BRET MICHAELS On His Relationship With POISON Bandmate C.C. DeVILLE - "Parting Ways Was Heartbreaking For Me, But He's One Of My Best Friends Now"

April 28, 2023, a year ago

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BRET MICHAELS On His Relationship With POISON Bandmate C.C. DeVILLE - "Parting Ways Was Heartbreaking For Me, But He's One Of My Best Friends Now"

Longtime Poison bandmates, Bret Michaels and C.C. DeVille, are the definition of friendship through thick and thin.

In this week's issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands today, Michaels, 60, opens up about the years of ups and downs in his relationship with DeVille, including their headline-fueling brawl at the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards.

"C.C. and I get along 99 percent of the time. When it goes bad, it turns into a fistfight," Michaels says of the volatile moment, which prompted DeVille to leave the band. "Parting ways [then] was heartbreaking for me, but he's one of my best friends now."

Years after their brawl, Michaels and DeVille were able to find their way back to each other, amidst DeVille's struggles with addiction.

"He had been abandoned by a lot of his friends, and I knew he was in trouble," Michaels says. "He had this amazingly beautiful house up in the Hollywood Hills, and I went up there, kicked in his front door and helped him get healthy. I just said, 'This is going to be tough love, brother, but whether we're in a band again together or not, I'm your friend.'"

Read more at PEOPLE.com, and for more on Bret Michaels' life at 60, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands everywhere now.

Hot off the heels of a massive stadium tour with Poison, for the first time ever, Bret Michaels is hitting the road for a limited run of live dates for his 2023 Parti Gras Tour. Michaels has created this tour with a Mardi Gras feel in celebration of his great fans and hit music. The renowned rockstar will bring a few of his rocker friends along for a mashup of all killer, no filler hits featuring special guests Night Ranger and Jefferson Starship with special appearances from Steve Augeri (former lead singer of Journey) and Mark McGrath (Sugar Ray), plus a nightly surprise guest to rock your world.

Presented by Live Nation, the 12-city limited date run kicks off on Thursday, July 13 at the one and only Pine Knob Music Theatre in Clarkston, MI; known for its epic concerts and parties, going on to make stops across the US including at The Pavilion at Star Lake, in his birthplace of Pittsburgh (PA), Holmdel (NJ), Tinley Park (IL), Tampa (FL), and more before wrapping up in Charlotte (NC) at PNC Music Pavilion on August 6. The tour promises to be a modern day throwback to epic tailgate parties, positive energy, and a much needed nothing but a good vibe.

“After seeing Bret bring the party in every market of The Stadium Tour, this past year, we are looking forward to more of his ‘nothing, but a good vibe, high-energy performing’ on The Parti-Gras Tour next summer,” said Rick Franks, Global Touring Live Nation.

Michaels states, “I created Parti-Gras as a sincere and grateful thank you to the fans, friends, and family who have rocked with me over the years.  I promise to deliver positive energy, live, raw, real music, and all the bands will deliver sing-a-long hit after hit songs. Your voice will be hoarse after an epic, big, fun stage show.“

Tickets for the tour are on sale now at LiveNation.com. VIP Meet & Greet Tickets are available for Parti-Gras at BretMichaels.com.

Tour dates:

July
13 - Clarkston, MI - Pine Knob Music Theatre
15 - Burgettstown, PA - The Pavilion at Star Lake
16 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center
21 - Mansfield, MA - Xfinity Center
22 - Gilford, NH - Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion
23 - Camden, NJ - Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
28 - Maryland Heights, MO - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
29 - Tinley Park, IL - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
30 - Noblesville, IN - Ruoff Music Center

August
4 - Tampa, FL - MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre at the FL State Fairgrounds
5 - Alpharetta, GA - Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
6 - Charlotte, NC - PNC Music Pavilion


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