A Willow Deeply Scarred

Slash, 43, who described Jackson’s death as “very sad” adding that he was “a talent from on high” first met the superstar after a phone call came out of the blue.

“I was staying at the Hyatt Hotel on Sunset Boulevard when I got a call from the Guns N’ Roses office,” he recalls.

“Hey Slasher, Michael Jackson is trying to get in touch with you,” said our manager. “He wants you to play on his record.”

“‘Oh wow!’ I said. ‘Okay.’ The next call was from Michael himself. ‘Hello Slash,’ he said in his typically nervous, timid voice, and off we went from there.

“I was flattered and I was intimidated but the sessions came off great. We did two songs – the cooler one was Give In To Me, which was like a new take on his song Dirty Diana.

“Michael was there with Brooke Shields, who he was dating at the time.

“It was trippy and the studio was dimly lit. I shook hands with them both and played.

“‘I really want to thank you so much for being on my album,’ Michael said. ‘I really can’t wait to hear what you come up with!’

“Then they split, and went off to dinner.”

A few days later Slash returned to record a guitar solo for hit single Black Or White, famously mimed by Home Alone star Macaulay Culkin in the video.

Jacksons era close ups

Michael Jackson - Loving You (Xscape’s 2014 Version) (FULL)