Poison Cancels Tour Due to Bret Michaels’ Request for 600% Pay Increase
Poison has scrapped their plans for a 40th anniversary tour after lead vocalist Bret Michaels reportedly demanded 600 percent more in compensation than his fellow band members.
“We had a fantastic offer, or so I thought. But we walked away,” drummer Rikki Rockett shared with the New York Post’s Page Six on Sunday, January 18. “It just didn’t pan out.”
Rockett (whose real name is Richard Allan Ream) mentioned that he, lead guitarist C.C. DeVille, and bassist Bobby Dall were fully supportive of the tour, but Michaels (born Bret Michael Sychak) allegedly refused to finalize the deal due to the financial disagreements.
“He sought the majority of the earnings, making it unfeasible to move forward. It was like $6 for every dollar we would earn,” Rockett, 64, expressed. “You simply can’t operate that way.”
He added, “I don’t do this solely for financial gain. I genuinely love this. Yet, at the same time, you don’t want to put in hard work just to enrich someone else.”
Despite the ongoing issues, Rockett emphasized that he and Michaels, 62, maintain a good relationship.
“Every member of this band has granted me tremendous opportunities in life,” he remarked. “It’s similar to disliking your parents.”
Poison debuted their first album, Look What the Cat Dragged In, in May 1986, showcasing singles like “Cry Tough,” “Talk Dirty to Me”, “I Want Action,” and “I Won’t Forget You.” The band achieved massive success two years later with their iconic hit, “Every Rose Has Its Thorn,” from their second album, Open Up and Say… Ahh!
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DeVille (real name Bruce Anthony Johannesson) had first hinted at a 2026 tour celebrating Poison’s 40 years during a summer social media post, according to Page Six.
With the talks now ceased, Rockett revealed his plan to perform Look What the Cat Dragged In in full while touring with his other project, The Rockett Mafia.
Rockett remains optimistic that Poison will eventually find a way to celebrate on tour, joking that it would be “a classic Poison move to do a 41st anniversary tour.” However, if Michaels still isn’t interested, Rockett acknowledged the possibility of seeking another frontman.
“It’s not out of the realm of possibility,” he stated to the column. “But pursuing that is akin to surgery: it’s the last option. I really don’t want to do that. I’m not at odds with Bret. … We simply didn’t reach [an] agreement. I dislike it, and I will say that, but it’s not like, ‘Let’s throw punches.’ I don’t think there’s any better frontman for Poison.”
Us Weekly has reached out to Michaels’ representative for a comment.
