Poison drummer Rikki Rockett addressed speculation about the band’s future in a recent appearance on the Cobras & Fire podcast. He tackled questions about whether the group might replace frontman Bret Michaels for their next tour.
Rockett was asked whether he and his bandmates had discussed capitalizing on Poison’s momentum following the completion of the 2022 Stadium Tour with Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard. He was also asked whether they would consider bringing in another singer for the next tour while Michaels focused on other projects.
“Yeah, I was ready to go out the next year, honestly. Bret [Michaels, Poison frontman] was pursuing Bret Michaels Band. I mean, it’s that simple,” Rockett said. “There really is no other… I could lie, but that’s the beginning and the end of it. He wanted to go out there with his solo band and do stuff. And he wanted to give it a shot with all that, and use that momentum to do that. And so he did. And hopefully that’ll change in the new year, and we’ll get back out there.”
Rockett went on to clarify that the idea of touring with a different singer has come up informally, but it has never been seriously pursued by the band.
“We’ve talked about that [going on Poison tour with another singer while Bret is busy with his solo band] when we’ve gotten upset, just like I’m sure Bret’s talked about replacing me when he’s gotten upset. But there hasn’t been any serious discussion about that,” Rockett continued.
Rockett’s comments suggest that despite Michaels’ focus on his solo career, Poison’s lineup remains intact for now, with hopes of returning to touring in the near future. That hope, however, has repeatedly bumped up against the same obstacle that has kept the band off the road since 2022.
Poison had been in talks for a 2026 tour marking the 40th anniversary of their debut album, “Look What the Cat Dragged In.” Rockett and the rest of the band agreed in principle to a headlining run of at least 40 dates. The band viewed it as the momentum-building return Rockett had spoken about wanting since the Stadium Tour wrapped.
That plan fell apart in early 2026. Rockett said the tour became unworkable after Michaels sought a far larger cut of the earnings than his bandmates. That demand left C.C. DeVille, Bobby Dall, and Rockett unwilling to move forward on those terms.
Michaels has since pushed back on Rockett’s version of events. He denies that the anniversary tour ever reached a serious stage of negotiation.
“Well, I’m gonna answer that honestly. It never happened,” Michaels said, addressing Rockett’s claim directly.
The dispute has left Poison’s touring future murky heading into 2027. No concrete dates have been announced, and the band’s four members remain publicly at odds over how, or whether, a reunion tour will come together.
