Bret Michaels

From LoveToKnow Reality-TV

Bret Michaels has long been an uber hero in the hair metal community, thanks to his band Poison. In recent years, however, with the help of VH1 Celebreality, Michaels has reached a whole new audience. His Rock of Love franchise of shows has taken Michaels from relative obscurity to a household name.

About Bret Michaels

Even though a large percentage of his current viewers weren’t even born yet, the story of Michaels’ fame starts back in the 1980s with his band Poison. In the late 1980s hair metal bands ruled the airwaves, and Poison ruled the hair metal bands. Poison's two biggest hit records – Look What The Cat Dragged In and Open Up and Say…Ah – each sold millions of copies. Poison was an MTV and Top 40 radio staple, and at the close of the 80s they were one of the most recognizable bands in music.

Poison’s star started fading in the early 90s. Tastes in popular music began to shift with the rise in popularity of grunge music, and the so-called hair metal bands fell from grace. During this same period, Poison split for a few different reasons. Guitarist C.C. Deville was battling a severe drug and alcohol addiction, and at the 1991 Video Music Awards he and Michaels came to blows after DeVille ruined Poison’s performance. The band was playing the Poison hit Unskinny Bop when DeVille switched over to playing Talk Dirty To Me mid-song, forcing the whole band to follow his lead and start the new song in the middle of the one they had been playing.

DeVille was fired from the band that night and replaced with Richie Kotzen. Kotzen never really clicked with the band and was fired when they discovered that he was seeing bassist Rikki Rockett’s fiancée behind his back.

With Poison’s future uncertain, Michaels launched a solo career in 1998. He never attained the fame he did with Poison, but remained active on the live music club circuit, developing a reputation for near constant touring.

Return to the Spotlight – Rock of Love

Following the success of the Flavor of Love franchise, VH1 sought to repeat the process with another musician. Enter Bret Michaels. He was signed up for Season One of Rock of Love, which debuted in 2007. The show, which featured Michaels dating and sharing a house with a group of women vying for his attention, was an instant hit for VH1 and broke viewership records for the network.

Rock of Love is a dating show, but Michaels also uses it as a promotion opportunity for his music. The theme song of the show is from one of Michaels’ solo records, and his solo work and his work with Poison are frequently featured on episodes.

Who Is Bret Michaels Dating?

This is the million dollar question! During the first season of Rock of Love, Michaels chose Jes Rickleff as his “rock of love”, but the two broke up on stage at the show reunion (with Jes claiming that Michaels should have chosen runner-up Heather Chadwick). Things looked rosier after the second season of Rock of Love, when Michaels chose Ambre Lake over Daisy De Le Hoya. Michaels and Lake continued their relationship for a few months after the show wrapped, but eventually split, blaming the break-up on their busy careers.

Michaels has said that his life in the music industry is what keeps him from having a serious relationship, and so on the third version of Rock of Love Michaels took the show on the road with Rock of Love Bus Tour. Instead of living in a mansion with him, the contestants join Michaels on the road during one of this solo tours.

The answer to the question, "Who is Bret Michaels dating?" is usually "Various women."