Bret Michaels talks about concert at Hard Rock Live

By Hart Baur2/17/2012

Bret Michaels is back. One of rock’s most endearing figures returns to Hard Rock Live on Saturday. What separates him from many of his peers is his legendary devotion to his fans and his ability to cross over from rock to country or even into television with Rock of Love on VH1 and on Donald Trump’s Celebrity Apprentice — which he won. Still, he’s just a man who loves to play live music.

Your shows, whether solo or with Poison, are always a little raw.

I want fans to know there could be some glitches. I want them to know it’s going to be raw, that some nights you’re going to be dead-on, and some nights your vocals are going to be beat-up a little bit, but I’m giving a real, live show.

There’s nothing like a little feedback or mishap with a guitar to make it so real.

I say I’m a comedy of errors that has managed to somehow get through and succeed at stuff [laughs]. And believe me, we have nights where everything — and I mean solo as well as with Poison — you go out there, everything is unbelievable, you’ve had a great sound check, and all of a sudden your wireless mike doesn’t work, and you’re singing, and it’s like, dead. Boom! It’s also what makes it exciting for the audience as every show is a little different.

Do you like performing solo?

The main difference is you play the music obviously a little different … but the energy and the party are exactly the same. I just get to play as an artist and a musician. I just get to play a lot more instruments. You get the hard-core Poison fans, mixed in with some of the country fans that have grown over the years, along with some of the college fans that come out as I have some stuff with Keisha and LMFAO when I go down and play Panama City, all the spring-break stuff.

Anything new on the horizon?

I was having Thanksgiving with Loretta Lynn, and we started playing Every Rose Has its Thorn, and we said, “Maybe we should do that together.” Next thing you know, we are recording it with Jonny Lang on guitar and there is a girl who almost won The Voice named Beverly McClellan. I love her, she’s a Florida girl. I’m going to have her come in and sing with me on Every Rose as well.

Bret Michaels plays at 8 p.m. Saturday at Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino; $39-69.

Speak up!