In Memornum...
This week's section of Daily Arts is dedicated
to our beloved former mascot, Neal the Eel. He
will live in our hearts henceforth, and we send
our condolences to his family.
michigandaily.com/arts

AR'Ts

MONDAY
JULY 2, 2001

ONCE AGAIN, THE AIRS REEKS OF HAIRSPRAY

Poison 'ain't lookin'
for nothin' but a
good time' on tour

By Rob Brode
Daily Arts Writer
"If I would have been in Menudo my
career would have been over a long
time ago," Rikki Rockett said recently
in an interview with The Michigan
Daily. Yet Rock-
ett and the other
F men in Poison
find themselves
Polson still trekking well
into the new mil-
DTE Energy Music lennium.
Theater After the early
Wednesdayat6 p.m. 90s invasion of
grunge bands,
Poison was ban-
ished from MTV
and the radio.
Grunge gave the
ozone a much-
needed break
from the relentless attack of Aqua Net
and soothed eyes gone sore from star-
ing at one too many fluorescent span-
dex outfits. The age of flannel cleaned
house, taking no prisoners. "A lot of
good ones got thrown out with the bad
ones ... And that is a shame. There
were some of them that did deserve it, I
don't think we were one of them,"
Rockett said. No need to name any
names, "I don't want to drudge it up
and make anyone feel bad, I don't think
anyone comes out and tries to be shit-
ty."
The age of the antihero entered and
men named Kurt and Eddie ruled the
charts. Rock shows became mundane.
Gone were the pyrotechnics and acro-
batic front man. "There was a genera-
tion of rock fans throughout the '90s

just coming of age being able to go see
shows. I think a lot of artists who were
out at that time weren't giving them
what they had heard about," Rockett
said. The lack of showmanship, the dis-
taste for fame and angst in general lost
its appeal and left rock in a precarious
position. Rap/Metal came in to form a
temporary stop-gap but by no means
was or is a permanent solution. Once
again the winds of change are blowing
and the breeze smells of hairspray ...
Poison has toured three years
straight primarily on the strength of
their back catalogue. This year will be
no different as Poison comes to the
DTE Energy Music Theatre on the 4th
of July headlining the Glam Slam
Metal Jam which proudly features
Enuff Z' Nuff, Quiet Riot, Warrant and
Poison. The annual Greatest Hits tour
has served Poison well but by no
means do they plan to rest on their lau-
rels. "We're totally committed to doing
a new album ... If there is ever a time
it's now," Rockett said.
Most would argue Poison had their
time and too much of it at that, but
Rockett feels a return to the main-
stream for Poison is in the cards.
"There are a lot of people on our side
... There are a lot of people who want
to see it happen for us, kind of like the
way it was for Aerosmith."
Rockett said things are better now
than they ever were. "[During] The
epitome of our quote unquote 'career'
in '89 I didn't feel what I feel now. I
feel much more fulfilled now than I did
then" No longer are the faces of Brett
and Rikki plastered on every teen mag-
azine and they certainly are not buddy-
buddy with Carson Daly on TRL, yet

ethey can
videos are fi

Re-live classic
Poison videos
iBy Rob Brode tered between video clips lie ba
Daily Arts Writer stage footage and interviews w
the band and road crew. The int
Somewhere under view segments are like vegetables
Times Square, hun- a beef stew, nothing but filler.
dreds of meters below To someone who didn't Ii
Carson Daly's trendy through the Poison party the
feet, there is a dark time around the DVD can get
damp room, a tiring. While the videos are satu
cemetary of sorts, a ed with salaciously sexy innuen
dying ground of old spinning microphone stands, mot
MTV videos, the final cycles, pyro and pretty girls, e
resting place of M C video is unabashedly similar to
Hammer and Vanilla prior and unfailingly analogous
Ice among others. the subsequent video. Luckily w
With ever increasing the eyes tire of the glut of glaum
profits to be had with- on the screen they can flip off
it the music industry.. TV and turn up the stereo sy
the death of the music because the DVD features 5.1 s
video is no longer so round sound. Like any poison, t
final. In what is start- one can put the mind into a pleas
ing to become a com- able altered state but too much
mon occurrence, old lead to a possibly fatal dose of bo
nding themselves resur- dom.

Rikki Rockett and the boys of Poison prove
still rock this 4th of July.
their shows are still pulling in 12,000
people a night. "When we were the fla-
vor of the month everyone wanted to
get involved and see what was happen-
ing. So you'd have a quarter hardcore
fans ... The people are more enthusias-
tic now. The people that like us (now)
really fuckin' like us,' Rockett said.
Some things are different, "The girls
are smarter, they bring their own con-
doms." The Makeup? "I still wear
makeup, in fact the older I get the more
I need it." And of course the music is
just as loud and flamboyant as ever.
Poison hopes for another hit but even if
there is never another "Every Rose Has
Its Thorn" or "Nothin' But a Good
Time" Rockett will be okay with that
too.
"I know what I'm about. I am proud
of what I've done and where I've been,
but I am also proud of where I am and
where I am going."

rected on video
or DV D form.
Person: Poison's c om-
Gretest Vidw plete video col-
lection has
Hits DVD found new life
capitol on DVD in a
release accord-
ingly titled Greatest Video Hits.
Everything remains untouched
just the way Poison was left in the
mid-80s, the gargantuan hair, chore-
ographed ridiculousness, tire-sized
hoop earrings and enough makeup
to kill fifty lab monkeys. Many of
the videos were MTV staples such
as fabulously flaky favorites like
"Talk Dirty to Me," "Nothin' but a
Good Time," "Unskinny Bop" and
Monster Ballad beauties such as
"Every Rose has its Thorn" and
"Something to Believe In." Scat-

Are you Chinese?
If you were born in China, Taiwan, Hon
Kong, Macao, or Singapore MEXICAN CAFE
New At Bell's: 333E.Hu AnnArbor
And you have lived in the U.S. for at least Milkshakes $3.25 Everyday special of,. "w.".
Sawberry, Two Medium Cheese Pizzas $10.99 rZANN ARBOR'S FINES
Chocolate, Extra Items $1.20 each per Pizza MEXICAN STYLE FOO
5 yrs. total... Caramel,t
Chocolate Chip,\
Coffee, Chip $7.99 Monday thru Thursday Special \/ ; .
Participate in a study of biculturals & psychology! Ceenut Butter, Ony Pizza
Mint, One LargePiz with Rsbry MEXICAN RESTAURAW
Raspberryt Cheese & 1 Item t,7.Dl
Pineapple, M______DrtJtr
Earn$ in a 1 hour session. and Banana Extra Items $1.30 Each
Call Amanda at 734-769-5633 or Er4a m. s ri Corner ofUState and Packard WrE6LIE
e-m aaosi a'cgC a ttsmichpedu .. p'r q ; 5 2 'amp$ a say!, orner iS a St.cti rd ~l
nrsemresli~ . 9~ ~ ta t' tt'h .tMPtl