April 24, 1990 / 1146 reads
Kerrang Magazine (March 24, 1990)
Scan & article by Steve Mascord
US GLAM rock quartet Poison have confirmed that they will make their UK live debut at the Monsters Of Rock Festival at Donington Park on August 18.
Poison join headliners Whitesnake, Aerosmith and the Quireboys as the confirmed acts to date. They'll fill the third on the bill spot.
Lead singer Bret Michaels told Mayhem this week that the band would begin their world tour in the UK before embarking on a series of support dates around Europe, opening for either Whitesnake or Aerosmith. Michaels told Mayhem that Poison had no qualms about being reduced to support status In Europe.
"We won't make any money, believe me, but we'll make some good fans I think," he said. "We have to build up a fan base. We've got a loyal following there but I think we have to go over and play and prove to a lot of people that we're good.
"We're gonna come back again by ourselves, probably in '91, and do a full headlining tour."
Poison have been in Vancouver since the beginning of the year with producer Bruce Fairbairn recording a follow-up LP to their multi-platinum second album 'Open Up And Say?Ahh!
Entitled 'Flesh and Blood', it's penciled in for a May/June release, and includes the following songs: 'Ball And Chain', 'Life Loves A Tragedy', 'Don't Give Up An Inch', 'Valley Of Lost Souls', 'Let It Play', 'Poor Boy Blues', 'Swamp Juice', 'Unskinny Bop', 'Something To Believe In', 'Sacrifice (Flesh And Blood)', 'Ride The Wind', 'Come Hell Or High Water' and a special effects interlude called 'Strange Sounds By Uncle Jack'.
In further Poison news, guitarist CC DeVille recently flew home to Los Angeles after his former flatmate was shot dead in a Palm Springs bar.
"She worked at a bar down there and a guy came in drunk. The bouncers threw him out and she was just In the wrong place at the wrong time," said Michaels, commenting on the incident.
Ironically, Poison bodyguard Kuno [Kimo] died of a seizure at Christmas 1988, also In Palm Springs.
His death inspired the new ballad 'Something To Believe In'. Says Michaels: "Bobby Dall called me and said, 'Bret, it's a curse, we'll never play there, we can't even vacation there'."
Preparation for the new album was thrown into further disarray when a bag containing Michaels' lyric book was lost in transit to Vancouver in January. "It was a mess, luckily it showed up after a couple of days," he said.
SteveMascord.com
