1983 to 1987

Beginning life in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania as PARIS in 1983, POISON evolved into probably the only overt Glam act from the mid 80's to achieve true global recognition. POISON deliberately employed a band image bordering on femininity that married to hook laden, if simplistic songs, propelled the quartet to multi-platinum selling status. At their height, POISON inspired a veritable army of devoted fans and, conversely, a multitude of blatant imitators.

PARIS was forged by vocalist BRET MICHAELS (a.k.a. Bret Sychalk) and drummer Rikki Rocket (real name Richard Ream), both of whom had previously been members of THE SPECTRES. Recruiting bassist Bobby Dall (real name Kuy Kendall) and ex-DIRTY ANGEL guitarist Matt 'Ko Ko' Smith, the, newly named POISON, band laid down a three track demo of 'Rock Like A Rocker', 'Razor's Edge' and 'Steal Away'.

Legendary Los Angeles svengali KIM FOWLEY, who had engineered the career of THE RUNAWAYS, amongst others, persuaded the band to relocate to tinseltown in March 1984 and POISON set about recording a proposed debut album. Business relationships between the band and Fowley were soon strained however, and the project was shelved.

Undeterred, POISON launched into the Los Angeles club circuit sporting an image that involved such a degree of face powder, eyeliner and teased hair that many were quick to question their gender. POISON's over the top collective persona and catchy material soon came to the attention of Atlantic Records and the band recorded a further demo funded by the label comprising of 'No. 1 Bad Boy', 'Want Some, Need Some' and 'Blame It On You'. Much to the band's chagrin, Atlantic passed and POISON resumed gigging, now bolstered by the support of manager Vicky Hamilton.

With POISON still smarting from the shrug off from Atlantic a further blow was struck when Smith, prompted by the arrival of his and his girlfriend's first child, relocated back to Harrisburg. (Smith was much later to turn up in the SYN'DCATS). The band soon bounced back however plugging the gap with former ST. JAMES, KID ROCKER and SCREAMING MIMIS guitarist C.C. DeVille (a.k.a. Bruce Johanason), although Slash, later to become an integral part of the ever controversial GUNS N' ROSES auditioned for the gig but turned the chance to join the band down. The 1984 outfit SCREAMIN' MIMIS, seeing the guitarist alongside drummer Billy Dior (subsequently of D'MOLLS), would actually come up with POISON's breakthrough hit 'Talk Dirty To Me'.

This line-up of POISON was to release the low budget debut album 'Look What The Cat Dragged In', produced by Rik Browde and recorded for a miserly $23'000 in a remarkable 12 days. POISON's effete stance soon had the media talking and persistent touring across America supporting the likes of QUIET RIOT, LOUDNESS and CHEAP TRICK, heavy exposure for the video to 'Talk Dirty To Me' and landing the nationwide guest slot to RATT finally pushed the album into the Billboard charts. The album achieved gold status in early 1987 rapidly passing the platinum mark soon after. Before the impetus waned 'Look What The Cat Dragged In' and exceeded sales of 3 million and given POISON 3 hit singles.

1988 to 1992

With POISON retreating back into the studio rumours abounded that KISS guitarist PAUL STANLEY was to produce the follow up provisionally titled 'Swallow This'. This story had been prompted by Stanley's apparent championing of the band and his appearance on stage at a stadium show in Dallas, Texas to perform a POISON cover of KISS' infamous 'Rock n' Roll All Nite'. POISON were later to record for the 'Less Than Zero' soundtrack album released on Def Jam in late 1987. In the end, the album (re-titled 'Open Up And Say Aah') emerged with a Tom Werman credit.

POISON's sophomore release surpassed the debut's achievements. Bolstered by no less than four hit singles, including the no. 1 ballad 'Every Rose Has It's Thorn', 'Open Up...' rocketed past 5 million sales as the band gigged nationwide sharing a bill with DAVID LEE ROTH before launching into a headline trek, supported by LITA FORD and BRITNY FOX. Spreading their net wider, POISON made their inaugural British appearance with a brace of unannounced club shows at London's Marquee and Nottingham's Rock City before venturing in front of 72'000 rock fans at the 1990 'Monsters Of Rock' festival.

The 'Flesh And Blood' album witnessed a rapidly maturing band and as the group willingly dispensed with the make-up, the renewed strength of their songwriting paid dividends. The album raced past the four million sales mark in America and triple platinum in Canada additionally scoring platinum awards in such far flung territories as Chile and Australia. The album was to boast numerous spin off hit singles including the highly infectious 'Unskinny Bop' and 'Something To Believe In', the latter written by Michaels following the drugs overdose death of POISON security man and long time friend of the band Kimo.

A mammoth tour ensued initially supported by WARRANT until friction between the bands forced a parting of ways. Later dates pulled in a variety of openers including DON DOKKEN, SLAUGHTER, ALICE IN CHAINS, BULLETBOYS and TRIXTER. The band's Reno show in May proved a landmark as they were joined onstage by former LED ZEPPELIN guitarist JIMMY PAGE and WHITESNAKE's DAVID COVERDALE for a jam session.

During mid 1991 the internal strains within the band were beginning to tell and the band were forced to admit that both Dall and DeVille were undergoing drug rehabilitation treatment. The band cancelled numerous American shows fuelling rumours of a split then pulled out of a festival in Iceland. The tension was heightened when DeVille, not told of the festival cancellation by the rest of the band, actually caught a plane to the gig!

By November, just as POISON's live album was released, DeVille had announced his departure to concentrate initially on a jazz fusion side project act THE C.C. DEVILLE EXPERIENCE. Within months the guitarist was attempting a new project with veteran VANILLA FUDGE / KING KOBRA drummer CARMINE APPICE and ex RAINBOW / DIO bassist Jimmy Bain. This unit soon folded in early 1992.

To make matters worse Dall put the band into suspension by breaking his fingers in a car door. In the lull the bassist offered his production experience to Los Angeles act ROZY COYOTE.

Meantime Michaels busied himself with a knockabout club act HOLLYWOOD GUTTER CATS and involved himself in songwriting and production for his girlfriend Suzie Hatton's debut album 'Body And Soul'. Further collaborations saw the singer working contributing songs for STEVIE NICKS and Los Angeles lookalike glamsters TUFF.

1993 to 1996

POISON announced their new guitarist to be RICHIE KOTZEN and set to work on a new album. Originally to be titled 'Resurrection', 'Native Tongue' was recorded in Los Angeles with Richie Zito acting as producer. Internal turmoil wrenched the band again though when Kotzen, discovered to be secretly dating Rockett's girlfriend, was dumped. Kotzen got back to solo work and by 1999 had supplanted PAUL GILBERT in MR. BIG.

Bret Michaels threw himself into acting appearing in TV drama 'Burke's Law'. The vocalist also put the band into further suspension when he had a near fatal accident in his Ferrari. DeVille meanwhile had scored a development deal with Hollywood Records, the label owned by the giant Walt Disney Corporation. The guitarist assembled a band including former KINGDOM COME drummer James Kottak and former WARLOCK bassist Tommy Henrikson. DeVille planned to fly over ex-SWEDISH EROTICA and TREAT vocalist Mats Leven to complete the outfit but the project was shelved before completion.

DeVille also formed NEEDLE PARK with ex-SWEET SAVAGE vocalist Joey C. Jones and bassist Adam Hamilton, but this liaison was as short-lived as the group put together with Kottak. Hamilton would resurface with NO.9 and much later with L.A. GUNS.

Back in POISON, it was to be BLUES SARACENO officially replaced Richie Kotzen toward the conclusion of 1993, POISON finally getting the original choice to replace C.C. DeVille in the band, having spent three weeks on the road with them in South America before the announcement was made. Saraceno accepted the job whilst in the middle of recording his third solo album.

Bret began working on his self-financed movie project 'A Letter From Death Row' and accompanying solo album. He had made his acting debut in late 1993 playing a character called Roger Cooper, a Rock Star, in the aforementioned TV movie 'Burke's Law'. 'A Letter From Death Row' was produced in partnership with actor Charlie Sheen who was also scheduled to appear in the film along with his illustrious father Martin Sheen.

Michaels kept his visage in the world's tabloids during 1994 by dating 'Baywatch' TV star Pamela Anderson. The pair even went into business together by opening a restaurant in partnership with 'Picket Fences' actor Costas Mandylor. Using the name of Sanctuary, the eaterie was opened in Beverly Hills on November 22, 1994. Unfortunately, this backfired on Michaels as he was unceremoniously dumped by Anderson in favour of M?TLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee, although Bret is still involved in legal battles trying to prevent a pornographic home video of himself with Pamela being shown on the internet.

1997 to 2000

In early 1997 Capitol released the 'Greatest Hits 1986-1996' collection, adding 'Sexual Thing' and 'Lay Your Body Down' from the shelved 'Crack A Smile' album as bonus cuts. With DeVille back in the band, Blues Saraceno formed a new band, GORGEOUS GEORGE, in Los Angeles, described by the man himself as a heavier version of STONE TEMPLE PILOTS. Saraceno was also fleetingly linked with a position in UFO before the reformation of their classic line up with Michael Schenker.

As work progressed on the release of 'A Letter From Death Row' and the accompanying album, Michaels retained an interest in movie roles, playing the part of a self-proclaimed guru in 'In God's Hands'. This movie was shot on location in Bali, and Michaels also planned to appear in 'Celebrity Pizza', 'Last Child' (with Martin and Charlie Sheen and Tia Carrere) and an episode of the erotic TV series 'Red Shoe Diaries' with his girlfriend.

August 14, 1997 Michaels played a solo club show at the Billboard Live club on Hollywood's Sunset Strip, a venue built on the spot where the legendary 80's joint Gazzari's used to stand.

Michaels premiered material from his unreleased album and performed with a backing band that consisted of guitarists Bart Walsh (ATOMIC PUNKS) and Gabriel Moses, keyboardist Lorenzo Pryor, bassist Billy Russo and drummer Scott Patterson.

Rikki Rockett continued to pursue a successful side career as a comic book creator. In late 95/early 96 Rikki launched the comic book series 'Sisters Of Mercy', the main characters for which were inspired by his girlfriend Malina and her sister Mariah. Spin-offs were said to include planned action figures.

By the Summer of 1998 Michaels' 'A Letter From Death Row' album was available through his own Poor Boy label. Both DeVille and Rockett guest.

POISON regrouped in 1999 with the classic line up to headline a series of American festival dates with openers RATT, GREAT WHITE and L.A. GUNS. The reunion came as 'Every Rose Has it's Thorn' received an award for over one million plays on American radio and POISON's back catalogue, boosted by the 'Greatest Hits' package, supassed 20 album million sales.

busied himself outside of all this POISON activity with his side act THE STEPMOTHERS and later SAMANTHA 7 which by September of 2000 also included GREAT WHITE keyboard player Michael Lardie.

Friction between the guitarist and his band mates was still in evidence later in the year as DeVille was sacked. POISON pulled in L.A. GUNS guitarist Tracii Guns but welcomed back DeVille within weeks.

Rockett busied himself by overseeing an album titled 'Glitter For Your Soul', a paen to 70's Glam. Involved were DeVille, Michaels ex POISON guitarist BLUES SARACENO, DIO bassist Chuck Garrick, UNION / M?TLEY CRÜE man John Corabi and LOVE/HATE / L.A. GUNS and RATT vocalist Jizzy Pearl.

POISON album 'Power To The People' was issued on the band's own Cyanide Music label and included live cuts from the band's 1999 shows alongside fresh studio tracks produced by Richie Zito.

A POISON tribute album emerged in 2000 produced by Bret Michaels and cheekily titled 'Show Me Your Hits'.

2001 to 2007

The Summer of 2000 had POISON out headlining arenas once more with strong support from CINDERELLA, DOKKEN and SLAUGHTER. The healthy attendance's at these dates would surprise many critics where in some areas POISON would pull in capacity crowds. POISON would bounce back into the public eye in quite spectacular fashion during May of 2001 headlining the mammoth 'Glam Slam Metal Jam' tour which kicked off in Texas. Support came from QUIET RIOT, WARRANT and ENUFF Z' NUFF with BULLETBOYS, VINCE NEIL and GREAT WHITE featured on individual dates.

The tour was originally intended to wind up at the Little River Rockfest sharing billing with STYX and SURVIVOR. POISON would only issue one new song 'Rockstar' to accompany the tour as part of a new DVD package 'Greatest Video Hits'. The tour would prove so successful five further dates would be added.

However, just as POISON got into the swing of touring the shows were abruptly cancelled when Dall suffered a severe spinal injury. A total of 22 remaining dates were pulled as the bassist underwent emergency surgery being rushed by ambulance to Omaha's University of Nebraska Medical Center where neurosurgeons replaced several discs.

POISON announced plans for a brand new studio album for 2002 with a projected summer tour, dubbed 'Welcome To Hollyweird' and firing off in Tupelo on the 16th of May, backed by CINDERELLA, WINGER and FASTER PUSSYCAT. The tour would defy all the critics once again, pulling in major crowds in amphitheatres nationally. In Clarkston, Michigan POISON pulled an audience of 15'000 whilst in Milwaukee, Wisconsin 13'000 fans showed up. The band even gained a modicum of Nu-Metal respect when at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel in New Jersey all four members of DROWNING POOL got onstage to help out on a cover of the KISS classic 'Rock & Roll All Nite'. At the same juncture BRET MICHAELS also confirmed he was working on a further solo album for Fall release.

POISON's 2003, by now traditional, summer arena tour was set to commence on the 23rd May at the Mankato Midwest Wireless Civic Arena. Support for these shows came from SKID ROW and VINCE NEIL. Capital Records marked the event by releasing the compilation 'Best Of Ballads And Blues', of note to fans due to its inclusion of newly recorded acoustic takes on 'Stand' and 'Something To Believe In', both featuring topically revised lyrics from Bret Michaels.

Although audience figures were bouyant POISON suffered a major loss when en route to the band's gig in Clarkston, Michigan on 31st August one of their trucks caught fire. The loss was substantial, including their stage set, sound system, several instruments. Persevering, POISON did not interrupt their schedule and carried on regardless. Upon completion of these dates drummer Riki Rockett took a creative diversion into the world of art theatre film, directing the short movie '47th & Nowhere'.

North American dates with headliners KISS commencing in June would have both POISON and BRIDES OF DESTRUCTION announced as support acts. However, within hours of that report Nikki Sixx stated that he would never tour alongside POISON, claimimg he did not wish to be "attached to that kind of fake bullshit". Indeed, within days BRIDES OF DESTRUCTION had passed on the tour. Some consolation came that same month when the Recording Industry Association of America revealed POISON had sold over 13 million albums in the USA.

With the KISS tour completed, BRET MICHAELS wasted no time in pursuing his burgeoning Country & Western career by heading out on the 'Freedom of Sound' solo tour in November. The following year POISON received some appreciation from an unlikely source when leading Finnish Death Metal band CHILDREN OF BODOM covered 'Talk Dirty To Me' as the bonus track on Japanese variants of their 'Are You Dead Yet?' album.

C.C. Deville was back in the news in September 2005, announced as one of the contestants in the VH1 TV blockbuster 'The Surreal Life', featured alongside celebrities such as WHITESNAKE frontman David Coverdale's ex-wife, Tawny Kitaen, Steve Harwell of SMASHMOUTH, actor Sherman Hemsley, Playboy TV's cover girl Andrea Lowell and Alexis Arquette. Unfortunately Deville was hit with a double dose of bad luck the following month when his house was burgled, after which he was sentenced to 80 days in jail after pleading no contest to driving while intoxicated, serve five years probation, pay a $1,000 fine and surrender his license for a year.

Early November revealed that POISON was planning on a 20th anniversary tour and new studio album for the following year. On the 21st that same month BRET MICHAELS was in the press when, en route to a solo concert, the back window of his tour bus was shot out in Chicopee, Massachusetts. The singer was uninjured and the culprit was not located. Meantime, a full show recorded at London's Hammersmith Apollo in 1993, with RICHIE KOTZEN on guitar, would be made available as the DVD 'Seven Days Live'. A new POISON double disc compilation, entitled 'The Best Of Poison: 20 Years Of Rock', would include a brand new recording in a cover version of GRAND FUNK RAILROAD's 'We're An American Band' produced by Don Was. The collection shifted over 40,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at number 17 on the Billboard charts.

On March 30th BRET MICHAELS was apparently shot at again. Arriving for a guest appearance at the Adam Corolla radio show in Los Angeles the window of his Mercedes car was shattered by a bullet when the singer was pulling into the parking lot on Wilshire and Fairfax. Fortunately the singer escaped injury again.

Summer US touring had POISON packaged with CINDERELLA, the bands celebrate the 20th anniversary of their 'Look What the Cat Dragged In' and 'Nightsongs' debuts respectively. Unfortunately, old tensions resurfaced onstage at The HiFi Buys Amphitheatre in Atlanta, Georgia on August 25th when, towards the end of the band's set, Bobby Dall and Bret Michaels became involved in an altercation. Although the group performed their standard encore of 'Talk Dirty To Me' the singer capped the evening by telling the fans "Atlanta, you may very well have seen the last concert by POISON in its current formation". However, a band statement in December revealed POISON had plans to go into the studio to record an album of classic rock songs for 2007 release.

A stripped down acoustic version of 'Unskinny Bop' was contributed to the 'VH1 Metal Mania Stripped Volume 3' compilation album issued through Sidewinder Music in March 2007. On June 5th a brand new, Don was produced POISON album hit stores in the USA entitled 'Poison'd', a set comprising purely cover versions. The tracks included versions of the SWEET's 'Little Willy', DAVID BOWIE's 'Suffragette City', ALICE COOPER's 'I Never Cry', TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS 'I Need to Know', THE MARSHALL TUCKER BAND's 'Can't You See', THE ROMANTICS 'What I Like About You', the ROLLING STONES 'Dead Flowers', THE CARS 'Just What I Needed', KISS' 'Roll All Nite', THE WHO's 'Squeeze Box', LOGGINS & MESSINA's 'Your Mama Don't Dance', JIM CROCE's 'You Don't Mess Around With Jim' and GRAND FUNK RAILROAD's 'We're An American Band'.

That July the band appeared at a once in a lifetime gathering of 80s Rock acts dubbed 'Rocklahoma', a three-day outdoor festival held in Pryor, Oklahoma, sharing the billing with RATT, VINCE NEIL, WARRANT, SLAUGHTER, QUIET RIOT, WINGER, DOKKEN, JACKYL, FASTER PUSSYCAT, ENUFF Z'NUFF, STEELHEART, 36 INCHES, Y&T, FIREHOUSE, BULLETBOYS, BANG TANGO and GREAT WHITE.

The band performed at the Easter 2008 'Rock2Wgtn' New Zealand festival in Wellington's Westpac Stadium alongside OZZY OSBOURNE, KISS, WHITESNAKE, ALICE COOPER and LORDI. However, upon the band's return to the USA drummer Rikki Rockett was arrested in Los Angeles on a warrant stemming from the forceable rape complaint. The alleged rape occurred September 23rd 2007 at the Silver Star Casino in Philadelphia, Mississippi. In May the drummer claimed not to know his accuser.

Rockett was cleared of all charges in late May when it was proved he was not in Mississippi during the crime. As it transpired an imposter going by the name of John Minskoff was arrested.

POISON, singing with the cast of 'Rock Of Ages', performed at the 63rd annual Tony Awards on Sunday 7th June 2009 at a live to air CBS show held at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Unfortunately the group's lip synched performance ended with Bret Michaels being struck in the face by a falling backdrop.

Bret Michaels, who was enjoying massive mainstream success with his 'Rock Of Love' reality TV series, broke away from a solo US tour to undertake the show. The singer's autobiography, 'Roses & Thorns: The Reality of My Rock & Roll Fantasy', also hit stores.

Summer 2009 US shows, commencing 23rd June in Camden, New Jersey, had the group packaged with DEF LEPPARD and CHEAP TRICK. During July Rikki Rocket temporarily stood down to deal with impending fathergood. Former CINDERELLA drummer Fred Coury took his place.

In December it was revealed that teen Pop diva Miley Cyrus had recorded a cover version of POISON's '80s hit ballad 'Every Rose Has Its Thorn'. The track was recorded in New York and was rumored to feature a guest appearance by POISON singer Bret Michaels.