Chris Cornell has told NME.COM of his love for Michael Jackson, who died yesterday (June 25).
The former Soundgarden singer recently covered the star's 1983 hit 'Billie Jean'.
"I was on my way from Poland to Berlin following a show. At 1am I got the news and was immediately saddened,” he said. "I remembered being six years old and seeing the Jackson 5 on our black and white TV. His brothers were cool but he had a halo around him.
"Superstar at 12. What promise. He had magic! It was by chance that I recorded and rearranged his song 'Billie Jean' and have been amazed at the response it gets when I perform it every night. He was amazingly talented and largely misunderstood.
"I hope that the media will be kind and celebrate the genius instead of cashing in on the tabloid angles that made him a prisoner. I think he deserves that."
Read Michael Jackson's obituary on NME.COM now.
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