Poison: A New Coat Of Neon Page 3
by Martin Popoff

"I don't think so, and I don't mean any disrespect. Quite simply, they were playing clubs prior to this and we went out and we headlined last year. They just didn't have the history and the songs that we did, that's all. They've been around as long. And the contrast with Cinderella is that even though they are from the same place we're from - I mean they're literally from the same state - they 're a little more blues-based and Aerosmith-y than we are. We're a little more Ramones-injected, I would say. We're a straight glam band. We are. We're that post-punk, post-glitter, post-hard rock injected kind of thing. We're like the Grateful Dead of glam!"

Contrast Power To The People with Crack A Smile?

"Well, C.C.'s playing guitar as opposed to Blues (Saraceno); we can start there. And the guitar being a fairly prominent part of the rock sound, obviously that's going to make a difference. Now, Blues sounded more like Poison than Richie Kotzen did on Native Tongue. But Crack A Smile is a good record, I like it. I'm proud of it. It's where our heads were at four years ago but not where they are right now. So I'm more concerned about this record. But the main difference is C.C. I wish I could be more specific. Honestly, the style of songwriting we do when we get together with him is just different from the songwriting we do when we get together with someone else."

One odd move is that for Power To The People, Poison started their own record label Cyanide Records. I'd bet you this wouldn't have happened if they knew what a smackin' hit the tour was going to be. The majors would have been back in a minute and I'm sure they will be next time. But then again, the album is a bit of a tour memento anyway, containing 13 foul-mouthed pyro-injected, party-tested anthems from the band's past along with a cool variety of new tracks, the title track being a grinding Tyler-rapped rocker, Can't Bring Me Down being a buoyant southern glam alt. (?) rocker, The Last Song, a bit of a faceless ballad, Strange, total Mike Tramp/Jon Bon but warm and heartfelt, and finally C.C.'s I Hate Every Bone In Your Body But Mine being a stellar nasty poppunk rocker, total party heaven, a smash hit, please.

Poison: A New Coat Of Neon Page 4