RIKKI ROCKETT Would Like BRET MICHAELS To 'Put A Little More Energy Into POISON'

In a recent interview with OC Weekly, POISON drummer Rikki Rockett admitted that he and other members of the group harbor some resentment toward vocalist Bret Michaels, whose frequent tours as a solo artist caused the band to take a five-year break from the road.

"I think we need to get away from each other and do other things, but at the same time, I think he spent a little too much time away," Rockett said. "There's definitely some resentment, but not resentment like I want him to fail. I want him to do good. I just want POISON to be important too, and I would like [him] to put a little more energy into POISON."

Rockett reiterated his desire for the band to record new music together in the future. "I personally think we still have a lot of stories to tell," he said. "Because the music business has changed so much, I don't know that you'd get a full record out of POISON, but I do believe that you will see new music at some point in some capacity."

Rikki's latest comments echo those he made a year ago, when he told "Trunk Nation": "I don't care if anybody in this band does side things. I think it's healthy; honestly, I do. To just play the same songs and work with just the same people over and over and over again can become stale, and you do have to do some things. However, I think that Bret has taken it a little too far times and he needs to come back to the fray a little bit, and I think we should make more POISON music, make a record. He knows I feel that way; there's no secret there. I'm not talking behind his back and I'm not talking shit."

Back in 2015, Rockett, bassist Bobby Dall and guitarist C.C. DeVille, plus vocalist/rhythm guitarist Brandon Gibbs (CHEAP THRILL, DEVIL CITY ANGELS),played several shows as THE SPECIAL GUESTS in what was widely perceived as a not-so-subtle message to Michaels that they weren't willing to remain completely inactive while he pursued a solo career.

"It wasn't to break up the band over it — it wasn't intended to do that," Rikki later said. "It was just more or less, 'Hey, we're not gonna sit on the sidelines.' And I think it was really cool, quite frankly. We got a lot of really positive response from that; it was really a fun gig."

On May 18, POISON will kick off its "Nothin' But A Good Time 2018" tour in Irvine, California. The trek also features CHEAP TRICK and POP EVIL.

POISON's last album of new material was 2002's "Hollyweird". "Poison'd", an album of covers, arrived in 2007.

Photo credit: Mark Weiss