Lenny Kravitz's life "changed" after watching Michael Jackson live.
The American rockstar has made the charts with hit singles including Fly Away, American Woman and Always on the Run.
When he was around six years old, Lenny's father took him to see the late pop legend perform with The Jackson 5 at Madison Square Garden. Lenny can remember how in awe he was of them.
"Everything changed the next day. That's when I realised what I wanted to do in my life," he told the latest issue of Ocean Drive magazine. "They wore these really funky outfits - they had the Afros, boots that came up to the knee paired with knickers, and colourful shirts and vests. It was the most incredible thing I had ever seen."
The 49-year-old musician also found he was influenced by his parents, Roxie Roker and Sy Kravitz, and their friends. Being in a creative environment inspired Lenny to become a part of the industry.
"I was around people like Miles Davis, who at that time had moved from his suit look to being really funky, wearing all these great leather, suede, and denim outfits, big glasses, and ethnic jewellery," he recalled. "A lot of my parents' friends were poets, writers, actors, and directors, and this was the very early '70s in New York City, so people were very colourful. And their apartments were very expressive, and I was just drawn to that."
He was so keen to get the aesthetics of his lifestyle right that he spent a lot of time decorating his bedroom when he was growing up. By generating the right atmosphere Lenny found he was able to appreciate music more.
"Even as a child, I would pay careful attention to the lights, to how things were positioned in the room," he explained. "I would go find these funky lights for my stereo in these weird little head shops, and I had posters and plants everywhere - the typical things a teenager would do to give his room vibe. But it was really important to me because it made me want to be more creative, and it enhanced the way I listened to music."
