Poison frontman Bret Michaels has publicly refuted recent statements suggesting he was responsible for derailing the band’s planned 40th anniversary tour, calling the financial accusations “not true” and stressing that discussions never even reached that point. Michaels addressed the controversy during a radio interview, offering clarity on why the planned 2026 trek was postponed and expressing optimism that Poison can still hit the road together in 2027.
The dispute erupted after Poison drummer Rikki Rockett claimed that negotiations fell apart because Michaels allegedly wanted to earn six times more than his bandmates for the proposed 2026 tour commemorating the 40th anniversary of Look What the Cat Dragged In. Rockett told Page Six that he believed the financial terms made the tour “not possible to even do it.”
Michaels flatly denied those assertions. Speaking on 99.1 WPLR’s Chaz & AJ In The Morning, he said the idea that he demanded a disproportionate share of revenue “never happened,” explaining that negotiations never advanced to salary discussions. Instead, he framed the situation as a scheduling and planning issue.
“We never got to that part of negotiations … what happens — when you start this, they ask me to put together solo numbers and an average, and that’s the first part we turn in … and then all of a sudden, ’26, the shows in ’26 wanted solo answers, so we moved this to ’27 back last summer.”
— Bret Michaels
Michaels reiterated that key logistical details — from the tour’s starting points to stage design — were still being discussed when the planning process shifted into 2027. He suggested that much of the confusion stemmed from miscommunication rather than deliberate obstruction.
Despite the public disagreement, Michaels stressed that his relationships with Rockett, bassist Bobby Dall and guitarist C.C. DeVille remain strong. The singer emphasized nearly five decades of friendship within the band and encouraged open, direct dialogue rather than airing disputes in the media.
“We’re all friends. And if you wanna discuss something, we have each other’s phone number for the last 45 years. … Just call me on the phone, and we’ll work out whatever needs to be worked out.”
— Bret Michaels
Poison hasn’t toured together since supporting Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard on The Stadium Tour in 2022, a massive stadium trek that revitalized interest in the band’s classic catalog. Rockett had previously indicated that 2026 would have been the perfect time for a dedicated 40th-anniversary tour with the original lineup.
Michaels now proposes calling the delayed celebration “40 Plus One”, signaling a plan to commemorate the milestone in 2027 — a prospect he said he “positively” believes can still happen.
Fan and Internal Reactions
While Rockett’s earlier comments sparked fan debate and social media reaction, including skepticism about the band’s future together, Michaels’ clarifications highlight that the band members themselves remain in contact and share a desire to make the tour a reality — just not in 2026.
As of now, Poison’s anniversary tour remains on hold, with both sides publicly expressing goodwill and a preference for handling negotiations privately — a familiar refrain for a band with four decades of history navigating both personal and professional challenges.
