Trivia / Poison

• Creative Differences: Cited as a reason for C.C. DeVille's departure back in 1990; he was kicked out because the others thought his substance abuse issues were going a bit out of control (which is saying something), culminating in a highly publicised bust-up between him and Michaels at the MTV Music Video Awards in 1991.
• Hostility on the Set: Even before he quit, this was their relationship with C.C. DeVille for virtually all of his original run. The rest of the band took an almost-instant dislike to him on a personal level while auditioning him, as his aggressive, abrasive, and intransigent personality was immediately clear, but his Northeastern background, coupled with his clear dedication and skill as a player and writer, ultimately won the band over. This would ultimately set the tone for the next few years, as he seldom got along with the rest of the band and regularly fought with them, and most of their interactions with him were done through gritted teeth.
• The Pete Best: Matt Smith, their original guitarist. While it is commonly believed that he was getting burnt out and disillusioned and was growing apart from the band musically, he has denied both of those - they were all frustrated by Atlantic Records passing on them, but Smith believed that they were going to make it either way and was fine with the direction they were going in. The real issue was that he got his girlfriend pregnant, and knew he had to step up for his unborn child's sake and leave the professional musician life. On his end, Smith regrets nothing - he had some amazing experiences and still talks to Rikki Rockett, and is happy with the life he settled into.
• Referenced by...: In Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, when asked what the meaning of life is, Bill and Ted recite the lyrics of "Every Rose Has Its Thorn."
• What Could Have Been: A number of guitarists were auditioned before C. C. DeVille joined the group. One of them was none other than Slash, who had yet to join Guns N' Roses; he was almost successful, but eventually decided to turn them down because he didn't like their glam image. He was also Matt Smith's personal pick, and by Smith's own admission, Appetite for Destruction wound up being exactly the album he wanted to make with Poison. The more mature and substantial songwriting on Native Tongue, for that matter, also makes one wonder where they would have gone in terms of sound if Richie Kotzen hadn't been thrown out for boning Rikki Rockett's fiancée.