Poison's 40th Anniversary Tour Plans Shelved Over Financial Dispute
Plans for Poison's anticipated 40th-anniversary tour have been officially shelved. The decision follows a financial dispute involving lead singer Bret Michaels and the other band members.
Drummer Rikki Rockett confirmed the tour's cancellation to Page Six on January 18. Rockett stated that while the band had received a substantial offer, negotiations failed.
"We had a great offer, I thought. But we left the table," Rockett said. "It didn’t work."
Details of the Dispute
According to Page Six, Michaels sought significantly more compensation than his bandmates, reportedly requesting 600 percent more than each of them. Rockett explained that he, C.C. DeVille, and Bobby Dall were in favor of the tour, but Michaels' financial demands made it unfeasible.
"It’s like $6 to every one of our dollars. You just can’t work that way," Rockett commented, adding that he participates for the love of music, but does not want to work hard solely for another's profit.
Prior Discussions and Band Relations
Although never officially announced, fans had anticipated a tour following a 2024 Facebook post from Michaels, where he suggested 2026 would be an ideal time to commemorate 40 years since their album, Look What the Cat Dragged In. He mentioned a limited run of shows appealed to him.
By late 2025, Rockett indicated issues with the tour plans. In a November interview on The Hair Metal Guru podcast, he mentioned an "awesome offer" stalled after reaching Michaels. Rockett expressed that by October, it becomes increasingly difficult to organize a tour of that scale for the following summer. He also noted attempts to contact all four members about the reunion were met with no response.
Rockett clarified that the relationship among the bandmates is cordial, not tense, describing it as frustration over the inability to proceed with the tour.
Poison's Legacy
Formed in Pennsylvania in 1983, Poison achieved significant success as a prominent rock band of their era. They are known for their number one hit single "Every Rose Has Its Thorn," along with other acclaimed songs such as "Talk Dirty to Me," "I Won't Forget You," "Fallen Angel," and "Something to Believe In."
Rockett expressed optimism that the financial issues might be resolved in the future, jokingly suggesting a "41st anniversary tour."