Poison

USA, 1983–now

American glam metal band that moved from Pennsylvania to the Sunset Strip. 'Talk Dirty to Me' and the ballad 'Every Rose Has Its Thorn' combined New York Dolls androgyny with Kiss-style stage presentation.

MusicRoots documents 5 artists who influenced Poison and 0 artists Poison influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced Poison?

• New York Dolls — The New York Dolls' glam-shock androgyny and provocation were the founding force behind Poison's look and attitude — drummer Rikki Rockett has explicitly credited them.
• Kiss — Kiss's dramatic flair and elaborate showmanship were a core model for Poison's theatrical stagecraft.
• Aerosmith — C.C. DeVille and Bret Michaels described their style as fusing Aerosmith's blues-inflected hard-rock riffs with Kiss's flair.
• Mötley Crüe — Mötley Crüe led the Sunset Strip glam-metal wave Poison rode in on — 'a bludgeoning dollop of Van Halen and Mötley Crüe' in their sound.
• Van Halen — Part of the glam-metal mix Poison were built from, with the New York Dolls, Kiss and Mötley Crüe.