Poison

Genres:	Funk • Heavy Metal • Music Videos & Concerts • Pop / Rock
Descriptive "tags":	hard rock • hair metal • 80s • rock • classic rock • glam metal • glam rock
Decades Active:	1980s • 1990s • 2000s

Biography

This US heavy rock band was formed in Pennsylvania, in the spring of 1983 by Bret Michaels (Bret Michael Sychak, 15 March 1963, Butler, Pennsylvania, USA; vocals) and Rikki Rockett (b. Richard Allan Ream, 8 August 1961, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, USA; drums). They were soon joined by Bobby Dall (b. Robert Harry Kuykendall, 2 November 1958, Miami, Florida, USA; bass) and Matt Smith (guitar). Legend has it that Slash from Guns N’Roses also auditioned at one point. The quartet played local clubs as Paris, before moving to Los Angeles and changing their name. It was at this point that Smith left the band and was replaced by C.C. DeVille (b. Bruce Anthony Johannesson, 14 May 1962, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA; guitar). Poison were signed by Enigma Records in 1985. The following year’s debut album went double platinum in America and produced three hits, with ‘Talk Dirty To Me’ reaching the US Top 10. The follow-up Open Up And Say... Ahh! ...

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