.01 / Memoir · Summer 2026

Ghost Notes

My Life in Poison

by Rikki Rockett with Martin Svensson & Leif Eriksson

From the suburbs of Mechanicsburg to the neon glare of Los Angeles — the raw, relentless story of one of glam metal's defining drummers, and everything he saw between the beats.

Hardcover · 1st Edition Rare Bird Books Distributed by Simon & Schuster
Ghost Notes — My Life in Poison · book cover featuring Rikki Rockett refracted through cracked glass
.02 / Get the Book
Rikki Rockett portrait

Get Your Copy

Hardcover. Audiobook. Ebook. Pick your poison and grab it from your favorite retailer — or skip the line with an exclusive signed first edition.

A Genuine Rare Bird Book · Distributed by Simon & Schuster

.03 / The Story

The Story

From the suburbs of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, to the neon glare of Los Angeles, Rikki Rockett's journey is as raw and relentless as the beat of his drums. Before becoming the flamboyant, fire-breathing drummer of Poison, Rockett was a restless kid with a taste for rebellion and an obsession with music that refused to let him go.

In Ghost Notes, Rockett pulls no punches as he recounts the wild ride from basement bands and dishwashing jobs to forming one of the most iconic glam-metal acts of the 1980s.

Brutally honest, darkly funny, and packed with never-before-told stories — both confession and celebration.

Beyond the sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll, Rockett confronts the shadows: fractured family ties, addiction, betrayal, cancer, brushes with death, and a lifelong search for meaning beyond the stage.

A backstage pass to a life lived loud, fast, and without apology — and to the quiet ghost notes humming underneath the noise.

Written With Martin Svensson
And Leif Eriksson
Rikki Rockett with snare drum, 2026 portrait
Ghost Note / noun /
The quiet hits between the loud ones — the texture, the feel, the things you barely hear but always feel.
— Drumming term · the language of this book
45M+ Albums Sold
1983 Poison Founded
4 Decades on Stage
000Days
00Hours
00Minutes
00Seconds
Until August 11, 2026 · pre-order now
.04 / The Word
Through the years, [he has] not only provided the crushing backbeat to the band's biggest hits but has also served as a driving force in propelling the band forward.
Icon Vs. Icon
.05 / The Author
Rikki Rockett, author photo
Founding Drummer · Poison

Rikki Rockett

Founding Drummer·Entrepreneur·Martial Artist·Cancer Survivor·Storyteller

Rikki Rockett is a founding member and drummer of the multi-platinum rock band Poison, one of the most iconic acts of the 1980s and beyond. With over forty-five million albums sold worldwide and countless sold-out tours, Rockett's high-energy playing and flamboyant style have left an indelible mark on rock history.

Beyond music, he is an entrepreneur, martial artist, cancer survivor, and storyteller whose journey from small-town Pennsylvania to global superstardom embodies both grit and reinvention. Ghost Notes is his first memoir.

— The Last Track —

Between the Beats

Listen for the ghost notes. The ones the spotlight never caught. They're all in here.

Pre-Order Now