Rikki Rockett Dismisses Poison's 'Hollyweird' as Anything But Their Best Work

Poison drummer Rikki Rockett has delivered a blunt assessment of the band's 2002 studio album 'Hollyweird'. Speaking with Robert Cavuoto of MyGlobalMind, Rockett admitted that while the record contains 'cool moments', he does not consider it among the band's finest achievements. "It's not our best work — it's not," Rockett stated, noting that the group felt "disjointed" during the recording process.

Despite its status as the final album of original material since 1990's 'Flesh & Blood', the record—which featured the lead single "Rockstar" and a cover of The Who's "Squeeze Box"—is notably absent from Rockett's upcoming memoir, 'Ghost Notes: My Life In Poison'. Set for release on September 15, 2026, via Rare Bird Books, the autobiography was written with Leif Eriksson and Martin Svensson and features an afterword by Slipknot's Corey Taylor. Rockett explained that the omission wasn't a deliberate snub; rather, he simply found nothing particularly interesting to discuss regarding the era.

I don't love that record. I feel like we were very disjointed at that time.

While Rockett's reflections on 'Hollyweird' offer a raw look at the band's output, the future of new Poison material remains hazy. In 2018, bassist Bobby Dall admitted that while the band "should" be making new music, personal commitments and health issues make it difficult to coordinate. Rockett previously noted the difficulty of creating fresh material for a fan base primarily interested in live renditions of the classics, though he insisted on the importance of staying viable for the "real true fans.", 2002's "Hollyweird" served as a rare reunion for the classic lineup, yet for Rockett, it remains a point of personal inconsistency.