Poison drummer Rikki Rockett has formed a brand new band, marking an exciting new chapter in his musical career. The rocker revealed the formation of the band, which includes Brandon Gibbs, Mick Sweda, and Bryan Kimes, on his social media accounts. The announcement was made on September 16, and Rockett later expressed his gratitude for the overwhelming positive response he received from fans.
In a statement shared after the announcement, Rockett said, “The guys and myself have gotten so much positive feedback so far on this lineup! I feel very blessed.” He continued, “Our agent will have quite a grocery list to swim through. Thank you all for all the positive feedback!”
He also gave more insight into the band’s vision. “This little band was created to have fun re-imagining 70’s cover songs, but not the usual batch that you’d expect. Wait until you hear some of these songs — you’ll go, ‘Hey, I know that song! I can’t believe they are playing that!’”
While the band’s focus will be on covers, Rockett made it clear that they won’t be limiting themselves to just covers. “However, do not discount original material,” he said. “Brandon and Mick are both powerhouses. This will be fun as we slowly begin to get this off the ground! On behalf of the R-Mob, thank you all so very much.”
This new project announcement comes amid some tension within Poison, particularly concerning the band’s 2025 reunion plans. Rockett had previously posted on social media that his bandmate, Poison frontman Bret Michaels, “didn’t want to” do the 2025 shows, prompting a response from Michaels. In a statement, Michaels sought to clear up any confusion, explaining his plans for 2025.
“To clear the air of any confusion, I just want to clarify to all the amazing family, friends, and fans who I remain forever grateful for, that it’s no secret I have stated previously that in 2025 I’m planning to perform limited shows to focus primarily on health, starting with my diabetes which needs a tuneup, not to mention a little R&R as everyone knows my tireless work ethic and passion for performing music, as well as some much-needed personal family time…like I recently stated, I’m like a classic muscle car – still fast and still fun to drive, just need a little more maintenance lol,” Michaels wrote.
