In a new interview with Anthony Bryant of The Hair Metal Guru, POISON drummer Rikki Rockett spoke about the status of the band’s previously proposed 2026 tour to commemorate the 40th anniversary of POISON‘s debut album, 1986’s “Look What the Cat Dragged In”. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): ”At this moment, it’s no different than it was a few months ago where we got an awesome offer from Live Nation, and C.C. [DeVille, POISON guitarist], Bobby [Dall, POISON bassist] and I agreed to it, talked about it. It went in Bret‘s [Michaels, POISON frontman] lap, and it hasn’t moved. Now we’re at a point probably where I don’t think we can get that tour to happen now. If by October you’re not moving on a tour of that size [for the following summer], it’s really, really hard to shoehorn that thing in and get it to happen. It’s not impossible, but it’s super, super hard.”
Asked if he still talks to Bret regularly, Rikki, who has spent the last few months playing sporadic shows with his new band THE ROCKETT MAFIA, said: “We don’t too much. We’re cordial. We’ve had some road crew guys pass away, different friends pass away or some developing thing in our lives, and we’ll exchange texts and say, ‘Hey, did you know this happened to so and so?’ Or there’s been, unfortunately, a couple of tragedies have brought us together a few times. But C.C. I talk to all the time. But you have to realize that C.C.‘s mom and my mom were best friends. They talked twice a week at minimum, sometimes every day, and they helped each other through cancer and different things. And C.C.‘s fairly close — I mean, he’s in Orange County; it’s an hour — but he’s shown up. He showed up to the BLUE ÖYSTER CULT [November 1] gig [in Anaheim where THE ROCKETT MAFIA was the support act]. He wanted to play. But he’s got this hammer finger thing going on, which should be cleared up in a few weeks. But he couldn’t play.”
Regarding why he can’t just text Bret directly and try to get him to give a final answer regarding touring with POISON in 2026, Rikki said: “I have thrown out a text to all four members and said, ‘Hey, let’s figure this out. Let’s do it.’ And it was tumbleweeds. That’s the kind of thing that is much bigger than just me throwing it out there on a text, ’cause there’s a lot of money involved and stuff. And I think the reason he doesn’t wanna talk to me is because he knows I’ll probably bring it up and say, ‘Hey, what’s up?’, because we have been friends for so long. If anybody’s gonna say it to him, it’s gonna be me. A lot of the people that he has around him may not say things like that. And I don’t go outta my way to be — I mean, I’m a nice guy too, but I have boundaries. So, there’s nothing super… Uh, how can I say it? There’s not all this hate going around POISON; it’s not that. It’s frustration. ‘Hey, we wanna do this.’ ‘You wanna do this then.’ ‘You wanna this now.’ It’s that kind of stuff. But on the flipside, if we go back to earlier in the conversation, when you do commit to a tour, three months, you are taking that summer and that is a touring period of time— the spring and summer — that will take your spring and summer, and it’s gone. Not to say you couldn’t do other shows on the third and fourth quarter, but they’re not as big. So, I get that. And it is a commitment, when you make that commitment. And it is harder, because every night you have to be up there doing it. On [2022’s] ‘The Stadium Tour’, not one of us ever went out there half-assed; we always went out there a hundred percent. We get together. It doesn’t matter, with our band, no matter how upset or weird something might be, when it comes to that 15 minutes before we’re supposed to go on, we get together, we connect, we make sure everything’s good, we go out there and we do the very best we can for the fans, give it every bit of energy that we have, and that’s always been our commitment. So that’s what keeps this band relevant in the, in the rock world, is that when you do get us, at least you get a hundred percent. And one day that a hundred percent might be me coming out with a cane. You know what I mean? But I’ll still give you that a hundred percent. [Laughs]”
On the topic of whether there was a point where he thought a POISON tour for 2026 was “close” to becoming a reality, Rikki said: “I thought it was a done deal. Seriously, I was just waiting for the contract to come to me and say, ‘Hey, sign on the dotted line. Let’s start putting it together.’ And that day has not come. And I would love to get out there. I have a blast on tour. I’m not one of these people, like, ‘Oh, God, the road.’ I really enjoy it. Of course I miss my family, but I fly ’em out. I could tour every year, many months out of the year, as long as I could see my family, because it’s so ingrained in me after 40 years. To this point, it’s hard to understand myself without that.”
Rockett also addressed a recent comment from Pete Evick, who is best known as music director and guitar player for Michaels‘s solo band of the last 21 years, where Evick suggested that Bret gets the “lion’s share” of the touring revenue from POISON. Rikki said: “The reason that this contract [for a POISON 2026 tour] has not gone through is because Bret wants more than the lion’s share. The amount of money he wants would make it where it’s pretty much impossible to run the production of the band. And he knows that, and I think the reason he’s saying that is because he just simply doesn’t wanna tour with us this year. He must have some ideas about what he wants to do with Bret Michaels [solo] band this year. I’m assuming — I don’t know, because we don’t talk. I would love to talk about it, but at this point in time, it’s just not a deal. So we’re not gonna do that. I’m not gonna go out there and play for peanuts or wind up upside down, so he can make all this money because he’s out playing POISON songs with another band. I mean, really, if you think about it, does any of that make sense? I’m gonna ask for more money because I play POISON songs with other people. That’s not carrying the torch [for POISON].”
Asked if there has ever been times where he was really concerned that POISON was over, Rikki said: “Oh, yeah, many times. Yeah, of course. Anytime you get into something like [a heated confrontation], especially if it gets sort of physical. Then, yeah, you cross a line and all that kind of stuff. But we’ve usually been able to work it out. The thing is, is that we really do love this. Bret and I talked about this a long time ago. A lot of people said, ‘Oh, do a farewell tour at some point in time. Talk about when you’re gonna retire.’ Why ever talk about that? I mean, sure, maybe that could happen, but not for me. I don’t see any reason to throw in the towel, just because one day you decide, ‘Hey, it’s time to throw in the towel.’ I’m gonna throw in the towel when I can’t do it anymore. That’s when to throw in the towel. Or the band’s dysfunctional to the point where you can’t do it anymore. Otherwise, I don’t see any reason. Why would you break up the band? I don’t see any reason to do that. And I don’t think we’re gonna do that.”
Rockett previously talked about the status of POISON‘s 2026 tour earlier this month in an interview with Robert Edwards of Talkin’ Bout Rock. He said at the time: “I’m not trying to bash Bret. I’m not trying to start any fights… But one thing you have to understand is, for instance, the Bret Michaels [solo] band tours very differently from the way POISON tours. POISON tours the way DEF LEPPARD and MÖTLEY CRÜE and Luke Bryan or whoever [tours], where we basically kiss our families goodbye for three-plus months, or however long it’s gonna be, and go out on a tour bus and trucks, and we’re playing five nights a week, sometimes six nights a week. And that’s not how Bret tours [with his solo band]. He does weekend-warrior stuff, which there’s nothing wrong with that at all. Joan Jett does it — I mean, tons of bands do this. THE ROCKETT MAFIA does it. We can’t play in Omaha, Nebraska on a Tuesday night and make any money. We’ll be upside down. But at the level we’ve managed to get to [with POISON], and DEF LEPPARD and bands like this, you can play on a Tuesday night and people will come, at the right time. You still have to manage it correctly.”
Asked if POISON‘s long-delayed North American trek with DEF LEPPARD, MÖTLEY CRÜE and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS — which was originally planned for 2020 and later moved to 2021 and then to 2022 — was a “good experience” for him, Rikki said: “Oh, it was great. Look, it’s so funny, because people go, ‘Man…’ You would think that in these stadiums, there would be so much room to do everything you want. It’s weird, because it’s set up for sports. It’s not set up for a bunch of trucks and buses and all that stuff. So most of the time our bus would be two miles away in a parking lot somewhere and we’d have to take a golf cart or an Uber or a van or something like that to get to the venue. And then you get to the venue and it’s, like, MÖTLEY and DEF LEPPARD got all the nice dressing rooms and we’re in the electrician’s room or something. [Laughs] So from that standpoint, it wasn’t as nice as when we headline. But we were playing these massive places for amazing fans. I mean, it was literally a once-in-a lifetime experience.
“We’ve played some big shows — we’ve done Donington, we’ve done a lot of these… Texas Jam, a lot of these things like that — but to do it kind of on that level, or close to that level, for 40 nights, or whatever it was, that was amazing,” Rockett added. “And it keeps you on your toes, man. You can’t go out there half cocked. I mean, we don’t ever do that anyway — I don’t think any of us ever go out there on stage nonchalantly. We’re a band that pride ourself in giving it everything we got. Even if everything that we have isn’t as good as it was the night before, I’m still gonna give it everything that I have, you know what I mean? And I know the rest of the band’s like that. Bret‘s like that, C.C., Bobby, We never half-ass anything.”
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 “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 Bobby and C.C.]. 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!”
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.
