Poison's much-anticipated 40th anniversary tour has been shelved after lead singer Bret Michaels reportedly requested far higher pay than his bandmates.
The glam rock band, which has remained intact with its original lineup for four decades, had been preparing to celebrate its milestone, but negotiations over compensation have stalled the reunion.
Drummer Rikki Rockett confirmed that while the rest of the band was ready to move forward, Michaels' demands made the tour financially unfeasible.
"Really what it came to was C.C., [bass player] Bobby [Dall], 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," Rockett told Page Six.
He added that performing is not solely about money. "I don't do this just for the money. I do have a love for this, absolutely. 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," Rockett explained.
The band had already teased the tour online, with guitarist C.C. DeVille posting over the summer, "Poison tour 2026. Are you ready?" Michaels had previously suggested on social media that 2026 would be the "perfect" time to celebrate 40 years since the band's debut album, Look What The Cat Dragged In, but no official tour dates were ever announced.
Looking Back at Poison's Legacy
Formed in Pennsylvania in 1983, Poison rose to fame with hits like "Every Rose Has Its Thorn," "Talk Dirty to Me," and "I Won't Forget You." The band has been widely celebrated for maintaining its original lineup, and their music helped define the glam rock era. Michaels has also maintained a high-profile solo career, with ventures in reality TV, including winning "Celebrity Apprentice" and starring in VH1's "Rock of Love."
Despite the tour's cancellation, Rockett stressed that relationships within the band remain cordial.
"There's not all this hate going around Poison, it's not that. It's frustration," he said. "'Hey, we wanna do this.' 'You wanna do this then.' 'You wanna do this now.' It's that kind of stuff."
Rockett hinted that there may still be an opportunity for the band to reunite. He said it could be "a perfect Poison folly to do a 41st anniversary tour" if they can resolve the money dispute.
Meanwhile, he plans to celebrate the milestone by performing the Look What The Cat Dragged In album with his side project, Rockett Mafia.
When asked about replacing Michaels to make the tour happen, Rockett said it's "not out of the question," but he views it as a last resort.
"I don't want to do that. I'm not quarreling with Bret... We just didn't come to agreement. I don't like it, and I'll say that, but it's not like, 'Let's put up our dukes.' I don't think there's a better frontman for Poison."
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