Poison (band)
The ultimate party band of the 80s, they wrapped big hooks, bigger hair, and unapologetic fun into multi-platinum anthems.
Born 1963 (age 63)·American rock band·Birthday: November 2·Baby Boomers
Biography
Poison didn't just arrive on the Sunset Strip; they conquered it with a blend of glam rock spectacle and catchy, working-class rock and roll. Formed in Pennsylvania, the band—Bret Michaels, C.C. DeVille, Bobby Dall, and Rikki Rockett—relocated to Los Angeles with a singular goal: to be the biggest band in the world. Their 1986 debut 'Look What the Cat Dragged In' was a sleeper hit, its success fueled by relentless touring and irresistible singles like 'Talk Dirty to Me.' They became the face of a hedonistic era, selling out arenas with a live show that was equal parts rock concert and carnival. Despite internal strife and shifting musical tides, their resilience and connection with fans turned them into a permanent fixture, proving that sometimes, all you need are a few great tunes and a bandana.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Poison was born in 1963, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Poison Was Born
The biggest hits of 1963
#1 Movie
Cleopatra
Best Picture
Tom Jones
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Poison's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1963Born
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1968Started school
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1976Became a teenager
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Could drive
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1981Could vote
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Turned 21
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1993Turned 30
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 40
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 50
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 60
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 63 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Sold over 65 million records worldwide, defining the commercial peak of the 1980s glam metal scene.
- Their 1988 album 'Open Up and Say...Ahh!' spawned the number-one single 'Every Rose Has Its Thorn,' a power ballad that became a cultural touchstone.
- Headlined massive stadium tours throughout the late 80s and early 90s, often with other huge acts like Ratt and Mötley Crüe.
- The music video for 'Unskinny Bop' was a staple on MTV, receiving heavy rotation and cementing their visual style.
Did You Know?
Lead singer Bret Michaels is a type 1 diabetic and has been since he was six years old.
The band's original name, when formed in Mechanicsburg, was 'Paris.'
Guitarist C.C. DeVille won his spot in the band after a heated audition where he played over a cassette tape of the songs.
“We're not the best musicians, and we're not the best-looking guys in the world, but we've got the best fans.”
