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Web posted Thursday, May 17, 2001
7:24 a.m. CT

Look What The Cat Dragged In: 1980s glam metal band Poison kicks off its summer tour, The Glam Slam Metal Jam, on Wednesday in the Amarillo Civic Center Cal Farley Coliseum. Members include, from left, guitarist C.C. DeVille, lead singer Bret Michaels, drummer Rikki Rockett and bass guitarist Bobby Dall. Courtesy Photo

Nothin' but a good time

By Chip Chandler
cchandler@amarillonet.com

The 1980s are making a comeback.

The decade ridiculed for bad hair and big shoulderpads (or is that bad shoulderpads and big hair?) is riding a cresting nostalgia wave. "Monster Rock" and "Monster Ballads," compilations of the best of '80s hair bands and more, are staples of late-night TV commercials. Nick at Nite already is airing "The Facts of Life"; "Cheers," "Family Ties" and "The Cosby Show" are coming in the next few months, possibly in the same time-slot order in which they aired on NBC in their heyday.

But for Poison, the '80s have never gone away.

Perhaps the quintessential hair band, Poison's popularity hasn't diminished much since its peak in the late '80s and early '90s. Since breaking out, the band has never toured anything but the arena circuit - unlike some of its peers, who have been reduced to playing clubs.

"It's a pretty nice feeling to stay there. ... If we went down to theaters and stuff, that's OK too; we'd put on a great show. When you see the show, you'll know what I mean. We really put a lot into it," lead singer Bret Michaels said in a telephone interview earlier this month.

Further evidence of the band's staying power: Its greatest hits album, released in 1996, went platinum, selling more than 1 million copies. The band is the subject of one of VH1's most popular "Behind the Music" episodes. The network named "Talk Dirty to Me," the band's first hit single, the No. 1 glam metal song of all. Michaels' home was featured on the MTV series "Cribs." And the band's Glam Slam Metal Jam, which opens in Amarillo on Wednesday, was mentioned as one of summer's hottest tours by Entertainment Weekly in this week's Summer Music Issue.

Michaels said he believes the band has remained popular because its fans can relate to the members' highs and lows.

At a glance Who: Poison, Quiet Riot and Warrant What: The Glam Slam Metal Jam When: 7 p.m. Wednesday Where: Amarillo Civic Center Cal Farley Coliseum How much: $28.50 Information: panhandletickets, 378-3096; Randy's Music Mart, 358-0131

"We're all great friends. We always have been, except for a few fistfights here and there, and we have chemistry on stage. The music we write has always hit people in the heart - 'Every Rose Has Its Thorn,' 'Unskinny Bop,' 'Nothin' But a Good Time.' People just relate to our music because they know our band has written the music and it came from us. We're not pre-manufactured," Michaels said. "We put on a great rock show and still throw a hell of a backstage party.

"There are a lot of bands that, although they're talented and out there, they're so pre-manufactured that what do you relate to other than a catchy song? If there's nothing to relate to, it quickly goes away," he said. "Look at Guns N' Roses. Axl (Rose) is somebody who - good, bad or indifferent - you can relate to. AC/DC's another example. I'm still a big AC/DC fan. I still love their music, and these guys have been through a lot. I don't know if it means as much to everybody, but it does to me."

Poison has been up-front about its sometimes troubled career. The "Behind the Music" episode - and the band's own PR material - charts several internal feuds, particularly between Michaels and guitarist C.C. DeVille.

"We put the good, the bad and the ugly in there," Michaels said. "I think, for C.C., one of the things that added to our problems was a huge fistfight we got into at the MTV Video Music Awards, I believe in '92. It was kind of an eye-opening experience for all of us. We had all been pretty outward about our partying, but we had kept it away from the press. When that broke, it all broke," Michaels said.

"The two of us were mad at each other, so the mud got flung. Instead of just hiding it, we said, 'Hey, this was our situation.' We were partying, and it was OK - but it had gotten out of control," he said. "We still party; we just don't partake until 7 in the morning. We get out of there about 3."

DeVille left the band for a time, eventually rejoining in time to be part of the 1999 Greatest Hits tour. Even after another fight, he stayed with the band to record the live album "Power to the People," which included five new studio tracks. The album was released in June 2000 with an accompanying tour.

"It's been great," Michaels said. "All of the original members are back together, and everyone's in great health. It's now three years, and I hope to continue for the next 20 years if we can do it."

This summer's tour could help them toward that goal. It pairs them with Quiet Riot and Warrant, and other '80s acts like Enuff Z'Nuff, Vince Neil of Motley Crue, Great White and Bullet Boys will play selected dates.

The national tour launches at the Amarillo Civic Center Cal Farley Coliseum and crosses the country before closing on Aug. 25 in St. Paul, Minn.

Why Amarillo?

Because the band hasn't been here in a while, Michaels said.

"Last year, we started in our hometown of Hershey, Penn. This year, Amarillo was a great day on the schedule, plus they have a bitchin' coliseum to rehearse in. It's nice," he said.

The band will arrive in town on Sunday; they'll throw a pre-show party and dress rehearsal on Tuesday.

"We want the fans to throw in their thoughts on the show and the play list. It really helps us," Michaels said.

"... We've always been passionate about the show and what we do with our music," he said. "We've always treated our fans great, especially backstage. ... That's why we've been able to do arenas since 1986."

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