Rikki Rockett | Poison | February 2003 |

 

When I tried emailing Rikki to do this interview.. 

I thought no way am I going to get a response, not only did I , 

It was right away.. so a big thanks goes to Lori for setting this up.. 

This was for sure one of my most in depth interviews yet..

along with the most fun...

It was done by phone, and lasted about an hour... Rikki was the nicest guy! 

I was extremely hung over from the night before, and he gave me some pointers on what to do, 

along with some for what to do the night before to be prepared..

Thanks Rikki again for such a great interview!

 

J -When did you decide to do a solo album?

R-This was a couple of years ago, to tell ya the truth, the short history on this was basically when Blues was in the band..94' I guess.. we were cutting a demo.. for the one song that wound up on Crack a Smile.. at the end of the night.. just Blues and I were there.. and I think "Young Americans" cd was there.. and we were like ..what the hell.. lets pick a song and do it just for the hell of it..we thought "Fame" would be cool. and we thought maybe the guys would dig it.. so we recorded it ..pretty quickly ..and never did anything with it, several years later, I'm going through my stuff and I found a DAT of it.. and I'm like.. this is really cool, so I called up Blues.. and I told him I'm thinking about doing a bunch of these kind of songs.. and he's like.. look I haven't even heard it.. I'm like why don't you just come over.. and I managed to find a reel to reel.. cause I have all my reel to reels stored.. I transferred it to Pro-Tools..and we mixed it ..then I said lets do a record.. I need you, and I need one other person so I got Chuck Garric who I made friends w/in the 99' tour.. the bass player for L.A. Guns, he was like.. I love this stuff.. so we put a little band together.. just to rehearse the songs, and put the basic tracks together.. so then they went away.. and I was left to put the rest of it together.. basically.. Cliff Calabro the co producer.. and I..

 

J-How did you pick the singers.. did you have an idea of who you wanted on the songs? because your match up of singers to the songs is perfect.. did you picture wanting John Corabi for the Alice Cooper song, etc..?

R-Basically it was whoever I could get to come all the way out here.. hahahaha....

No.. some of the things didn't come through.. ya I thought John Corabi...... I couldn't think of a better person that sounds like Alice.. and a really good Alice.. he's got a great voice that guy!

 

J- Yes he does!..

R- And ya know.. Jizzy Pearl is the only guy who can sound like Frank Dimino from Angel.. except Frank Dimino.. ya know.. he was perfect for it.. and he wasn't that familiar w/the song, but he liked the vocal style, and once he listened to it.. he was like.. ya I can do this.. and I can do it justice..

as far as some of the other ones. it was like who does what.. I talked to Gina Shock.. and she sings "Bleeds" in her side band.. and she goes.. oh Rikki I love the New York Dolls.. and I said.. well this is a good song I picked you. "Trash" ..and she's like I know that song.. so she was just all over it.. she said she can be real punkie.. so she did that one.. I mean I'm not gonna go track by track here.. but the one I wound up singing "Life's a Gas" ..initially Roland Boland who I talked to several times. Marc Bolen of T-Rex's son.. really wanted to do it..so I told him he could pick anyone of his fathers songs.. just let me know which one he's comfortable with...so he thought that one would be cool...cause he has a band.. and its nothing like this style, its more like Lenny Kravitz.. so I said lets meet and do it.. a few days before hand, his band broke up and he freaked out. wouldn't talk to anybody.. and I was like ya know what.. I have to cut this track... Cliff goes..you sing it.. I'm like are you kidding.. I don't sing!

 

J-I'm glad you sang it.. it sounds great.., that was the next question..why don't you sing more on it..?

R- Well it was one of those things.. and I decided to do it..my idea was not to sing on any of the tracks..cause I'm not a singer... I'm a drummer.. I've been singing background forever..but background is a different dynamic. I try not to have an vibrato. and I sing very straight. for me to sing lead was just a completely different experience.. cause I have to have character in my voice..and I don't have that much character when I sing.. I'm very bland..so I had to really work at it..its pretty cool though. I was like whoo.. this is weird..still I don't like how it sounds, but everyone is like nooo..its fine..its not amazing, but its really good....

 

J-How about the song selection.? is this some of your favorites?

R-I decided to do "Elected". cause this was recorded right around the time of Bush coming into office..thats how long I've been working on this..hahaha..so that's why. I wanted to to "Billion Dollar Babies" ..cause I love that beginning drum break.. I'm sure everyone as a teenager sat down at a drum kit..and played it..(imitates drum beat) you had to learn that..it was a givin...ya know ..or the beginning of "American Band" ..Grand Funk. .both those songs I almost did.. actually. Poison used to do "American Band"... now I think Krokus did it.

 

J-well when I had heard "Action".. I had heard it when Steve Stevens did it with his band, Atomic Playboys..

R-How was his version?..

 

J- It was really good.. in fact that's the only reason I had heard it before..because alot of this music I hadn't grown up during..but luckily some of my favorite bands... remade songs, and I got to hear older stuff..and I get to go backwards and listen to things I normally wouldn't have..

R-well ya know what was interesting about Sweet..is they were basically the original Queen. the way they layered the vocals..they were a very hetero version of Queen. they were kinda a straight ahead rock band..with Queen kinda vocals.. know what I mean?.. they were the first ones to layer the stuff in rock.. at least this type of rock.. I know for a fact Queen was listening to  them when they wrote alot of there songs you can hear the similarities.. it's just amazing.. especially when you look back on it.. ya know..the reason I did this was, I remember trying to help out my nephew he's in a band, hes quiet a bit younger then me.. and I'm helping him out, and I was like ya that part was great, and it's a really great song, but you really should just do a straight Marc Bolen thing during the verse.. he just looks at me like I'm insane, and was like what the hell are you talking about.. and I'm like ya know.. T-Rex.. and he just wasn't getting it..so I realized I needed to come from a different language to come up with a similarity he would get.. so I was like ya know.. people really need to hear this.. cause I hear bands now.. that sound like it.. like the Vines, they sound like 70's rock...its important.. like the Strokes.. oh my god..

 

J-Right.. I understand.. so what's your favorite track on the cd?

R-Umm.. either "Fame" or "Action"..

 

J- Ya.."Action" is my favorite..

How did the rest of the guys in Poison feel about the solo album?

R- They loved it.. Bret sang on "Tear it Down".. he did a really good job on that.. and they supported it.. ya know.. I kept it away from anything that was going on in Poison.. if there was a tour.. I didn't want to release it.. I just didn't think it was fair to anybody....actually this would have been put out last year.. but we put out a record.. and toured. this has been done for a while..

 

J- How about a tour..oir any live shows..?

R-I don't think so...because I'm afraid it would be a tribute band.. and I don't want that.. if I could put the right thing together ..ya know ..I'm sure I could have put together some of the original players.. I met up with Rich from Starz this last summer.. and Sylvain from the New York Dolls.. for the 3rd time now.. I've met a lot of these people.. Alice I've never met, but I'm not sure it would do it justice.. I'm sure at some point.. I'm going to do my own thing.. with my own songs.. at that point I would play it live..it would be fun to do a one on show, but it would cost a lot of money to do it the way I would want it done.. I cant do anything half way.. I'd have to have background singers.. and everything..haha...

 

J- Where can you get the cd? Is it only available at www.rikkirockett.com ?

R- At the moment, its only available at the web site,but we are getting offers, but right now its just at the site... www.glitter4yoursoul.com which is pretty cool...its basically Lori and I.. we just put it out..

 

J- Well I'm gonna try and help push it through the site.. and links.. cause I'm really surprised.. cause I've followed your whole career.. since 87' I saw you open up for Ratt.. it was my first ever concert..

R- Where at?

J- Down here in Tampa Florida.. at the Sundome..

R- I remember that show.. in fact I remember what I was doing that day, I have a picture of me sitting outside with a bunch of people..

 

J- Really.?.how  funny..

R- Ya..i swear to god.. in fact if I find it.. ill send it to you..

 

J- Haha.. that would be cool..

R- Ya I have a very vivid memory of those early shows.. cause your seeing it for the first time.. and your like wow.. every year you play.. and once your there you remember.. but it doesn't have the same impact.

 

J- Ok.. now onto the Poison stuff.. how was the Hollyweird tour last summer?

R- It was great.. we did 70 shows.. that's a lot of shows to do in a short amount of time.. I was tired after that one.. the last month we were doing a lot of long runs. Last year was a work year, It was a solid year of work ..from the time we decided to start writing songs.. rehearsing.. and doing pre-production.. doing the record, we did the record over Christmas.. then all the press.. t.v. shows, then the tour.. I didn't stop working for a year straight... that's why this record has been just sitting here.. if I had released it.. half the interviews would be about this.. and half about Poison, and it would have gotten jolted...ya know.. why kill the mother?.. haha..

 

J- So how are the summer tours doing? are they still growing?

R- Ya we are gonna do another one this year.. then take a year off.. then come back with something very special..

Its time for us to close the chapter on this nostalgia stuff.. I'm totally into it.. and I think its great. but nobody is listening.. and that's not where we wanna go.. everyone is so wrapped up in where we've been.. VH-1 wants to do a movie about us.. there is talk about a box set.. there's talk about all this kinda stuff.. were like.. ok.. we will do this stuff...then enough is enough.. I'm not saying we wont play nothing but a good time live.. but its time to move on.. and when all this stuff settles, your still gonna have Poison, your not gonna have Poison trying to be whoever.. we don't want to be anything but who we are.. we don't want to apologize for it.. but we do need to go to the next chapter now. Either people are going to respond to it.. or there not..

if they aren't.. then our career is over ya know.. that's the way its going to be.. cause we can't keep doing this..

I don't look at it as nostalgia.. cause the last few years we've been out there playing to fans that love us.. and never had a chance to see us. I get tons of people that say ya know, I was 12 when you guys were huge.. I wasn't allowed to go..

 

J- Right, exactly.. when I saw you guys for the first time.. I was 13..

R- Well the same thing happened w/Aerosmith.. I went to see them with the Done With Mirrors tour.. and they played like one song from Done With Mirrors, everything else was the back catalog, it kinda introduced them to a new generation..

 

J- Ya I meet people online that are 16 that are big fans of Poison and I can't believe it, cause how do they know about you guys..? I can understand before, you were on Mtv every 2 seconds.. but there are so many young fans trying to go backwards and find all the good music that was released..

R- Well ya know what we are in a very unique situation. and only time will tell.. if its all gonna play out in the end.. It seemed like it took Aerosmith 20 years to bring it back around.. and it seems like it has taken us 10.. or less.. at least to this level.. I mean we are not Aerosmith level obviously.. but we really re-find our era.. and that's been a double edge sword.. cause in some ways it hurt us, its helped us in many ways.. but everyone imagines what we look like from the cover of Look What the Cat Dragged In.. hahaha.. I haven't looked like that since 89' m not embarrassed of it.. I think its cool. I think it takes... this is going to be a bold statement.. but to look the way we did.. was much more ballsy then what I see out there now. there is some people doing some interesting things out there.. but its not.. shocking.. 

it feels like what I see now is socially rebelling.. getting piercings and tattoos are no longer rebellious.. the banker is getting them.. I think the most rebellious thing I've seen all year is.. Hedwig and the Angry Inch.. ya know.. it took a transvestite to do a rockstars job.. ya know what I mean.. cause very few people, with the exception to Manson, have had the balls to go out and be a rockstar again.. larger then life.. and people miss that..

 

J- I know I do...that's why I still support the bands I grew up on, cause they all put on such great shows.. and all these new bands, look like my next door neighbor.. and I don't want that, if I'm gonna pay money, I wanna  feel like I'm seeing rockstars.. and its sad its gotten away from that.

R- Well people need to work a little harder at that... there is a lot of people from that era that are coming back.. and I think aspects of it.. are badly needed.. but a lot of the people that came up while we did are not around anymore, cause they were not that wonderful in the first place! ..I don't mean to throw the baby out with the bath water.. but I mean our songs.. and our stuff.. see I sound  like I'm tipping our own hat.. so I'm trying to be careful here, but I just feel that our songs have held up.. and a lot of the songs coming out now, and some of the songs that came out then.. didn't hold up.. some of this rap rock stuff coming out, just isn't gonna hold up 10yrs. from now.. it's not gonna be on a compilation the way "Maggie May" from Rod Stewert is.. people aren't writing those classic songs.. but the dynamics are starting to change a lot.. I see people are starting to now. So it's changing a bit.. its no longer acceptable to just have a gimmick.. some of these bands have wayy more of a gimmick then we ever did.. and it just freaks me out sometimes that there isn't more quality rock n roll songs.. everyone is afraid to take a chance.. I really wanna see someone take a chance.. somebody handed me a flyer when I was in Hollywood.. and I'm like does this band set them selves on fire or anything? and they are like.. no its just a good rock n rol bandl.. I'm like cool.. ill stay home and listen to good rock n roll.. I wanna be dazzled.. give me something that blows my mind.. like Manson coming out on stilts.. I mean give me something.. I need some theater in it.. or it feels like I'm seeing my neighbors band.. hahaha..

 

J- Back to your summer tours? which was your favortie so far..

R- Believe it or not...and and for no other reason.. then I'm friends w/the drummer.. cause all the tours have been very successful... but with Warrant.. cause I'm friends w/Mike.. and we hung out everyday.. I was like ya! I have my buddy on the road.. that was the one that ended early.. cause Bobby's back.. but it was a lot of fun non stop party..

 

J- What was your favorite tour.. back in the 80's.. either headlining.. or opening?

R- I really enjoyed when Tesla was out with us.. we had a lot of fun with those guys..

 

J- I saw that tour too.. its cool to hear you talk about them..

R- Ya they were cool.. we had a lot of interesting tours back then.. we even had Alice in Chains out with us.. stuff like that.. its neat to see there prospective on the stuff.. its great to help out.. When we started out in clubs.. and we started to get bigger.. and started selling out the bigger clubs, and other places.. that's when we started to bring out a lot of underground bands.. cause we have fun with the bands we play with.. seeing those audiences come together, we were the band I think, that was very digestible.. back in that time.. digestible to a lot of the the underground.. the underground was becoming digestible to straight ahead rock and roll people.. people weren't really sure what to think of us then.. but then when our video hit.. then the underground vanished.. oh well.. they aren't cool anymore.. hahaha... but we sold out I guess.. hahaha... all right I'm a sold out whore I guess.. but watching the real underground death rock starting to want something more exciting... getting tired of there bands... coming to a Poison show... because there favorite band is playing.. and they stay and watch us.. they started looking between there audience, and our audience.. and it created a whole other thing.. it was really cool what happened back then. I wish I could take your hand and walk you through that..

 

 

J- Did you get along with all the bands through the years...

R- No..hell no..hahahaha

 

J- Hahahahaha

I'm sure your not gonna tell me the ones you didn't get along with..

R- Well everybody know we didn't get along with Warrant.. to this day there is still weird stuff with them.. every time I turn around... Jani Lane is saying something weird about us.. so I don't really respond to it anymore.. cause that's about all the press he can get.. ya know what I mean....

I mean there is ex-guitar players still saying stuff.. but ya know what.. Poison gets bagged on by a lot of bands, we're an easy target.. for other bands.. but then I have to look at were these bands are.. and I get it.. its not like Mick Jagger is saying it.. or Joe Perry is saying it.. its some guy who is bitter cause his songs didn't hold up.. I mean where is Yngwie Malemsteen... hahaha.. Ya know.. who could play circles around C.C. supposedly.. ya he's a fabulous technical player.. with no soul what so ever.. and nothing he ever produced was ever worth anything.. ya know.. you can be schooled to do that.. Quiet Riot was horrible to us, when we were an opening band, not Frankie he's a wonderful person.. but there were a lot of bands that were pretty mean to us.. super restrictions.. super jealousy.. ya know. especially when singers would see the reaction from the audience to Bret.. but we were always pretty cool to our opening acts.. we've been accused of not being cool.. but they know deep down, that we always were.. even Ratt had some weird stuff about us.. I even told Blotzer this.. I was like ya know.. you guys were dicks... except for Robbin.. he was always nice, they said we could use pyro.. we bring pyro out, and 2 days later they would get jealous.. and send the pyro guy home.. and we'd have to pay him for a week... and he would say... "well our manager said..." and im like come on Blotz... ya know.. its me...its ok.. its years later.

 

J- What do you think of all these 80's bands getting back together w/different members..etc..?

R- That gets funky after a while.. I mean in some ways its cool.. but.. if they are doing it for the money.. I mean some of these bands get back together.. and wear baggy shorts.. and that got un-cool.. so now they go back to what they used to do.. cause they see it working.. so it gets a little pathetic.

 

J- Ok.. whats the craziest thing a fan has ever done to meet you?

R- I don't know.. hahaha.. maybe ill never know... well ya know.. I've had stalkers and stuff like that, but I think the worse one, and I wont mention any names, but someone posing to have cancer.. which i thought was pretty fucked up.

J-wow......

R- That's not even funny crazy..

 

 

 

J- Ok.. what's in store for Poison this year.. Dvd's.. albums? I know you said your going out on the road again this summer.. but what else..?

R- Well we don't really have anything to promote.. we are going to be straight up with everybody... we are not out there hawking anything.. were just hawking us.. I know VH1 badly wants to do a movie about us.. but if they do it.. its to be pre-80s stuff. cause everybody knows Behind the Music, so why not concentrate on something else.. and they are cool with that.. I mean the drug stuff is probably the least interesting stuff about Poison.. its everything that lead up to it.. its interesting to me.. haha.. I still wondered about it.. how did that happen.. it would almost be cool for me to watch it.. and go wow.. and put all that stuff together.. visually.. its like.. I should be dead.. hahaha

 

J- Ok what are some of the new bands your into.. new music?

R- Ya know.. I kinda like the Strokes.. and Vines, that kinda stuff.. I like a lot of different styles of music.. like I said I think the Hedwigs was the best show.. I'm always going back in time.. I just pulled out all my vinyl.. I dj'd my own party.. and I have over a 1000 records.. so I get a little retro.. cause nothing new hits me on the radio.. to be quiet honest. I like Weezer.. probably the best out of all of them.. I think hey are great..

 

J- How do you feel about the mp3 downloading and music sharing..?

R- Well I used to music share.. just w/cassette.. Id buy the album.. and run 10 copies off for my friends.. its not something that I think we should put our stamp of approval on.. but it is going to happen.. its a very small part of the industry.. ya know.. people do still want there cds.. to hold in there hands.. but we'll see what the future brings.. you can get some Poison stuff right now.. I can't control what Capital was trying to control.. in those days. Its kinda a loaded question.. cause as of right now.. I don't see it being a problem, I don't see it cutting into much. I think a lot of people that download ..would buy it anyway..

 

J- Ya I got Crack a Smile back in the day, when you couldn't get it.. and I was all excited, and that was on cassette.. then the cd's started getting burned, and those were going around.. then finally it got released..

R- Right right..

 

J- Which is one of my favorite Poison albums by the way..

R- I love that album... I listen to it often.. and ya know what we were not afraid at all to have a sense of humor on it..

 

J- Well its a fun album...its back to fun.. which is what Poison is about.. I liked Native Tongue.. but it was a lot more serious..

R- I always thought it was good.. and like a said.. there is a lot of sense of humor in that record.. if you listen in between the lines.. there are things in there.. I mean I don't wanna sound like a joke band.. but I think we did such a serious record w/Native Tongue because of the vibe Richie brought in.. that when we got Blues in.. it was like.. wow, this is more like us. some of the songs were really funny.. I mean I look back.. and here's "My Baby Gets Around a Bit" ..hahaha.. here's this guy that finds out his girlfriend is a prostitute.. hahaha.. ya know.. and it hits him like a brick... gets up at 9am dressed like a hooker...whoo.. something is wrong here.. hahaha.. kinda reminds of us the older days in Holllywood.. and being a little wet behind the ears.. and not realizing what the girls did for a living..

 

J- How do you think the internet has helped promote bands now a days?

R- Well ya know what's cool about the internet is you can stop that ad.... you can make it static.. generally.. depending on how its delivered.. you can look at a Britney Spears ad for 15 min. if you want... a pop up or whatever.. but with the critics.. if they say Metallica's new cd really sucks.. I can go download it.. well wait maybe not Metallica.. hahaha

 

J- hahaha..

R- But I can go download a sample of it.. if I wanna hear the new Weezer I can go to there website I don't have to go by someone telling me.. its not good.. or they don't like it.. I can make my mind up for myself. so I think people are empowered now.. there is more music out there then there has ever was, and now there is double or triple the amount with the internet...there is just so much out there, and you don't have to go to a record store to see what's out there...or find out if a friend has it to check it out. and again, you don't have to listen to a critic.. I can find out for my self.. and its only going to take me 2 min...and be like ya know what.. your high.. this is a great record..

 

J- Well I never ever listen to reviews.. and I refused to do reviews on my site. but people kept asking if I had this or that.. so when I do my reviews I do them from a fans point of view.. I'm not in some office somewhere.. and work for some big company.. I know what I like.. and what I've been a fan of through the years.. if the production is good.. and the songs are good.. then its good..

R- Ya know what.. you can always tell when a fan reviews stuff.. but we still get some of that stuff in the newspapers, it will be some guy that's 50 something years old.. reviewing our stuff. that has never liked us in the first place.. unless it sounds like the Doors.. or the Wallflowers.. he's not into it.. and he's gonna hate what we are about.. so you never even get a chance.. so its pointless.. what does some guy named Carter Smith from some Post somewhere know anyway.. and WHY DO WE CARE .... hahaha.....I don't.. I used to get all upset... and call them.. "why did you give us a shitty review dude! you sounded great on the phone"... "well I was just being honest" .. "well your honest opinion sucks.. and I'm gonna kick your ass "..hahaha.. I used to get really upset about this stuff.. then finally its just like who cares.. cause I go back to my Van Halen days.. I saw Van Halen they were fantastic.. they got a horrible review the next day.. and I hated the critic for it.. not the band.. they are pretty useless these days.. lets face it.. a publication like Rolling Stone .. what do you use it for.? Cause they have some really great photographers that contribute to it, cause the writing certainly isn't worth anything..

 

J- Ya I only buy it when Britney is on the cover.. hahaha.. I love Britney..

R-Oh do you..?

 

J- Well ya I'm a lesbian.. and I think she's the hottest thing in the world.. its not about her music.. or the singing.. I just think she's hot!

 

R- Ya know what.. a lot of gay men.. love her.. ya its the pageantry..

J- Ya i tell my girlfriend I'm only watching her for her performance flaws... hahaha

 

R- Hahaha...

J- Ok..sorry back to the interview.. now that we are talking about Britney Spears..

R- Well ya know what my girlfriend said the other day that I thought was interesting.. .... can you hear me right now.. I'm taking a leak while I'm on the phone w/you.. hahaha

 

J- Hahahahahaha..

R- I did this on the phone w/a radio interview.. and the guy was like.. why don't you call me back...hahaha I'm sorry...

 

J- I don't care..

R- I'm sitting here talking to my girlfriend and we are talking about different things and she's quiet a bit younger then me.. and just loves the era that I came from.. I mean its really who she is.. and even before that.. the Dolls.. she's the biggest 26 year old T Rex fan I've ever met in my life.. and she's an artist.. she's a classical painter for a living.. which is a hard life.. and she looks at me and says.. ya know what's wrong w/rock these days.. its so hetero.. and if you think about it.. its true.. no one is taking any risks.. its very macho really.. I'm talking about rock bands, hard rock bands, its like how agro can we be.. and ya know what.. al ot of that went away when the Trade Towers fell.. I don't know what your suburban ass is bitching about.. we just had to big buildings fall in New York, why don't you shut up and try and make the world a happier place? Ya know what I'm saying.. even from a visual stand point.. bands just don't even look that good these days.. I'm not saying that I look so wonderful now, I'm older now.. but we look pretty good.. ya know.. but give me something that's creative.. instead of looking at the band before, and getting more piercings then them. 

 

 

J- So now onto your toilet seat painting....Where did you get the idea to do that?

R- Well I wanted to learn how to pinstripe and I started to learn, and started to learn how to airbrush ..I've always been graphically oriented.. and the easiest thing to paint on is a flat surface.. when your pin striping, cause generally you lay your hand down on the surface, to pull the line.. and I was like.. maybe I should spruce up these hotel rooms a little bit.. and I started taking pictures of it.. and Sludge wanted me to do a diary.. and I didn't want to do another one.. so.. I remember this Picasso quote that said painting is like keeping a diary.. so I said.. hmm.. that would be a neat idea, ill paint toilet seats and take pictures, and put them on my website... to that's my diary... see me progress...from the beginning of the tour, till the end, lets see if I get any better.. which is really putting myself out there if you think about it. I get horrible criticism.. I got a couple pin strippers.. go dude.. when your in Wisconsin, why don't we sit down for an hour.. let me help you... cause some of it is really good.. but your execution is not there yet...hahaha..

 

J- And you left these toilet seats behind right?

R- Oh ya.. I just left them there..

 

J- That's so funny...hahaha

R- So I just keep doing more and more.. and Spin magazine picked up on it.. and everyone was like you should do a show.. so when I got home.. I crammed I met a guy in Surgis S.D....who's from Vegas.. and has been doing it for 40 years.. and said I'm going to  get you there.. but your going to have to practice your ass off.. so we met back up after the tour. and he was really super impressed with how far I had come.. cause I really got into it.. and I just decided to start doing stuff.. and I had an art show.. with all of it.. I crammed.. that's all I did, cause on tour.. you cant play.. its the weirdest thing.. you get to play that hour and half.. or 2 hours.. but that's it, you don't have access to your gear, a guitar player can take his guitar in his room.. but I cant...ya know.. I don't have anything to play... so I was like damn it.. I'm gonna get good at this..

now its great to see it all come together.. I'm doing these big panels.. that are all elaborate.. and I'm thinking about having another show....

J- Now at the show.. you sold them right? Is there somewhere you can buy these?

R- Yes.. sold them there.. and you can get them on my website.. www.rikkirockett.com Ya they are there.. well actually they are at the Von Dutch store right now.. in Los Angeles... bunch of originals.. most of them are still there, I'm probably gonna go get them in the next week or two..

 

J- What's the price range for these..

R- Well I sold ones up to $1000.00 already.. most of them are gone now.. but there are a couple of them left.

 

J- Ok.. well we are about to the end of this.. what other projects do you have planned for the year 2003?.. besides Poison... how about animal rights? you always have a million things at once going on... hahaha..

R- Well one thing at a time.. as far as Poison we plan on touring.. so we are putting that together.. the movie.. which isn't that much.. just a lot of interviewing.. so Poison will take the summer away.. then I'm starting to fool around with clothing.. I haven't done that in a long time.. I'm wanting to play around w/that.. but really my extra time will be painting.. and working on my cars.. I'm a basic kinda guy.. I love muscle cars, and motor cycles.. honestly.. I rebuild motorcycles.. its just stuff I love to do.. I guess its the Pennsylvanian in me.. but I'm trying not to plan a lot of it.. cause Poison is going to take all of my summer away.. which is fine.. as far as animal stuff goes.. I'm doing something in Arizona.. next month, I don't even know what it is yet.. some big conference and a bunch of stuff. and I've been invited to be on the board...there is a lot going on down there.. people are very active.. and there is Pet Awareness day on Feb. 14th which is Valentines Day..

 

J- Ok.. out of everything you've ever done.. tours, videos, awards, platinum awards.. what do you think your biggest accomplishment was?.. that your most proud of..

R- (long pause) Its going to be more of a general answer.. I'm not trying to sidestep.. its just how I really generally feel.. I think setting  a goal and achieving it.. ya know fame is something other people give you.. and its a weird thing.. but my goal was to have a rock band .. and I set my goals.. and I got there.. that's my biggest achievement of my life.. carving out a carrier for myself doing something I love to do... that does not go without challenge with things.. on a daily bases.. but that's ok.. that's life.. either you make a goal.. and you accomplish it.. or you don't.. and I do. My new goal is to try and continue this.. turn the chapter.. progress .. really concentrate on going forward.. I really feel like there is too much concentration on what Poison was.. I went with it for a while.. and I'm proud of it.. and I tried to indulge everyone with it.. but as of this point... I cant live in the past.. we are a viable band.. we still have stories to tell.. we still have things to do.. I don't know how long it will go, no one knows.. we fight a lot.. we have a ton of disagreements, there is so much dysfunction it is incredible in this band, we make the Osbornes look like the Brady Bunch.. but.... there is dysfunction in the Rolling Stones too.. and a lot of people want to make fun of that.. wow.. they are so old... so what! Isn't that more of a testament of what they are doing? its an art form.. it isn't modeling.. hahaha..

 

J- Well that's about it...thanks soo much for doing it.. sorry it was so long...

R- Oh not a problem...thanks darling.........