Rikki Rockett recounts meeting Lars Ulrich amid media-driven rivalry

Poison drummer Rikki Rockett recently shared details regarding his first meeting with Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich at the Rainbow Bar and Grill during the 1980s. Rockett noted that while media outlets like Hit Parader attempted to manufacture a rivalry between the two bands by featuring them on covers with headlines such as ‘Poison vs. Metallica’, the actual encounter was friendly.

Rockett explained that after acknowledging the media-driven tension, Ulrich suggested they ‘at least have a drink over it’. The two musicians spent approximately ninety minutes talking, leading Rockett to conclude that the perceived friction between different rock genres was largely a media creation intended to influence fans.