Poison

Poison crossed over from Los Angeles' thriving glam-metal scene to the top of the pop charts thanks to a series of late-Eighties radio and MTV hits culminating in the blockbuster power ballad "Every Rose Has Its Thorn."

Poison formed in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, in 1983 and headed west to Hollywood the following year; there founding members Bret Michaels (lead vocals), Bobby Dall (bass) and Rikki Rockett (drums) added guitarist C.C. DeVille, cementing the band's classic lineup. Poison's energetic live show and debauched image built a strong fan following, and in 1986 the group signed to indie label Enigma to release its debut LP Look What the Cat Dragged In, which featured the hit singles "Talk Dirty to Me" and "I Want Action."

Poison's sophomore effort, 1988's Open Up and Say... Ahh!, reached number two on the Billboard 200 chart, buoyed by the lead single "Nothin' But a Good Time" and the chart-topping "Every Rose Has Its Thorn." Flesh & Blood continued the band's winning streak, but mounting fan interest in the grunge sound emerging from Seattle and growing scorn toward the so-called "hair metal" genre effectively ended Poison's chart dominance soon after. Poison remains active as a live act, often joining other bands on nostalgia-driven arena rock package tours.