Poison Shelves Plans for 40th Anniversary Tour Amid Money Dispute

Plans for a long-rumored 40th anniversary tour by Poison have officially fallen apart.

According to a new report from Page Six, the veteran rock band has shelved discussions about reuniting for a milestone tour after negotiations stalled over money — specifically, a pay dispute involving lead singer Bret Michaels.

Drummer Rikki Rockett confirmed the breakdown in talks, telling the outlet in comments published Jan. 18, “We had a great offer, I thought. But we left the table. It didn’t work.”

Disagreement Over Pay Split

According to the report, Michaels wanted to earn significantly more than his bandmates — allegedly seeking 600 percent more than each of them. Rockett said that demand made the tour financially impossible.

“Really what it came to was C.C. [DeVille], Bobby [Dall], and I were all in, and I thought Bret was,” Rockett explained. “But he wanted the lion’s share of the money, to the point where it makes it not possible to even do it. It’s like $6 to every one of our dollars. You just can’t work that way.”

Rockett added that while money matters, passion also plays a role. “I don’t do this just for the money. 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.”

Fans Had Been Expecting a Reunion

Although the tour was never officially announced, speculation began after Michaels hinted at the idea in a 2024 Facebook post. At the time, he called 2026 “the perfect” year to celebrate 40 years since the band’s debut album, Look What the Cat Dragged In. He also suggested a limited run of shows could make sense, though he emphasized nothing was finalized.

Despite the excitement, no formal announcement followed. By late 2025, Rockett was already signaling trouble. Speaking on The Hair Metal Guru podcast, he revealed that negotiations had stalled after what he described as an “awesome offer” was passed along to Michaels.

“We're at a point probably where I don't think we can get that tour to happen now,” Rockett said, noting that large tours typically need to be locked in well in advance. “If by October you're not moving on a tour of that size for the following summer, it's really, really hard to shoehorn that thing in.”

No Bad Blood — Just Frustration

Rockett also said he attempted to restart the conversation by reaching out to all four band members, but received no response.

“I have thrown out a text to all four members and said, ‘Hey, let's figure this out. Let's do it,’” he said. “And it was tumbleweeds.”

Despite the failed talks, Rockett stressed that there is no personal animosity within the band. “There’s not all this hate going around Poison. It’s not that. It’s frustration.”

A Legendary Career — and a Possible Future?

Formed in Pennsylvania in 1983, Poison became one of the most successful rock bands of the late 1980s and early 1990s. The group scored a No. 1 hit with “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” and is also known for fan favorites like “Talk Dirty to Me,” “I Won’t Forget You,” “Fallen Angel,” and “Something to Believe In.”

Looking ahead, Rockett hasn’t completely ruled out a reunion. He joked that if the money issues can be resolved, the band could still make history — just a year late.

“It would be a perfect Poison folly,” he said, “to do a 41st anniversary tour.”

For now, however, fans hoping to see Poison reunite on the road will have to keep waiting.