Jon Bon Jovi, the legendary frontman of Bon Jovi, is reliving some of the most outrageous and heartwarming moments of his rock-and-roll life—including a hilarious tale involving a fake mustache, a hotel full of fans, and the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson. In a recent exclusive with PEOPLE magazine and during an April 2024 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Bon Jovi shared a colorful story from the band’s 1986 Slippery When Wet tour, just as the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame unveiled its new “Bon Jovi Forever” exhibit.

What started as a tactical effort to escape the overwhelming gaze of fame turned into a memory shared between two of the most iconic musicians of their era.

A Wig, a Hat, and a Mustache: The Great Disguise

Back in 1986, at the peak of Bon Jovi’s explosive success, slipping out unnoticed wasn’t easy. Especially not in fan-crazed cities like Sydney or Melbourne. So Jon and his bandmates got creative.

“In order to be there amongst all the fans in front of our own hotel, we bought these great wigs and hats and mustaches,” Bon Jovi told PEOPLE. “We actually did pull it off in Australia. It was a lot of fun.”

The disguise—consisting of curly black hair, a floppy hat, and a phony mustache—worked so well that the band mingled undetected with their own fans. That very same disguise is now immortalized in the Bon Jovi Forever exhibit at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, adding an unexpected but delightful item to rock history.

Telling the King of Pop

Years later, Jon recounted the tale to none other than Michael Jackson. “He pretended as though he’d never done anything like that,” Bon Jovi recalled with a laugh, noting that he suspected Jackson had pulled off similar stealth missions.

The exchange between the two superstars revealed an unspoken bond formed through shared experiences of global fame. “It was just one of those fun stories,” Jon said. “Something we both could understand.”

Enter Bubbles: When the Chimp Took the Stage

The nostalgia didn’t end there. During his Jimmy Kimmel Live! appearance on April 10, 2024, Bon Jovi shared another story from their shared time in Tokyo. While staying at the same hotel, Jon invited Jackson to hang out with the band on their floor. Michael didn’t show—but he did send someone else: his beloved chimpanzee, Bubbles.

“Bubbles comes down and wreaks havoc,” Jon said. “He was jumping on the bed, putting on a show. He hung hard.”

The impromptu chimp party left the hotel in disarray and had management threatening to evict the band. “It felt like a lifetime of trouble,” Jon joked. But the memory has since become another cherished chapter in Bon Jovi lore.

Bon Jovi Forever: The Exhibit and the Docuseries

The timing of these stories couldn’t be more fitting. The Bon Jovi Forever exhibit, which opened June 8, 2024, in Cleveland, features artifacts from every chapter of the band’s journey—including rare audio, video, photographs, and personal items never before seen. The disguise from the 1986 tour? Front and center.

The exhibit complements Hulu’s docuseries Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story, which premiered April 26, 2024. The series takes fans deeper into the band’s evolution, lineup changes, and behind-the-scenes drama—offering context to stories like these, which blend humor, humility, and history.

A Legacy Built on Music—and Mischief

Jon Bon Jovi’s walk down memory lane reminds us that even rock stars need a little escape now and then—sometimes with the help of a wig or a chimpanzee. Whether blending into a crowd in Australia or trading stories with Michael Jackson, Bon Jovi has always balanced stardom with humanity.

And thanks to a mustache, a memory, and a mischievous monkey, the legend of Bon Jovi continues to grow—not just in records sold, but in the stories that make rock-and-roll more than just music.