Rikki Rockett Explains Why He Waited to Publish Poison Memoir ‘Ghost Notes’

Poison drummer Rikki Rockett is preparing to release his memoir, “Ghost Notes: My Life In Poison,” on September 15, 2026, through Rare Bird Books. The book, co-written with Leif Eriksson and Martin Svensson, is available for pre-order now, and in a recent conversation Rockett explained that he held off publishing it while his parents were still alive so he wouldn’t embarrass them with some of the stories inside.

• Memoir title: “Ghost Notes: My Life In Poison”
• Co-writers: Leif Eriksson and Martin Svensson
• Publisher: Rare Bird Books
• Release date: September 15, 2026

Why Rikki Rockett Waited to Publish His Memoir

Speaking with Erin Greatrix of This Day In Metal, Rockett said the delay came down to protecting his parents from some of the harder material he wanted to include. He also acknowledged a second reason for putting it off: worrying about how his own children would take certain revelations.

Rockett said he ultimately concluded that his kids would eventually outlive him regardless of when the book came out, and that they are now old enough for him to walk them through the more difficult chapters himself. That realization, he said, is what pushed him to finally move forward with publication.

What Topics Does ‘Ghost Notes’ Cover?

Rockett said readers should expect the memoir to dig into some of the roughest periods of his life and career, including the chaos surrounding Poison at the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards, a rape accusation made against him, and his fight with cancer. He said he tried to give each of those subjects enough space to be properly understood rather than glossing over them.

Even so, Rockett said he pulled some material back after talking things over with his ghostwriting team, telling them when certain anecdotes no longer felt right to include. He maintained that he does not believe he portrayed anyone in the book unfairly, adding that if someone feels otherwise, he’d be curious to hear why.

The Meaning Behind the Title ‘Ghost Notes’

Rockett explained that “Ghost Notes” is a drumming term referring to the subtle, lightly struck taps played between the more obvious beats. He said his original choice for a title, “Best Seat In The House,” was already taken by another book, so he settled on the drumming reference instead.

Rockett said his broader goal with the memoir is to be seen as a person with genuine emotions rather than simply a familiar name attached to a famous band. He quoted Poison frontman Bret Michaels to summarize his outlook on his career: “Fame is what other people give you, and success is what you give yourself.”

Rikki Rockett on Revisiting His Life for the Book

In a July 2025 interview with Mike Palm of TribLive, Rockett described the experience of looking back over his life to write the memoir as “scary.” He said he does carry regrets, singling out the pain of being falsely accused of rape and the ordeal of his cancer battle as among the toughest experiences to revisit.

More Info

• Rikki Rockett Delayed Memoir to Avoid Embarrassing His Parents | Ultimate Classic Rock
• POISONs RIKKI ROCKETT On Why Now Is Right Time For Him To Release His Memoir: I Didnt Wanna Embarrass My Parents When They Were Alive | Blabbermouth