At 15 years old, Bret Michaels and a pal took a Greyhound bus from central Pennsylvania to Boston with what they thought was a fool-proof plan.

“We took our drum kit and guitar and thought that if we went to Boston and played at a couple house parties that we were surely going to be signed by Clive Davis because we thought that’s how Aerosmith got signed,” Michaels told the Herald.

“That did not work out,” Michaels added with a laugh. “So we took the Greyhound bus back.”

To get signed, Michaels would have to move to Los Angeles a few years later. With a couple of other friends from his small Pennsylvania town — drummer Rikki Rockett and bassist Bobby Dall — the group hooked up with guitarist C.C. DeVille to form Poison. The band would notch four multi-platinum albums but its start was about as glamorous as a ten-hour Greyhound trip.

“I sold everything I owned – I raced motocross, sold the dirt bike – moved across the country and we lived behind a dry cleaner for two or three years in sleeping bags on the floor,” Michaels said. “Which was a blessing because we could practice at the place at night.”

These days Michaels finds the time to cram in Poison reunion tours, TV projects, and solo treks — the singer headlines MGM Music Hall on Aug. 1 with Motley Crue’s Vince Neil and Ratt’s Stephen Pearcy. Through it all, he says he remains as enthusiastic as ever.

“I’m as excited now as I was when I first picked up the guitar,” he said. “That passion supersedes the battle I’ve had with diabetes since I was 6. A lot of times (touring) sort of heals me and I forget about that struggle and focus on the good things.”

Recently Michaels spent a lot of time focusing on good things from that first guitar to those nights in the laundromat. He put together the book “Bret Michaels: Auto-Scrap-ography Volume 1: My Life in Pictures & Stories” a few years ago. After going through old photos and keepsakes, he came up with 2023 solo single “Back in the Day” — a singalong rocker with a nostalgic feel.

Like so much of what Michaels does, “Back in the Day” is party music. It’s that party vibe that’s made him an enduring success, crossing over to modern country audiences.

“One night I’m doing a Bret Michaels show at (an amphitheater), the next night I’m traveling to go on stage with Kenny Chesney,” he said. “I’ll do big country festivals and I’m the only rock act there. I go out and be myself and I think it’s about good feelings and relatable songs.”

Relatable songs that you want to party to: “Talk Dirty to Me,” “Unskinny Bop,” “Nothin’ But A Good Time.” Of course, Michaels signature song, “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” could have been a hit during any era, a country smash in 2010 or a soft rock hit in 1970.

As much fun as Michaels has been having on his own, he knows that he needs to get his old friends back together soon. 2026 will be the 40th anniversary of Poison debut “Look What the Cat Dragged In.”

“We’re talking about, maybe 2026, maybe 2027,” he said. “But mark my word, it will happen.”

For tickets and details, visit bretmichaels.com.