“The reason that this contract has not gone through, is because, ahh… Bret wants more than the lion’s share. He wants… the amount of money he wants, would make it where it’s pretty much impossible to run the production of the band.”
— Rikki Rockett

LOS ANGELES, California — In a brand new interview Rikki Rockett has opened up on the drama surrounding recent events that have put Poison in the headlines.

Rockett was a guest on The Hair Metal Guru tonight (November 13th 2025) just a week after the same podcast released an episode featuring Bret Michaels Band guitarist Pete Evick.

Evick said a few things in that interview that some felt was out of bounds, including Rockett himself, so the drummer replied on social media and fueled the fire.

Metal Sludge covered that Evick versus Rockett drama in our article: “TALK SLUDGY TO ME … Rikki Rockett: “If Pete Evick thinks that the BMB is carrying the Poison torch then Pete must be a Bic lighter”.

Now after these recent exchanges between the pair filled social media platforms, the Poison drummer has spoke directly with The Guru to clarify a few details and shed some perspective.

Rockett says: “To set the record straight on the Poison stuff at this moment. I mean it’s no different than it was a few months ago, where we got an awesome offer from Live Nation, and ah, C.C. (DeVille), Bobby (Dall) and I agreed to it, talked about it, it went into Bret (Michaels) lap and it hasn’t moved.

“Now we’re at a point probably where… I don’t think we can get that tour to happen now. I think… if by October you’re not moving on a tour of that size, it’s really, really hard to shoe-horn that thing and get it to happen. So, it maybe… it’s not impossible, but it’s super, super hard.”

The Guru then asks: “It’s pretty well known, that you guys, you and Bret (Michaels) were best friends, do you guys talk now?”

Rockett: “We don’t too much.”

The above referenced offer Rockett is referring to was already submitted to the band more than 6 months ago, as this was made public by the drummer on Eddie Trunk‘s radio show back in May 2025.

Rockett continues: “The reason that this contract has not gone through, is because, ahh… Bret wants more than the lion’s share. He wants… the amount of money he wants, would make it where it’s pretty much impossible to run the production of the band. And, I don’t… I don’t… I… (pause) he knows that. And I think the reason he is saying that, is because, he just simply doesn’t want to tour with us this year.

“He must have some ideas about what he wants to do with Bret Michaels Band this year. I am assuming, I don’t know. You know what I mean, because we don’t talk. I would love to talk about it, but at this point and time it’s just not a deal. So, we’re not going to do that, I am not going to go out there and play for peanuts or wind up upside down, you know, so he can, you know make all this money.”

Editor’s Note: We’re assuming when Rikki says ‘this year’, he’s actually referring to ‘next year’.

Rockett was addressing Evick‘s comment regarding Poison‘s financial splits which included the guitarist saying: “The truth of the matter is, he (Bret Michaels) doesn’t split that money four-ways with Poison. He does get the lion’s share of that… because… he’s worked that out in his deal. Because he’s the one carrying the torch.”

Now it seems, that Rockett is telling fans that Bret wants more than the lion’s share, and that appears to be the major sticking point with the other members of Poison.

The full 40+ minute interview with Rikki Rockett on The Hair Metal Guru is shared below.

Stay tuned to Metal Sludge for more Breaking News, Updates and Features along with both New Interviews and Classic 20 Questions.