a set with them. When I do, it’s a salute, not a money grab. Bret likes to play music and so do I.
“I’m ready for a POISON tour because that is where my soul is and always will be,” Rockett added.
This past May, Rikki told SiriusXM‘s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk” that POISON “got a great offer” for a tour in 2026 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the band’s debut album, 1986’s “Look What The Cat Dragged In”. He said at the time: “To be honest with you, it’s in Bret‘s lap right now — honestly. So, we’re good to go, and hopefully we can make a deal and do it. I think it would be a shame not to do it, because this is our 40th anniversary — all original members. We’re not getting any younger. We can tear it up. We’ve still got it. Let’s do it. That’s how I feel about it.”
Rockett went on to say that the offer he and his bandmates received was for a “headlining” tour and that most of the POISON members had already agreed to do it. “I’m good to go, [and so are bassist Bobby Dall and guitarist C.C. DeVille]. It is [up to Bret at this point]. And that’s just being truthful… I mean, as far as I know, we’re good to go. There just hasn’t been anything solid. I haven’t signed anything or anything like that. But it’s more than a year away, or about a year away, so we have time. But hey, with the economy, who knows? [Laughs] I just wanna get out there while we can.”
Last December, Michaels told Ethan Dometrius about POISON‘s 2026 touring plans: “So here’s the deal. I go through ’25. We’re doing a bunch of these big festivals [with my solo band] … So I’m doing a bunch of those. And then 2026, C.C. and Bobby and Rikki, I’m here because of them, because of us having each other’s back in the beginning, through the middle, through right now. And it’ll be four years since we’ve toured, since ‘The Stadium Tour’, together, and we’re just hoping to make this absolutely 40 awesome dates, and just putting every, as we do, putting every ounce of energy on that stage and just bringing an absolute party.”
Regarding POISON‘s mindset when performing live, Bret said: “POISON just goes out there. And I say this, that stadium tour, I was so grateful to be on it. And I just hit that thrust and I couldn’t stop… I told ’em, I said, ‘I can’t stop smiling right now. It’s ridiculous.’ And we just went out there, and we play real live music. We don’t mess around. We just give it, thrills and frills and good times.”
In September 2024, Bret told Arizona Republic about POISON‘s plan to tour in 2026: “Yeah, that would be incredible. We’ve just got to work out all the moving parts. But all original members. There’s so much planning goes behind that. When I’m out as Bret Michaels, it’s simpler because I’m making all the end decisions. When you’re in a band like POISON, it’s a committee. You go in there, and you figure it out together. You make sure everyone’s good. And hopefully, we can make that work in ’26.”
Asked if things were “good” between him and his POISON bandmates during “The Stadium Tour”, Bret said: “Absolutely. I want to be very clear. Other than an occasional throwdown fistfight — I’m not making this up — we’re like best friends. But there’s no gray area. All of a sudden, we’ll get in a fistfight. But the next day, we’ll go out and play. We’ll work it out like a band of brothers. ‘The Stadium Tour’ was amazing. We were having fun. We didn’t get too many soundchecks. We just dealt with what we were given and were grateful to be there. DEF LEPPARD and MÖTLEY, they were amazing. They played great. But we just came out, and we knew we had one hour at 6 o’clock to go out there and give it everything we had. And it was one of the only stadium tours that from Live Nation‘s lips to everyone’s ears, it was 98 to 100% filled when POISON went on.”
Earlier in September, Michaels released a statement via social media in which he said that he was planning to “perform limited shows” in 2025 to focus primarily on his health, “starting with my diabetes which needs a tune-up, not to mention a little R&R.” He added that 2026 “would be the perfect” time for a POISON 40th-anniversary tour, “with 40 awesome limited dates to go out, play real live hit songs, and rock the world.”
Bret‘s explanation came two days after Rockett revealed on social media that Michaels was no longer interested in touring with POISON in 2025.
On September 10, 2024, the POISON drummer took to his official Facebook page to write: “I keep getting asked multiple times a day, ‘Why isn’t POISON touring in 2025 now?’ Super simple answer, Bret doesn’t want to.” The following day, Rikki clarified: “People, I never said that Bret is cancelling the 2025 tour. It didn’t get booked. I said the reason POISON isn’t touring in 2025 is because Bret doesn’t want to. Doesn’t matter what the reason for him is as far as what I said. I’m simply telling you why so that CC, Bobby or myself doesn’t get blamed. It isn’t dirt. It isn’t a fight. Just the facts, ma’am. Surmise what you want from it. You will anyway!”
POISON‘s long-delayed North American trek with DEF LEPPARD, MÖTLEY CRÜE and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS was originally planned for 2020 and later moved to 2021 and then to 2022.
In 2018, POISON completed the “Nothin’ But A Good Time” tour with CHEAP TRICK and POP EVIL.
POISON‘s last album of new material was 2002’s “Hollyweird”. An album of covers, “Poison’d”, followed in 2007.
If Pete Evick thinks that the BMB is carrying the Poison torch then Pete must be a Bic lighter! Keep practicing CC’s solos , Pete!
Posted by Rikki Rockett on Tuesday, November 11, 2025
