Bret Michaels' love life puts Poison back on map
Even in today's Internet age, the power of television can be infectious. And reality TV seems to be America's biggest poison right now. One of the recent trends is the dating reality show, which reached its peak with VH1's "Flavor of Love," in which women competed for the affections of hip-hop punch line Flavor Flav, making him a household name.
With two seasons under its studded leather belt, "Rock of Love" has propelled Poison frontman Bret Michaels into the living rooms of people who may have forgotten (or never even known about) his gender-bending '80s hair metal band. Certainly no stranger to groupies who have swooned to power ballads like "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" and exposed various parts of their anatomy to decadent anthems such as "Talk Dirty to Me," Michaels probably doesn't really need a reality show to get girls.
The band never officially broke up and has, in fact, continued releasing albums collectively and as solo artists, but Michaels' newfound fame has given the band a heavy dose of popularity. Their glam rock theatrics may not seem as toxic as they did in the '80s, but the band is still known for putting on an energetic show that might just make a new generation of fans yearn for a backstage pass.
• THE 411: "Live Raw & Uncut Tour." Poison with Dokken and Sebastian Bach. $45-$20. 7 p.m. July 27 (doors open at 6). Lakewood Amphitheatre, 2002 Lakewood Way, Lakewood Park. 404-443-5000, www.poisonweb.com, www.livenation.com.
