The Hollywood Reporter has published an excerpt from the new book by author Zach O'Malley, Michael Jackson, Inc.: The Rise, fall, and Rebirth of an Empire Billion Dollar containing a story that recounts the first meeting of Bon Jovi with the king of pop.
In 1987 the Jersey side was in the highest point of his career and happens to be in Tokyo, while Jackson was performing a three sold-out nights at the 135000-capacity Korakuem Stadium. Only luck, they were also living together in the same hotel. BJ manager Frank Dileo held a follow-up meeting between the two musical forces and was as rare as you can imagine:
The hotel was shaped like a hand, palm containing an elevator bank. The fingers radiating outwards, to each his own wing with multiple rooms; on the top floor, one wing was cut by Jackson and his inner circle.
Dileo took Bon Jovi and his bandmates down a long hallway to the bedroom of the singer, pausing to slick back his hair and off his cigarette before opening the door.
"The room had been torn to shreds and redecorated," says Bon Jovi. "They put mirrors on the wall so [Jackson] could practice their dance and a wooden dance floor there. Y took over a wing of the hotel. Needless to say, spending money that was not really a problem. "
Jackson then entered the room of his signature all black attire and his Bad Tour rockers tried to impress him with stories of fame:
The Jersey rockers, fresh from a series of concerts in Australia - and new traps to Superstar - Jackson immediately began regaling with tales of his trip. They were so big Down Under, who told him he had to buy wigs and false mustaches to avoid paparazzi; the only way out of the hotel was in a laundry truck. Jackson smiled and nodded; never disclose the fact that he had been doing the same since his Jackson 5 days.
"So we made small talk and he could not have been better," says Bon Jovi.
Bon Jovi invited Jackson to hang out in your hotel room, but Jackson did not show up. Instead, he sent some entertainment to take their place for the night: Bubbles the chimp.
"We proceeded to get drunk, have plenty of water fights, knocking on doors, things typical classic rock star to do in the eighties," Bon Jovi says. "And [we] blamed it all on the bubble."
"We were having a blast two floors down with bubbles, and he was there practicing her dance," says Bon Jovi. "While we were being goofballs and enjoy our success, which was practicing even after the shows, because I was so focused ultra-über be Michael Jackson.'s Blessing was the curse."
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