Poison drummer Rikki Rockett recently clarified his previous statements about the band’s canceled 2026 tour plans. He revealed he had been in direct contact with frontman Bret Michaels to address the situation. The clarification was shared during an interview on Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk.
Rockett’s comments came as he sought to dispel various rumors circulating on social media about the reasons behind Poison’s touring hiatus.
“You know what?! Bret and I had texted this morning. And by the way, none of this just came from me. It’s just I happened to be doing the interview because [I was being inducted into] the Metal Hall Of Fame. So I was doing the interview with New York Post, among many other outlets, but they’re the ones that had asked me about the tour,” Rockett said.
The drummer emphasized that his previous statements were based on the information available to him at the time. He addressed misconceptions about the band members.
“And so the reason I said what I said is because… All the information I had was the truth, from my standpoint. And a lot of people, they start assuming things. I was seeing stuff on social media: ‘Oh, Rikki has cancer again.’ Or ‘C.C.’s [DeVille, Poison guitarist] off the wagon again’ or all these different things. ‘Those guys don’t really wanna work’ and ‘Bret wants to work’. And none of those things are true. We do wanna work, all of us do wanna work. C.C.’s sober. I don’t have cancer. None of those things are true,” he continued.
Rockett acknowledged that formal negotiations between the band members never reached an advanced stage.
“But Bret’s right. We didn’t sit down at a negotiating table, really. It never did get that far. It got kiboshed at the very beginning. But I just wanted to put a sensible reason to it so that everybody understands that it wasn’t Bobby [Dall, Poison bassist], C.C. or me, any of those rumors you heard, that’s not why we weren’t touring. And so I have to answer it with something,” he explained.
The controversy stems from Rockett’s earlier statements about the band’s proposed touring plans and the circumstances surrounding their cancellation.
Blabbermouth reported that Poison had scrapped previously proposed 2026 tour plans to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the band’s debut album, 1986’s “Look What the Cat Dragged In.” The milestone anniversary tour would have marked four decades since the release of their breakthrough album that launched the band to international fame.
Rockett’s Metal Hall of Fame induction provided the platform for his initial comments about the tour situation. The drummer was speaking to multiple media outlets as part of his induction ceremony when questions about Poison’s touring plans arose. His responses during these interviews sparked widespread speculation about internal band dynamics and financial disagreements.
The situation highlights the ongoing challenges faced by veteran rock bands when coordinating large-scale touring operations. American Songwriter noted that rumors swirled about what exactly happened after it was announced that Poison would not tour in 2026. For Rockett, he thought the tour was canceled over financial disputes, leading to his initial public statements.
The drummer’s clarification comes as the band members continue discussions about their future touring plans. Direct communication between Rockett and Michaels potentially paves the way for resolution of their differences.
