Poison frontman Bret Michaels recently reflected on the secret behind the band’s longevity. He also opened up about a brutal fight with guitarist C.C. DeVille, in comments shared with Circle Country.
The remarks centered on Michaels’ belief in betting on yourself. He also explained how he and DeVille moved past one of their biggest altercations without breaking up the band.
“I always say this. You got to bet on yourself. Everyone asks, I don’t know if you get this a lot. They’re like, ‘Is there a thing or something that gives you longevity what it is?’ I say this to everybody. Bet on yourself. If you don’t believe in yourself, it’s very tough to get someone else to do it. Be good to the people around you,” Michaels said.
He continued by explaining how he has handled relationships within the band over the years.
“I’ve had a few that, you know, it’s tough, but I’ve always ended my relationships with people that didn’t work. And I think the other part of it is the resilience is also being able in our position as a band because what you said is right,” he said.
Michaels then noted that Poison remains an all-original lineup nearly four decades on.
“All original poison. I’m just saying that’s almost 40 years later out at the stadium tour and all original guys and we were having as much fun this year as the day we started,” he said.
Turning to his relationship with DeVille, Michaels recalled a night in New Orleans. The evening escalated into a fight.
“I think of some of the bands I’m like, I’m a fairly good negotiator. Bring me into your band meeting. Let me see if I can get you all back together. You know, me and C.C., we’re in New Orleans, right? This is no lie. Had one of the best shows ever. Went to a bar. We go to the bar in New Orleans. We happened to drink too much and the next thing you know we ended up in the biggest true old school movie knockdown dragout fist fight, right?” he said.
He described the aftermath. The two reconciled the following day.
“He got me good and then I got him better, right? And then I survived it. But the greatest thing about it is the next day we played in Georgia. So we went back to Georgia now and we are playing at the arena. It’s sold out. It’s flesh and blood. And we worked it out. Black and blue eye. Someone’s tooth was missing. It wasn’t mine. And we were almost better bonded. I’m not suggesting fight, but I’m saying we almost found a bonding,” he said.
Michaels added that neither of them could even remember what the fight was about. He tied it back to his message about self-belief.
“And then the next day we both go, ‘Do we know what we were?’ Neither one remembered what we were. We were like brothers. And that band of brothers. But I wanted to add to the bet on yourself thing. It’s so important,” he continued.
Michaels’ story is only one chapter in a long and often turbulent history between the two musicians.
Poison started in Pennsylvania and moved to Los Angeles in the early 1980s to chase fame on the Sunset Strip. DeVille joined in 1985 and quickly became a key part of the band’s sound. He also became both a close friend of Michaels and a source of conflict.
The tension peaked in 1991. After a sloppy performance at the MTV Video Music Awards, Michaels and DeVille argued backstage, and the dispute turned into a fight. DeVille’s substance abuse had worsened by then, and he was removed from the band later that year.
DeVille returned in 1996 and has been a member ever since. The original lineup of Michaels, DeVille, drummer Rikki Rockett and bassist Bobby Dall reunited for a greatest-hits tour in 1999. Michaels has said DeVille’s addiction was the real problem during the years they split.
“Our bitch with C.C. was his addiction,” Michaels said.
The four members last toured together in 2022 on The Stadium Tour, alongside Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts. That run is the stadium tour Michaels referred to in his comments.
