POISON was first formed by Rikki Rockett and Jr. High friend, Bret Michaels. Originally called the "Kidz" then "Paris" and finally POISON. The original members, Bret, Rikki, Bobby Dall (who they met at a Tastee Freeze), and Matt Smith left home for LA in the spring of 1984 with little money in their pockets and big dreams in their hearts. Pursuing their dream wasn't easy though. They had to rehearse, hustle, and work jobs on the side. Matt went back home shortly after their arrival in LA.
An ad went out for a new guitarist and after many takers, CC DeVille was chose to fill the position. At first Bret didn't like CC's approach. However, he gave in and they became friends. POISON was turned down by every record label until 1986 when Enigma signed them. Their first album, "Look What the Cat Dragged In", which included "Talk Dirty to Me", the song CC wrote and brought to the audition, took 12 days to put together and went multi-platinum.
POISON continued to put out albums and go on summer tours. But with fame comes a price. CC had got caught up in drugs and alcohol. At the 1991 MTV Music Awards, CC and Bret had a fist fight back stage and CC left the band. He was replaced by Richie Kotzen and in 1993 POISON came out with a new style and a new album, "Native Tongue". Richie was later dismissed from the band due to personal issues that arose. They soon were joined by Blues Saraceno and the band recorded "Crack A Smile". Bret had a car wreck in '94 which caused the album process to halt. After his recovery they finished the album, but it was shelved by Capital Records and so in 1996 "The Greatest Hits" album was released. Blues left the band to pursue a solo career. Capital finally released "Crack A Smile" in 2000.
In 1998, CC and Bret finally sorted out their differences. After returning to POISON and leaving again several times before, CC, now sober, rejoined the band in 1999 and POISON went to the studio and recorded "Power to the People", an album dedicated to the fans who have stuck by them through the years. POISON's spectacular, over-the-top stage shows, which include pyrotechnics and confetti cannons, keep their fan base strong as well as the albums they continue to serve. You can see their discography below and besure to check the POISONWEB for more info on this non-stop rock band. |
