Pete Evick, the longtime guitarist for Poison frontman Bret Michaels‘ solo band, has issued a fierce response to critics and former associates following the controversy surrounding the planned Freedom 250 Great American State Fair.
Michaels withdrew from the multi-week event last week after a string of other scheduled performers, including The Commodores, Martina McBride, Morris Day and the Time, and Young MC, distanced themselves from the lineup. In his cancellation statement, Michaels explained that what was originally billed as a non-partisan celebration had become a highly divisive event.
He wrote at the time: “When this opportunity was originally presented to my team, it was described as a celebration of our country through music and a chance to honor our veterans, active military, first responders, teachers and hardworking Americans from all walks of life. As the son of a veteran, and coming from a family that has proudly served, that is something I have always been honored to support.”
“As many of you know, I’ve spent my entire career bringing people together through music, positivity and good vibes. My shows have never been about politics. They’re about giving people a place to come together, have a great time and forget about life’s stresses for a few hours.”
“Unfortunately, what was presented to us as a celebration of our country has evolved into something much more divisive than what I agreed to be a part of. Concerns have also been raised regarding the safety of my fans, band, crew, family and myself, including threats that are completely unfounded and unforgivable. Because of that, I have made the difficult decision to step away from this performance.”
“This isn’t about politics. It’s about staying true to what I’ve always believed in. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. That’s one of the freedoms our veterans fought for and something I’ve always respected. But as a father, friend and bandmate, I have to take threats and safety concerns seriously.”
“I believe in our country, in the freedoms we’re afforded, and in the idea that for over 250 years we have gone through both highs and lows together and remained resilient. Music is a universal language that unites us, not divides us. Just like it did when I entertained a record-breaking crowd of over 100,000 at the St. Louis Arch for an Independence Day celebration with people from across the country who came together to honor our freedoms through music. The focus was on the music, the fans and celebrating together.”
“I will continue to proudly support our veterans, active military members, teachers, first responders and the organizations that serve them, just as I always have.”
“I also want my amazing fans in Washington, D.C. to know that I love you all, and I fully intend to come back and perform in our nation’s capital under circumstances where the focus can remain on what it should be — the music and the fans. In the meantime, we’ll keep the ‘Live & Amplified‘ tour rocking, and I look forward to seeing all of you out on the road soon.”
“This is said with much love, gratitude, and respect.”
On June 1, Evick took to his personal Facebook page to address the intense online backlash the camp received prior to pulling out of the gig. The guitarist expressed deep frustration with a segment of the band’s audience that quickly turned on Michaels, pointing out the singer’s extensive 21-year history of charitable work for military personnel, including building homes for veterans and donating millions of dollars to various veteran organizations.
“Everyone has opinions, I know I can’t change them, but… I would certainly like everyone to have all the facts if you are literally turning your back on someone you loved 96 hours ago,” Evick wrote.
The musician saved his harshest words for individuals within their inner circle and fanbase who had previously accepted favors or financial help from the band, only to join the online pile-on.
“Moving on, on a very personal note with a completely different tone,” Evick continued. “If Bret or me have ever put a dime in your pocket, given you a free ticket, a free meet and greet, a free hotel room, a free flight, a photo pass, let you or your child perform onstage with us, gotten something signed for you or your charity, let you stand on the side of the stage, let you open for us, given you a shout out on social media, gone out of our way to call or FaceTime a sick or dying relative that we don’t even know, or if you are one of those people when I’ve gotten Bret to show up at one of my local gigs, and you were the first in line to be close to him who has now openly turned your back on him. F**K OFF.”
He added: “We see you, we see your posts, F**K OFF. I’m not saying you have to openly support him. But those that called us friends four days ago and have used and abused us and have now turned on us. F**K OFF.”
Evick also pushed back against critics who mocked the band’s security concerns, telling them to read a recent Forbes magazine report regarding similar safety issues faced by Joe Rogan. You can read his full statement on his Facebook page.
Following the mass departure of the musical acts, Donald Trump addressed the situation during an appearance on the “Pod Force One” podcast, dismissing the significance of the cancellations.
“They’re not really cowards, but I never even heard of these people. I never heard of any of them. They’re boring. I don’t even want ’em. And when I heard a couple of them canceled out, I was like, ‘Cancel the whole thing. We’re gonna do a rally.’ …. Nobody’s ever gotten crowds like I get at a rally.”
He later added: “A couple of them said, ‘We don’t want anything that’s partisan. I said, ‘That’s okay. Go some place else.'”
While Trump dismissed the lineup collectively, Michaels actually has a well-documented history with the politician, having won the Trump-hosted “Celebrity Apprentice 3” reality show back in 2010. In his social media statement, Evick emphasized that their band’s relationship with the Trump family long predates his entry into politics.
“If you dig and do enough research you will see that on multiple occasions we have played Trump‘s golf course for charitable events,” Evick noted. “Way before he became a politician we performed at Trump‘s daughter’s bachelorette party.”
