RIKKI ROCKETT Recalls How Rock Music Media In 1980s Tried To Pit POISON Against METALLICA

During an appearance on the latest episode of the "Beardo & Weirdo" podcast, hosted by FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH bassist Chris Kael and comedian Craig Gass, POISON drummer Rikki Rockett recalled how the rock music media in the 1980s tried to pit rival genres thrash metal and glam metal against each other. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "I remember when I lived in Studio City [California], I used to walk down the street to the newspaper rack. And I'd look at all the new magazines to see if we were in anything. And there we are on the cover of [long-defunct rock magazine] Hit Parader, and it's got POISON, and it's got, like, [METALLICA frontman] James Hetfield, and it says, 'POISON versus METALLICA.' So I remember that night, I happened to go out, and I went to the [legendary rock club] Rainbow [Bar & Grill in West Hollywood]. And I didn't go to Rainbow a lot, but I went that one night, that particular night, that very day that I saw that magazine. And I used to just go get a table and hang out, and that particular night it was completely jammed. I wanted to go to the bathroom, and somebody's, like, 'Look, let me just take you to the back.' So I start going back through the restaurant, and there's [METALLICA drummer] Lars Ulrich. And I'm, 'Huh. It's POISON versus METALLICA… Are we gonna go [at it]? What's gonna happen?' And I look and I said, 'Hi.' I said, 'Lars, I've never met you. I'm Rikki.' And he goes, 'Nice to meet you.' I said, 'We're on a cover together right now. We're supposed to hate each other.' And he goes, 'Well, if we're gonna hate each other, let's at least have a drink over it.' And we wound up talking an hour and a half. He was fricking great. I was, like, 'It's the media that creates this and then it gets the fans going.' And, really, why can't you like [both POISON and METALLICA]?' That's like saying, 'I'm only gonna like horror movies. I can't watch anything else.'"

Rikki continued: "I think that we snack on lots of different things. There's lots of different buffets out there to choose from. And so I love all sorts of music, and I think most people do. And I think it sucks when somebody goes, 'Yeah, well, I have to admit that I kind of like that Madonna song.' So what if you like it? Madonna was great. What's the big deal? I like THE CARPENTERS. I mean, there's some really great music out there, and it's a shame if you cut yourself off where you only do it because you're carrying a banner. But on the flip side of all that, I think music was, has always been really great when there was some kind of a flag that people stood behind, in the sense that there would was a social movement, like the punk movement and things like that. The '60s and some of these social movements really created amazing music, and maybe that's what's missing right now, is we don't have a social movement that supports rock and roll."

Rockett's long-awaited memoir, "Ghost Notes: My Life In Poison", which was written with writer duo Leif Eriksson and Martin Svensson, will finally arrive in September via Rare Bird Books.

POISON has sold over 50 million records worldwide, releasing eight studio albums, four live albums, and four compilations. The band has charted 10 singles on the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, including six Top 10 singles and one Hot 100 number-one smash hit, "Every Rose Has Its Thorn".

POISON's reunited original lineup — Rockett, singer Bret Michaels, bassist Bobby Dall and guitarist C.C. DeVille — completed "The Stadium Tour" with MÖTLEY CRÜE, DEF LEPPARD and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS in 2022. The trek was originally scheduled to take place in the summer of 2020 but ended up being pushed back to 2021, and then to 2022, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Rockett was declared cancer free more in 2016 after undergoing an experimental treatment. He was diagnosed with oral cancer back in 2015.

In April 2022, Rockett married his longtime girlfriend TC Smith at the Granada Theatre in Santa Barbara, California.

Rikki was previously married to singer/songwriter Melanie Martel. They share joint custody of their two kids — son Jude Aaron Rockett and daughter Lucy Sky Rockett.

In October 2024, Rikki announced the launch of a new band called THE ROCKETT MAFIA.