C.C. Deville

C.C. DeVille: Lead guitar, backing vocals Real Name: Bruce Anthony Johannesson Albums: Look What the Cat Dragged In, Open Up and Say..Ahh!, Flesh & Blood, Swallow This Live CC DeVille was born in New York, and moved to L.A looking for a band. He played for several bands (including Roxx Regime, a band later to become Stryper) before being hired for Poison. His style gave Poison's music its character, but he was fired from the band due to drug and alcohol addictions After trying to get a solo record deal, he hit rock bottom with his drug problem. In 1997, he cleaned up and was welcomed back into Poison.


C.C. DeVille was born on May 14th, and grew up in the Bay Ridge area of Brooklyn, New York. The 1st concert he ever went to see was KISS. He describes himself as loud, fast talking and obsessive. He likes guitars so much that he owns at least 300 of them, including many from his endorsements from B.C. Rich and Ibanez guitar companies! Some of C.C.’s favorite bands growing up were The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Aerosmith, Van Halen, and Cheap Trick, with favorite albums including Rocket To Russia by the Ramones, and Heaven Tonight by Cheap Trick. He says he is also influenced by fusion players like Al DiMeola and John McLaughlin. Some of C.C.’s earliest live performances was playing Johnny B. Goode in the talent show during his time at McKinley Junior High School. Then later on, when C.C. decided that he was gonna give it his all and try to make it big as a rock star, he moved west to Los Angeles where he played in a few of bands called “Screaming Mimi”, “Lace Slip”, and “St. James“ before he hooked up with POISON. Then guitarist, Matt Smith, vacated the guitar player spot, leaving it open for C.C. to make his very own. And let’s face it, C.C. DeVille was BORN to be the guitar player in Poison!!! Says C.C., “I had seen them play at the Troubador and they were very exciting. They had a great show. They had put an ad in the local paper for a guitar player and they auditioned a lot of guys. When I answered it, I said, ‘Stop looking, you’ve got your guy.’ ” Supposedly, the position was down to C.C. and Slash (who we all know from Guns N’ Roses infamy). Well, the best man definitely got the job!