This US heavy rock band was formed in Pennsylvania, in the spring of 1983 by Bret Michaels (b. Bret Michael Sychak, 15 March 1963, Butler, Pennsylvania, USA; vocals) and Rikki Rockett (b. Richard Allan Ream, 8 August 1961, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, USA; drums). They were soon joined by Bobby Dall (b. Robert Harry Kuykendall, 2 November 1958, Miami, Florida, USA; bass) and Matt Smith (guitar). Legend has it that Slash from Guns N’Roses also auditioned at one point. The quartet played local clubs as Paris, before moving to Los Angeles and changing their name. It was at this point that Smith left the band and was replaced by C.C. DeVille (b. Bruce Anthony Johannesson, 14 May 1962, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA; guitar). Poison were signed by Enigma Records in 1985. The following year’s debut album went double platinum in America and produced three hits, with ‘Talk Dirty To Me’ reaching the US Top 10. The follow-up Open Up And Say... Ahh! gave them their first US number 1 with the ballad ‘Every Rose Has Its Thorn’. Four other singles were also released, including a cover version of ‘Your Mama Don’t Dance’ which was a major US hit for Loggins And Messina in 1972.
Poison was originally considered a ‘glam band’ because of the make-up its members wore, but by the release of 1990’s Flesh & Blood this image had been toned down dramatically. That year they also played their first UK shows. Fans declared their love of songs such as the US Top 5 singles, ‘Unskinny Bop’ and ‘Something To Believe In’, when the band made their official UK debut in front of 72, 500 people at the Donington Festival on 18 August 1990. The following year saw the release of a live album, but shortly afterwards DeVille was replaced on guitar by the much-travelled Richie Kotzen (b. 3 February 1970, Reading, Pennsylvania, USA). Native Tongue added brass with the Tower Of Power Horns and established the band alongside Bon Jovi as purveyors of image-conscious, hard melodic rock. As well as many supporters, this inevitably also saw them pilloried by more purist elements in heavy metal fandom.
In 1994, Michaels’ face appeared on the newsstands once more when he dated Baywatch star Pamela Anderson, before being unceremoniously ‘dumped’. Blues Saraceno (b. 17 October 1971, USA) replaced Kotzen and helped the band record Crack A Smile. Due to problems with their record company, however, the album was shelved and a greatest hits set was released instead. The same year Michaels began an acting career, taking a major role in A Letter From Death Row, which he also wrote and co-produced. A companion solo album was also released, and at the same time, DeVille rejoined the band.
Poison’s 1999 reunion tour was successful enough to warrant Capitol Records releasing Crack A Smile... And More! with extra tracks (featuring DeVille) added from a 1990 MTV Unplugged session. Shortly afterwards the band released the part-studio/part-live Power To The People on their own CMI (Cyanide Music Inc.) label. They continued to record and tour into the new millennium, albeit with little of the commercial success of their late 80s/early 90s heyday. DeVille was sentenced to 80 days in jail in November 2005 after being found guilty of driving while intoxicated. The following year’s 20 Years Of Rock tour was highly successful and the attendant compilation album reached the US Top 20. Spurred on by the positive reception given to their cover version of Grand Funk Railroad’s ‘We’re An American Band’ on the compilation, the band recorded Poison’d!, featuring their interpretations of classic rock tracks such as ‘Freebird’, ‘You Shook Me All Night Long’ and ‘Poison’.
