Bret Michaels Says 'No One Believed' In Poison's Biggest Hit

By Andrew Magnotta @AndrewMagnotta

August 25, 2022

Photo: Getty Images North America

"Every Rose Has Its Thorn" is one of Poison's biggest hits, but Bret Michaels recalls the song being a tough sell to his record label and to radio programmers around the country.

Speaking with Arizona Republic, Michaels recalls Poison having "great luck" with the power ballad "I Won't Forget You" in 1987, which peaked at No. 13. But that song was driven by electric guitars; "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" was practically country by comparison. The stylistic differences raised plenty of doubts from people in the rock world at the time.

Finally, a cluster of radio stations in Dallas responded to Michaels' pleas and put "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" into rotation. The song "went No. 1 like a freight train," he recalls, and soon everyone got on board.

"No one believed in this song, and we just kept at it," Michaels continued. "Then, suddenly, everyone's like, 'Oh, we always knew this was a No. 1 song — and I'm like, 'Yeah, that's because it's a No. 1 song now.' I said, 'Three months ago, you guys wanted to take it off the record.'"

Poison is currently on the 'Stadium Tour' in the U.S., supporting Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard.

Michaels says he's having the "time of [his] life" on the tour which was postponed for two years due to COVID.

Get all the 'Stadium Tour' live dates here.

Read the full Arizona Republic interview here.

PoisonBret Michaels (Poison)
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