Poison: Were They Really That Bad?

[Tommy2Tone84]

Yes, I’ve seen Rock Like A Rocker on YouTube and it’s so bad that it’s funny. I have audio of them from a gig in PA from 1984 mainly playing covers. While they aren’t Rush and Bert certainly doesn’t attempt to sing in a higher register on the Motley and Judas Priest songs they do, it’s not all that bad. I’ve heard worse.


I’m half way through the Nothing But A Good Time book and while some will be honest or critical and admit how awful Motley Crue were live. Most make an excuse for them with how “dangerous” they were instead of the clown show that they really were. With Poison it’s “Yeah they sucked but the girls loved them.” The book talks about how Vicky Hamilton dumped them off on Howard Kaufman from GuitarsRUs for a couple measly thousand dollars.

So for those of you who were there, after they hired CC were they really that bad? Many, many major league bands were not very good live: Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, KISS, Van Halen (for how accomplished 3/4 of that band were they were not awesome as a live act), Ozzy, Motley Crue, Ratt, Dokken, Guns N Roses, Skid Row, Nirvana, Soundgarden, AIC (sorry guys…I saw them and they were uneven and boring AF) so why does Poison get shit on so much for not being King Crimson? Racer X were literally one of the best live bands to come out of Hollywood and I’m one of maybe five people who have ever heard of them or ever gave a shit about them.

I wanted to hate Poison. I did hate Poison at first. I remember when Talk Dirty To Me first got airplay and I convulsed between cringing and laughing but they I heard CC’s Chuck Berry meets Ace Frehley meets Rick Nielsen inspired solo and I wasn’t laughing anymore.

I remember seeing I Want Action for the first time on MTV and I remember being sort of disturbed by it’s Rocky Horror schtick but I also remember seeing all the cool guitars CC played in the video and hearing his solo and going “Fuck! That guy is awesome!”

Maybe I’m just a sucker for guitar collecting hoarders? They also impressed me in the Decline movie. They were candid and honest but very funny at the same time. Bands like Odin and London made Poison look like Cheap Trick and Van Halen.

Penelope tries to come off all Switzerland in the book but she did the glam scene dirty by including some of those bands and especially those posing hipster scensters who really weren’t in a band. I would’ve rather have seen Vixen, Tuff and Jetboy play than Odin and London. Lizzy Borden, to his credit, came off looking and sounding professional even though he was cheesy

[MetalSludgeCEO]

Yes, I’ve seen Rock Like A Rocker on YouTube and it’s so bad that it’s funny. I have audio of them from a gig in PA from 1984 mainly playing covers. While they aren’t Rush and Bert certainly doesn’t attempt to sing in a higher register on the Motley and Judas Priest songs they do, it’s not all that bad. I’ve heard worse.


I’m half way through the Nothing But A Good Time book and while some will be honest or critical and admit how awful Motley Crue were live. Most make an excuse for them with how “dangerous” they were instead of the clown show that they really were. With Poison it’s “Yeah they sucked but the girls loved them.” The book talks about how Vicky Hamilton dumped them off on Howard Kaufman from GuitarsRUs for a couple measly thousand dollars.

So for those of you who were there, after they hired CC were they really that bad? Many, many major league bands were not very good live: Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, KISS, Van Halen (for how accomplished 3/4 of that band were they were not awesome as a live act), Ozzy, Motley Crue, Ratt, Dokken, Guns N Roses, Skid Row, Nirvana, Soundgarden, AIC (sorry guys…I saw them and they were uneven and boring AF) so why does Poison get shit on so much for not being King Crimson? Racer X were literally one of the best live bands to come out of Hollywood and I’m one of maybe five people who have ever heard of them or ever gave a shit about them.

I wanted to hate Poison. I did hate Poison at first. I remember when Talk Dirty To Me first got airplay and I convulsed between cringing and laughing but they I heard CC’s Chuck Berry meets Ace Frehley meets Rick Nielsen inspired solo and I wasn’t laughing anymore.

I remember seeing I Want Action for the first time on MTV and I remember being sort of disturbed by it’s Rocky Horror schtick but I also remember seeing all the cool guitars CC played in the video and hearing his solo and going “Fuck! That guy is awesome!”

Maybe I’m just a sucker for guitar collecting hoarders? They also impressed me in the Decline movie. They were candid and honest but very funny at the same time. Bands like Odin and London made Poison look like Cheap Trick and Van Halen.

Penelope tries to come off all Switzerland in the book but she did the glam scene dirty by including some of those bands and especially those posing hipster scensters who really weren’t in a band. I would’ve rather have seen Vixen, Tuff and Jetboy play than Odin and London. Lizzy Borden, to his credit, came off looking and sounding professional even though he was cheesy

Fun Fact: Racer X guitarist Paul Gilbert wore a TUFF t-shirt during a show at Trobadour... likely in 1988 ish.

Photos exist somewhere, and very likely in a Live Review in a Rock City News!

Thank you drive thru.

$tEvil

[factchecker]

Can't really add to that wiki tier overview of Poison.

Well at least record producer Bruce Fairbairn (Bon Jovi) felt Poison were big enough to produce their follow up album Open Up And Say Ah! Naff album imo with a lot of filler and duds but killer singles with Rose, Angel, Nothin' and Mama Don't Dance.

[Mojo]

Fun band with fun songs, and I'd say CC is actually underrated. His vibrato absolutely sounds like someone on coke, but his solos are often melodic, tasteful, and have a surprising amount of flash in them. I can see why insecure dudes might hate on them, but I think they're fun.

[LSD69]

Fun band with fun songs

[That-guy]

“Fuck! That guy is awesome!”

Thanks.

[Nate S Axel]

Fun band with fun songs, and I'd say CC is actually underrated. His vibrato absolutely sounds like someone on coke, but his solos are often melodic, tasteful, and have a surprising amount of flash in them. I can see why insecure dudes might hate on them, but I think they're fun.

100%. What's the point of going to a show? Hopefully to have fun. Never had a bad time at a Poison show, especially with 1, 2, 3 other bands.

[Tommy2Tone84]

Fun band with fun songs, and I'd say CC is actually underrated. His vibrato absolutely sounds like someone on coke, but his solos are often melodic, tasteful, and have a surprising amount of flash in them. I can see why insecure dudes might hate on them, but I think they're fun.

Well stated. I couldn’t have said it any better. They were fun, energetic and had great songs. They were kind of a shit show live, CC specifically. But he was a total rock star!!! They weren’t any worse than Motley or Guns N Roses. Guns were cooler but that Ritz show is embarrassing.

What was ironic about Poison is a couple of those guys were just as f*cked up and destructive as the Motley and GNR guys were. But because of their image and more commercial sound, people wrote them off as lite weight. CC and Bobby were completely f*cked up. Bert, later wrapped his sports car around a telephone pole. Rikki came off looking like the only level headed guy in the band.

[keyofgee]

I saw Poison on their first U.S. tour and for what it's worth, glam and all, they were starving and kicked butt. They played their butts off and won the crowd over. Their music is cotton candy, all sugar and not filling but it worked for them and their bank and spank accounts.

[Bono Nettencourt]

Can't really add to that wiki tier overview of Poison.

Well at least record producer Bruce Fairbairn (Bon Jovi) felt Poison were big enough to produce their follow up album Open Up And Say Ah! Naff album imo with a lot of filler and duds but killer singles with Rose, Angel, Nothin' and Mama Don't Dance.

Werman did Open Up. Fairbairn did Flesh & Blood, which was the one after.

This place needs a new factchecker.

[VinnieVincentsVag]

Fun band with fun songs, and I'd say CC is actually underrated. His vibrato absolutely sounds like someone on coke, but his solos are often melodic, tasteful, and have a surprising amount of flash in them. I can see why insecure dudes might hate on them, but I think they're fun.

I hated his lack of vibrato on most solos.

[ElectrickMagick]

Can't really add to that wiki tier overview of Poison.

Well at least record producer Bruce Fairbairn (Bon Jovi) felt Poison were big enough to produce their follow up album Open Up And Say Ah! Naff album imo with a lot of filler and duds but killer singles with Rose, Angel, Nothin' and Mama Don't Dance.

Werman did Open Up. Fairbairn did Flesh & Blood, which was the one after.

This place needs a new factchecker.

That's just an alternative fact, man.

Poison was high energy and lots of fun, that was always good enough for me. And I have always loved CC's solos, maybe they aren't technically brilliant but they always fit the mood of the song.

[whoami]

Fun band with fun songs, and I'd say CC is actually underrated. His vibrato absolutely sounds like someone on coke, but his solos are often melodic, tasteful, and have a surprising amount of flash in them. I can see why insecure dudes might hate on them, but I think they're fun.

This 100%

[VinnieVincentsVag]

That album cover was a pretty big turnoff for me.
Wasn’t a fan of Brett’s voice.
Very low on the musical IQ spectrum

But hey, they’re rich and famous and I’m typing this.

[dmbrocker]

Fun band with fun songs, and I'd say CC is actually underrated. His vibrato absolutely sounds like someone on coke, but his solos are often melodic, tasteful, and have a surprising amount of flash in them. I can see why insecure dudes might hate on them, but I think they're fun.

Mojo nails it. I love Poison, cheesy party glam and all.

[Fat_Elvis]

There's no Metal Sludge without Poison.

[Tommy2Tone84]

That album cover was a pretty big turnoff for me.
Wasn’t a fan of Brett’s voice.
Very low on the musical IQ spectrum

But hey, they’re rich and famous and I’m typing this.

He didn’t have much of a range but I didn’t mind Bert’s voice.

I’ll take Poison over Genesis

[Love_Industry]

Never had a bad time at a Poison show

Must have been out of luck then. Saw them at their peak, Monsters of Rock 1990 in Stockholm with Whitesnake headlining and they weren't very good. Seemed like they didn't even want to be there and it was one of the first shows of the tour.

They also played the wrong songs IMO - Ride the Wind, Let it Play, Poor Boy Blues...

[Whatever Happened To…]

I fucking love that first album, the cover, title, everything about it.

[whiteowl yesterday]

i have their 1st 3 albums on cd and love 'em.
saw them in concert in the early 2000's they were great.

[Bono Nettencourt]

There's no Tuff without Poison.

FTFY

[DrumminAway]

That album cover was a pretty big turnoff for me.
Wasn’t a fan of Brett’s voice.
Very low on the musical IQ spectrum

But hey, they’re rich and famous and I’m typing this.

He didn’t have much of a range but I didn’t mind Bert’s voice.

I’ll take Poison over Genesis

Feels like we’re living in a land of confusion.

[Tommy2Tone84]

That album cover was a pretty big turnoff for me.
Wasn’t a fan of Brett’s voice.
Very low on the musical IQ spectrum

But hey, they’re rich and famous and I’m typing this.

He didn’t have much of a range but I didn’t mind Bert’s voice.

I’ll take Poison over Genesis

Feels like we’re living in a land of confusion.

Great song! I was thinking more of the original Genesis with Peter. Great musicianship but boring and odd.

[Mister Freeze]

Why sing about getting laid for an audience packed with chicks when you can sing about spirits and demons for an arena full of dudes in denim jackets?

[steviedoes]

To me, Poison has always been my KISS. What I mean by that - Poison is the band that got me into rock music as a teenager. Poison is the band that made me want to play guitar, make my own music and be in a band. That is what KISS is to so many musicians, especially in the "hair band" genre. And no matter how cheesy KISS became, it was always acceptable to be a fan and have them be why you make music. But that has never seemed to be the case with Poison. I don't, and have never cared though. Poison is my KISS. I've become a bigger fan of Cheap Trick than Poison, and my music tastes have expanded since 1991, but no matter how cheesy Poison could be, no matter how many cringe things Bret does, Poison is still my rock and roll foundation. And always will be.

I'm listening to Swallow This Live right now. There are a million bad reviews of it out there and many haters. I don't care at all. It's peak Poison to me. If you're a Poison fan, it has everything you love about them. If you're a hater, it's got all the things you hate. That being said - I certainly could do without the Rikki Rockett drum solo. I do love C.C.'s solo though.

[DonJuanDeMarco]

To me, Poison has always been my KISS. What I mean by that - Poison is the band that got me into rock music as a teenager. Poison is the band that made me want to play guitar, make my own music and be in a band. That is what KISS is to so many musicians, especially in the "hair band" genre. And no matter how cheesy KISS became, it was always acceptable to be a fan and have them be why you make music. But that has never seemed to be the case with Poison. I don't, and have never cared though. Poison is my KISS. I've become a bigger fan of Cheap Trick than Poison, and my music tastes have expanded since 1991, but no matter how cheesy Poison could be, no matter how many cringe things Bret does, Poison is still my rock and roll foundation. And always will be.

100% exactly how I feel! Right on, man!!!

I love almost every band from the 80's scene but there is a special love for Poison that is just stronger than the others. Those first 3 albums are rock & roll gold to me. They are simple, sincere, honest, catchy, fun. Everything you look for in a pop/rock song.

The glam rock image of the first album cover is not what I picture though. The definitive Poison image is probably the Nothin' But a Goodtime video.

None of this actually answers the OP though! Were they that bad BEFORE they got signed? Maybe.... they got a very small record deal. But they took what they had and made the most of it. Ain't that what it's all about?

[TravisBicklesMohawk]

No, they are not bad.

Poison is very good at what they do. Some of us may not like it, but they do have an audience.

So that's that . . .

[Fat_Elvis]

There's no Tuff without Poison.

FTFY

Which is why there'd be no Metal Sludge.

[Bono Nettencourt]

There's no Tuff without Poison.

FTFY

Which is why there'd be no Metal Sludge.

Touche.

[Indy_Rob]

“Fuck! That guy is awesome!”

Thanks.