Poison From the Past

When archeologists first discovered artifacts from Greek and Roman civilizations, they must have been struck by their beauty and majesty. When future architects discover the first Poison album, chances are they will say, "What the fuck!" The cover showcases four young men with more makeup than Tammy Faye, winking and puckering at the camera. The big surprise will come when they actually listen to the record. Once they hear "Talk Dirty to Me," it will be like the moment they discovered the Parthenon. The voice of Bret Michaels, streetwise yet sensitive, expressing the zeitgeist of the late 20th-century teenager. C.C. DeVille's shredding guitar licks; you can almost feel them on your skin. And the thunderous rhythm section of Rikki Rocket and Bobby Dall was a rock 'n' roll earthquake. The band itself has gone through some changes through the years: some good, some bad. However, Bret Michaels has not only continued to sing to the heavens with his golden throat, but has also managed to create one of hardest-to-watch reality shows in the history of television. Rock of Love is beyond description. It's just plain "icky." Regardless, Michaels can still belt out the classics. Come check it out Saturday at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth when he rocks it solo. Visit billybobstexas.com/calendar for details.
Sat., Sept. 27, 2008