Oh boy, are you guys ready for some totally-not-desperate attempts to cling to the past? 🙄 Because I’ve got some “exciting” news for you: Rikki Rockett, the founding drummer of POISON, has decided to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their debut album “Look What The Cat Dragged In” by performing the entire thing with his new band, THE ROCKETT MAFIA. I mean, who needs a reunion with the actual POISON when you can just create a new band and play the same old songs, right? 😒
So, on August 14, THE ROCKETT MAFIA took the stage at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California, and played the entire “Look What The Cat Dragged In” album. Because, you know, the world was just missing a live performance of “Talk Dirty To Me” and “I Want Action” in 2026. The band’s lineup for the show included Rikki Rockett on drums, Brandon Gibbs on vocals and guitar, Stacey Blades on guitar and backing vocals, and Michael Adams on bass. I’m sure it was a totally authentic and not-at-all-cynical attempt to recapture the magic of POISON’s heyday.
The “Celebration” Begins
THE ROCKETT MAFIA’s tribute to “Look What The Cat Dragged In” started on May 21 at The Vixen in McHenry, Illinois, because what’s more rock ‘n’ roll than playing a 40-year-old album in its entirety in a random town in Illinois? 🤷♂️ Rikki Rockett said in a statement that playing the album with THE ROCKETT MAFIA is a “full-circle moment” for him, which is just a fancy way of saying “I’m trying to relive my glory days.” He also promised that the shows would be “raw, fun, and exactly how those songs were meant to be heard,” which is just code for “we’re going to play the same old songs with a slightly different lineup and call it a day.”
When the shows were first announced in April, Rikki said in a video message that it’s going to be a “celebration of ‘Look What The Cat Dragged In'” and that they’re going to perform the entire album, plus some fan favorites. Because, you know, the fans were just clamoring for a live performance of “Cry Tough” in 2026. He also mentioned that they’d be offering some “really cool VIP packages” where you can meet the band, take a picture, and get some signed merch, because what’s more rock ‘n’ roll than paying extra money to meet a bunch of guys who are trying to recapture their youth? 🤑
A Historic Moment for POISON Fans
This is apparently a historic moment for all POISON fans, because it’s the first time that “Look What The Cat Dragged In” is being played in its entirety. I mean, who needs a reunion with the actual POISON when you can just have Rikki Rockett and some other guys play the same old songs? 🙄 Rikki’s involvement with the performance creates a unique and authentic experience that will surely electrify the rock scene with THE ROCKETT MAFIA while honoring POISON’s legacy. Or, you know, it’s just a bunch of old guys playing old songs for a bunch of nostalgic fans.
Rikki said that THE ROCKETT MAFIA lets him play the kind of rock he grew up loving – loud, raw, and from the heart. Which is just a nice way of saying that he’s too old to come up with any new material, so he’s just going to play the same old songs and call it a day. 🤣 The band also performs a powerful mix of classic rock from the 1970s and 1980s, often reimagining songs from that era with a heavier, more contemporary feel. Because, you know, the world was just missing a heavy, contemporary version of “Stairway to Heaven” or something. 🙄
Earlier this year, POISON scrapped its previously proposed 2026 tour plans to commemorate the 40th anniversary of “Look What the Cat Dragged In” after frontman Bret Michaels allegedly demanded to earn $6 for every dollar his each of his bandmates stood to make from the shows. Because, you know, that’s not a totally ridiculous and entitled demand at all. 🤑 Bret later shot down the report, saying that he and his POISON bandmates “never got to that part of negotiations,” which is just a nice way of saying that they couldn’t agree on how to split the money. 🤑
POISON was founded in 1983 and released “Look What the Cat Dragged In” in May 1986. And now, 40 years later, Rikki Rockett is trying to recapture the magic of that album with THE ROCKETT MAFIA. Because, you know, the world was just missing a live performance of “Talk Dirty To Me” in 2026. 🙄
So, there you have it, folks. If you’re a die-hard POISON fan who’s been waiting 40 years to hear “Look What The Cat Dragged In” played live in its entirety, then THE ROCKETT MAFIA’s got you covered. Just don’t expect anything new or original, because that’s just not what this is about. 🎸👴
Chord F. Discord, the Beethoven of Buffoonery, is a self-taught expert in music who once claimed he could “play the kazoo in four languages.”
Born in Crescendo, Indiana, Chord’s first brush with fame came when he accidentally entered a yodeling contest thinking it was a pie-eating competition—and won both categories.
Chord F. Discord: proving that laughter, much like a poorly tuned ukulele, is truly universal.
