In a new interview with Robert Edwards of Talkin’ Bout Rock, POISON drummer Rikki Rockett opened up about where he currently stands with his bandmates — and the outlook isn’t promising for fans hoping to see the glam-rock legends on the road in 2026.
When asked if he’s still in contact with Bret Michaels, Bobby Dall and C.C. DeVille more than three years after POISON last performed together, Rockett didn’t hesitate to give a candid update.
“I talk to C.C. all the time, at least once or twice a week,” he revealed (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). “And his mom and my mom were really close. And my mom passed away, and his mom’s going through a lot right now. And that’s kept us close on one level. I talk to Bobby less. Bobby keeps to himself a lot these days, which is okay, if that’s how he… Bobby can’t help himself but to talk about business, and sometimes he doesn’t wanna talk about business, so he just doesn’t wanna pick up the phone, you know what I mean? But Bret and I do not talk, unfortunately. And that’s a shame — honestly, it is. So we get bits and pieces of stuff.”
Rockett, who has been playing select shows with his new band THE ROCKETT MAFIA, also addressed speculation about a possible POISON tour in 2026, which would mark the 40th anniversary of their debut album Look What the Cat Dragged In. According to him, nothing is happening — and the reason comes down to one key holdout.
He said: “I’ll set the record straight as far as POISON touring: at this point in time, there is nothing on the books for a 2026 40th-anniversary tour. And I said it months ago when we got presented a contract from Live Nation to go on tour [next year]. C.C., Bobby and I agreed. We thought it was great. We thought the money was great. We thought the lay of the land looked great. And then Bret looked at it and has not agreed to anything. So literally that is where we’re at.”
“I’m not trying to bash Bret. I’m not trying to start any fights… But one thing you have to understand is, for instance, the Bret Michaels [solo] band tours very differently from the way POISON tours,” Rikki explained. “POISON tours the way DEF LEPPARD and MÖTLEY CRÜE and Luke Bryan or whoever [tours], where we basically kiss our families goodbye for three-plus months, or however long it’s gonna be, and go out on a tour bus and trucks, and we’re playing five nights a week, sometimes six nights a week. And that’s not how Bret tours [with his solo band]. He does weekend-warrior stuff, which there’s nothing wrong with that at all. Joan Jett does it — I mean, tons of bands do this. THE ROCKETT MAFIA does it. We can’t play in Omaha, Nebraska on a Tuesday night and make any money. We’ll be upside down. But at the level we’ve managed to get to [with POISON], and DEF LEPPARD and bands like this, you can play on a Tuesday night and people will come, at the right time. You still have to manage it correctly.”
Back in May, Rockett told SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk that POISON had been presented with a substantial offer for a headlining tour tied to the 40th anniversary of their 1986 debut, Look What The Cat Dragged In.
“We are [still] planning [on going out next year]… We got a great offer, and to be honest with you, it’s in Bret‘s lap right now — honestly,” he said at the time. “So, we’re good to go, and hopefully we can make a deal and do it. I think it would be a shame not to do it, because this is our 40th anniversary — all original members. We’re not getting any younger. We can tear it up. We’ve still got it. Let’s do it. That’s how I feel about it.”
Rockett emphasized that the proposal is for a headlining tour, not a supporting slot, and that most of the band is ready to hit the stage once more. “I’m good to go, [and so are bassist Bobby Dall and guitarist C.C. DeVille]. It is [up to Bret at this point]. And that’s just being truthful.”
During question-and-answer session held aboard the Rock Legends Cruise XI in February 2024, Bret Michaels discussed POISON‘s intention to reunite for additional performances after their involvement in “The Stadium Tour” in 2022, which featured MÖTLEY CRÜE, DEF LEPPARD, and Joan Jett.
Michaels said back then: “When we go back, I think in 2025, it’s always been, to me, all-original POISON. We’ll have C.C and Bobby and Rikki and myself and go do another big stadium tour and arena tour in 2025.”
When asked about his drive to tour with POISON again after primarily focusing on his solo band’s tours, Bret stated: “We’ve known each other since we’ve been in junior high school… I wouldn’t be here without Bobby or Rikki or C.C. And then, as you go along, we’ve been together a long time — still great friends. If anyone saw ‘The Stadium Tour’, that was a party. And when you’re out there with that DEF LEPPARD and MÖTLEY and Joan, you’re talking A-plus awesomeness. And we just came out and brought it.
He continued: “For me, what it is, we do about a couple of years solo, and then we’ll go out and do 35 or 40 dates with POISON. And we set it up, we schedule it.”
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