BRET MICHAELS Breaks Silence On POISON Tour Rift After RIKKI ROCKETT’s Pay Dispute Claims

As rumors swirl over a stalled 40th-anniversary tour, the Poison frontman strikes a conciliatory tone and leaves the door open for a future reunion.

Photo by Mark Weiss

Bret Michaels has issued an indirect response to recent claims from Poison drummer Rikki Rockett that the band’s 2026 reunion tour collapsed over alleged contract and pay disputes.

The Poison frontman addressed Rockett, guitarist C.C. DeVille, and bassist Bobby Dall in a Facebook post, striking a notably upbeat, diplomatic note while stopping short of directly addressing the financial allegations.

“To Green Day and Bad Bunny – congratulations on the Super Bowl concert,” Michaels wrote. “I cannot wait to watch it and I cannot wait to announce a Bucket List NFL dream come true (stay tuned…).”

Turning his attention to Rockett, Michaels added: “To my friend Rikki Rockett – have fun tonight with my good buddy Eddie Trunk and enjoy the Metal Hall Of Fame ceremony.”

Michaels went on to reaffirm the classic Poison lineup, writing: “As always, I consider Poison to be Bobby, C.C., Rikki and myself. I also make no bones about loving the BMB and will always have both in my life. Bottom line – I love music, I love the fans and I’m always forever grateful. Onward & upward and let’s all focus on the positive in 2026, and the potential of a future reunion.”

Michaels‘ comments arrive just weeks after Rockett told Page Six that Poison‘s previously proposed 2026 tour intended to mark the 40^th anniversary of the band’s 1986 debut Look What the Cat Dragged In had been scrapped following disagreements over compensation.

“We had a great offer [for a tour this year], I thought. But we left the table,” Rockett said. “It didn’t work.”

According to Rockett, the sticking point came down to pay structure. “Really what it came to was [guitarist] C.C., Bobby and I were all in, and I thought Bret was, but he wanted the lion’s share of the money, to the point where it makes it not possible to even do it,” he explained.

Rockett alleged that the split would have heavily favored the singer: “It’s like $6 to every one of our dollars. You just can’t work that way.”

While Rockett emphasized that his love for the band outweighs financial concerns, he was candid about the reality of touring. “I don’t do this just for the money,” he said. “I do have a love for this, absolutely. But at the same time, you don’t want to go out and work really hard just to make somebody else a bunch of money.”

Rockett even dismissed speculation about replacing Michaels outright, calling the idea a last-ditch option. “It’s not out of the question. But doing that is like surgery: it’s the last resort. I don’t want to do that. I’m not quarreling with Bret… We just didn’t come to agreement. I don’t like it, and I’ll say that, but it’s not like, ‘Let’s put up our dukes.’ I don’t think there’s a better frontman for Poison.”

Poison last toured together in 2022, when they joined Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard on a blockbuster stadium run that reignited nostalgia for ’80s hard rock and glam metal. Since then, Michaels has continued performing Poison-heavy sets with his solo band, keeping the catalog alive on stages across the U.S.