Poison returns with album of cover tunes and summer tour

By Patrick Luce May 22, 2007, 15:49 GMT

Some of Poison’s best previously recorded covers are also featured on the album - including Kiss’ “Rock and Roll All Nite,” Grand Funk Railroad’s “We’re An American Band” and Loggins & Messina’s “Your Mama Don’t Dance.”

Glam rockers Poison have announced plans to hit more than 50 U.S. cities this summer on their “Poison’d! 2007” tour – which will also feature Ratt and White Lion on various dates. The tour is in support of Poison’s new studio album ‘Poison’d!’ which hits store shelves on June 5th.

The new album features Poison’s original members, Bret Michaels (vocals), C.C. DeVille (guitar), Rikki Rockett (drums) and Bobby Dall (bass). ‘Poison’d!’ presents the band’s first new studio recordings since 2002’s ‘Hollyweird.’ Since Poison’s 1986 debut, ‘Look What The Cat Dragged In,’ the band has sold more than 25 million records and DVDs worldwide.

Produced by Don Was at Hensen Recording Studios in Hollywood, ‘Poison’d!’ packs 13 “explosive” cover songs - including new recordings of David Bowie’s “Suffragette City,” The Cars’ “You’re Just What I Needed,” The Romantics’ “What I Like About You,” Sweet’s “Little Willy,” The Marshall Tucker Band’s “Can’t You See” and The Rolling Stones’ “Dead Flowers.”

Some of Poison’s best previously recorded covers are also featured on the album - including Kiss’ “Rock and Roll All Nite,” Grand Funk Railroad’s “We’re An American Band” and Loggins & Messina’s “Your Mama Don’t Dance.”

In July, VH1 will premiere a new reality show, “Rock of Love with Bret Michaels.” VH1’s description of the show has “the hard-rockin' Poison front man looking for a woman who can truly keep up with his rock-n-roll lifestyle and not become jealous of his one true passion - performing, which has been the reason for and destruction of most of his relationships.”

In 1986, Poison released their debut album, ‘Look What the Cat Dragged In.’ After years of hard work, touring and controversy, radio and MTV finally took notice of the band and their music, propelling Poison into superstardom. ‘Look What the Cat Dragged In’ peaked at #3 on the Billboard album charts, charted three singles and sold more than four million copies.

The band’s 1988 follow-up, ‘Open Up and Say…Ahh!’ went Platinum two weeks after its release. The single “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” hit #1 on Billboard’s Singles chart and the album sold more than seven million units. 1990’s ‘Flesh & Blood’ featured a second Gold single, “Unskinny Bop,” and the album went multi-Platinum.

In 1991, amidst inner fighting, alcohol, drug abuse and road stories that “would make a porn star blush,” guitarist C.C. DeVille and singer Bret Michaels collided in an all out fist-fight seconds after leaving the stage of the MTV Music Video Awards (right between Cindy Crawford’s high heels and Eddie Van Halen’s sneakers). C.C. DeVille left the band.
 
Through the ‘90s, Poison continued to tour arenas and amphitheatres and recorded the Platinum ‘Native Tongue’ and ‘Crack a Smile.’ After five years of not speaking, Michaels and DeVille met up in 1999 and, with their chemistry and friendship quickly rekindled, the band went into the studio to record ‘Power to the People.’ One of the most successful reunion tours of all time followed the album’s release.

Last April, Poison rocketed into the Billboard Top 20 with the #17 debut of the band’s 20th anniversary hits collection, ‘The Best of Poison: 20 Years Of Rock’ (Capitol/EMI). The 18-track hits collection was soon certified gold, and Poison tore through the summer of 2006 on their highly successful “20 Years Of Rock” North American concert tour.

‘Poison’d’ is now available for pre-order at Amazon. Visit the music database for more information. Poison Tickets are now available at M&C’s Ticket Database. ‘Poison’d! 2007 Tour’ dates include:

Wed., Jun 13 Greenville, SC  Bi-Lo Center 
Fri., Jun 15 Orange Beach, AL The Amphitheatre at the Wharf 
Sat., Jun 16 Birmingham, AL City Stages (Miller Lite Stage)   
Sun., Jun 17 Charlotte, NC  Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Tue., Jun 19 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center 
Wed., Jun 20 Pittsburgh, PA  Post-Gazette Pavilion 
Fri., Jun 22 Bay City, MI  Bay City River Roar  
Sat., Jun 23 Cleveland, OH  Blossom Music Center
Sun., Jun 24 Columbus, OH Germain Amphitheatre
Tue., Jun 26 Oakdale, CT  Chevrolet Theatre 
Wed., Jun 27 Reading, PA  Sovereign Center 
Fri., Jun 29 Big Flats, NY  The Summer Stage 
Sat., Jun 30 Boston, MA  Tweeter Center   
Sun., Jul 01 Virginia Beach, VA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Tue., Jul 03 Myrtle Beach, SC House of Blues 
Wed., Jul 04 Orlando, FL  House of Blues 
Fri., Jul 06 Kinder, LA  Grand Casino   
Sat., Jul 07 Houston, TX  Sam Houston Race Park 
Sun., Jul 08 Grand Prairie, TX Nokia Live Theater
Wed., Jul 11 South Haven, MS Snowden Grove Park
Thu., Jul 12 Biloxi, MS  Hard Rock Biloxi Hotel & Casino  
Fri., Jul 13 Pryor, OK  Pryor Creek Music Festival 
Sat., Jul 14 Oklahoma City, OK Zoo Amphitheatre 
Sun., Jul 15 Bonner Springs, MO Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre 
Tue., Jul 17 Chicago, IL  First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre 
Wed., Jul 18 Minneapolis, MN The Myth 
Fri., Jul 20 Waukesha, WI  Waukesha County Fair  
Sat., Jul 21 Fond du Lac, WI Fond du Lac County Fair   
Sun., Jul 22 Muskegon, MI  Heritage Landing 
Tue., Jul 24 Wantagh, NY  Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
Thu., Jul 26 Gilford, NH  Meadowbrook Center 
Fri., Jul 27 Atlantic City, NJ Etess Arena (at Trump Taj Mahal) 
Sat., Jul 28 Holmdel, NJ  PNC Bank Arts Center 
Sun., Jul 29 Bristow, VA  Nissan Pavilion 
Tue., Jul 31 Detroit, MI  DTE Music Theatre 
Thu., Aug 02 St. Louis, MO  Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Fri., Aug 03 Davenport, IA  Mississippi Valley Fair
Sat., Aug 04 Newton, IA  Iowa Speedway  
Sun., Aug 05 Sturgis, SD  Sturgis Motorcycle Rally  
Wed., Aug 08 Silverton, OR  Oregon Gardens  
Thu., Aug 09 Roseburg, OR  Douglas County Fair  
Fri., Aug 10 Salinas, CA  Salinas Sports Center 
Sat., Aug 11 San Bernardino, CA Hyundai Pavilion 
Sun., Aug 12 Los Angeles, CA Gibson Amphitheatre 
Tue., Aug 14 San Diego, CA Coors Ampitheatre 
Wed., Aug 15 Phoenix, AZ  Dodge Theatre 
Fri., Aug 17 Las Vegas, NV The Pearl (at The Palms Casino & Resort)
Sat., Aug 18 Salt Lake City, UT USANA Amphitheatre
Sun., Aug 19 Denver, CO  Coors Amphitheatre 
Tue., Aug 21 Indianapolis, IN Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Wed., Aug 22 Buffalo, NY  Darien Lakes
Sat., Aug 25 Scranton, PA  Toyota Pavilion
Sun., Aug 26 Saratoga, NY  Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Fri., Aug 31 Tampa, FL  Ford Amphitheatre
Sat., Sep 01 West Palm Beach, FL Sound Advice Amphitheatre