Complete List Of Poison Band Members

Feature Photo: Brandon Nagy / Shutterstock.com

If you grew up in the 1980s as a teenage rock fan, chances are you were a fan of the band Poison. The group was formed in 1983 in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The band initially gained fame for its glam metal style and energetic performances, quickly becoming one of the leading acts in the 1980s rock scene. Over the years, Poison released multi-platinum albums including Look What the Cat Dragged In (1986), Open Up and Say… Ahh! (1988), and Flesh & Blood (1990). Hits such as “Every Rose Has Its Thorn,” “Talk Dirty to Me,” and “Nothin’ but a Good Time” helped secure the band’s place in rock history.

Poison’s classic lineup consists of Bret Michaels, C.C. DeVille, Bobby Dall, and Rikki Rockett, but the band’s full history also includes original guitarist Matt Smith and later guitarists Richie Kotzen and Blues Saraceno. Those seven musicians make up the complete list of official Poison band members covered below.

Bret Michaels

All the girls loved Bret Michaels. The charismatic singer has served as the lead vocalist and frontman of Poison since the band’s formation. His stage presence and distinctive voice played a crucial role in the group’s early success and enduring popularity. Michaels contributed significantly to Poison’s albums and co-wrote many of the band’s best-known songs. Outside of Poison, Bret Michaels built a successful solo career and became a major television personality, most notably through Rock of Love with Bret Michaels. His work both within and outside Poison has kept him one of the most recognizable figures associated with the glam metal era.

C.C. DeVille

C.C. DeVille became Poison’s lead guitarist in 1985, replacing original guitarist Matt Smith shortly before the recording of the band’s debut album. DeVille’s flamboyant style, melodic guitar riffs, and backing vocals became a defining part of Poison’s classic sound on Look What the Cat Dragged In, Open Up and Say… Ahh!, and Flesh & Blood. His first tenure ended in 1991, after which Richie Kotzen took over the lead-guitar position.

DeVille returned to Poison in 1996 and has remained the guitarist in the classic lineup ever since. Outside the band, he fronted Samantha 7 and made numerous television appearances, but his guitar work with Poison remains the music for which he is best known.

Bobby Dall

Bobby Dall is Poison’s bassist and one of the band’s founding members. His bass lines and backing vocals have been integral to Poison’s sound throughout the group’s recording career. Although he has generally kept a lower public profile than Bret Michaels or C.C. DeVille, Dall has remained one of the central figures in the band through its commercial rise, lineup changes, reunions, and later tours.

Rikki Rockett

Drummer Rikki Rockett is another founding member of Poison, known for his energetic drumming style and backing vocals. Rockett has been a consistent presence in the band and contributed to the creation and recording of Poison’s catalog. His dynamic performances helped establish the group’s reputation as an exciting live act. Beyond Poison, Rockett has participated in side projects including Devil City Angels, but he remains most closely identified with Poison.

Matt Smith

Matt Smith was Poison’s original lead guitarist and a founding member of the group that evolved from the Pennsylvania band Paris into Poison. Smith played with Bret Michaels, Bobby Dall, and Rikki Rockett during the band’s formative period and moved with the group to Los Angeles as they pursued a record deal and a larger audience.

Smith eventually decided to leave the band and return home while Poison was still struggling to establish itself in Los Angeles. His departure led to the guitarist auditions that ultimately brought C.C. DeVille into the band. Smith later recalled that the final choice came down to DeVille and Slash, with DeVille fitting the increasingly glamorous direction Poison wanted to pursue. Although Smith left before Poison recorded its debut album, he remains an essential part of the band’s official history.

Richie Kotzen

Richie Kotzen joined Poison in 1991, replacing C.C. DeVille as lead guitarist. He recorded one studio album with the band, Native Tongue (1993), which showcased a shift toward a more blues-rock-oriented and musically adventurous sound. Kotzen’s guitar playing, songwriting, and vocals had a major impact on the record.

Kotzen’s tenure with Poison ended in 1993 following serious personal conflict within the band. Outside Poison, he built a prolific solo career and later became a member of Mr. Big and The Winery Dogs. He also formed the Smith/Kotzen collaboration with Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith, further cementing his reputation as one of the most versatile guitarists to pass through Poison’s lineup.

Blues Saraceno

Blues Saraceno joined Poison after Richie Kotzen was dismissed in 1993. His tenure came during a transitional period for the band, and he contributed guitar and songwriting to the sessions that became Crack a Smile… and More!. The album was recorded largely in 1994 and 1995 but was shelved by the label and did not receive its official release until 2000.

Saraceno also appeared on the two new studio tracks included on Poison’s Greatest Hits: 1986–1996. He left the band when C.C. DeVille returned in 1996. Outside Poison, Saraceno developed a successful career as a solo artist, session musician, producer, and composer for television, film, advertising, and video games.

In 2026, Bret Michaels publicly described Poison as the four-man classic lineup of Michaels, C.C. DeVille, Bobby Dall, and Rikki Rockett and said the band members had agreed not to perform under the Poison name unless all four participated. Discussions continued around a possible reunion in 2027, but no 2026 Poison tour was ultimately confirmed.

Updated August 8, 2026.