Poison Drummer Shares Concerns About 2026 Tour Due to Bret Michaels’ Financial Demands
Bret Michaels performing in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. in April 2024.
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Jason Koerner/Getty
### Tour Plans for Poison Stalled Over Financial Disagreements
The future of Poison’s anticipated 40th anniversary tour has been thrown into doubt due to financial disagreements between frontman Bret Michaels and the band’s drummer, Rikki Rockett. Rockett expressed that tour plans have become “not possible” after Michaels reportedly sought a larger share of the tour’s earnings.
The band had hoped to celebrate the milestone with a tour later this year, leveraging the popularity of their debut album, which was released in May 1986. However, Rockett disclosed in an interview that while he and his bandmates, C.C. DeVille and Bobby Dall, were all onboard for the plan, Michaels’ demands created an insurmountable barrier.
“We had a great offer, I thought, but we left the table. It didn’t work,” Rockett said in an interview with Page Six. “Really what it came to was C.C., Bobby, and I were all in, and I thought Bret was, but he wanted the lion’s share of the money, to the point where it makes it not possible to even do it. It’s like, $6 to every one of our dollars. You just can’t work that way.”
A representative for Michaels did not respond to requests for comment.
Although Poison formed in 1983, Rockett reflected on the nostalgic significance of a 2026 tour, which would align with the band’s 40th anniversary. He noted that it would be the perfect time to hit the road with 40 concert dates showcasing their classic hits.
Rockett shared these sentiments, stating, “It would make perfect sense to have the possibility of a reunion in 2026. In my opinion, it would be the perfect 40th Anniversary Tour, with 40 awesome limited dates to go out, play real live hit songs, and rock the world.”
Despite the current stalemate, Michaels remains optimistic about future collaborations. In a September 2024 Facebook post, he mentioned feeling hopeful about a potential tour in 2026.
In a candid moment during the interview, Rockett acknowledged the complexities of their band dynamic: “I don’t do this just for the money. I do have a love for this, absolutely,” he expressed. “But at the same time, you don’t want to go out and work really hard just to make somebody else a bunch of money.”
Michaels is currently scheduled for more than a dozen performances between February and June as part of his Live & Amplified solo tour, which may further complicate the scheduling for a potential Poison tour.
Rikki Rockett performing with Poison in June 2022 in Washington, D.C.
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Bret Michaels in December 2019 in Hollywood, Calif.
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In light of these developments, Rockett humorously speculated on the future of the band: “It could all come together later down the line—maybe a perfect Poison folly to do a 41st anniversary tour.”
With the possibility of future tours still in waving distance, fans remain hopeful for a reunion of the iconic glam metal band.
