Legendary Rock Interviews' John Parks reports:

"I told Michelle Young she was a “civilian”, indicating her current clean and so discrete status as a normal, everyday mom to her son placed her far away from the publicity whore status of most of the bands and entertainers we’ve interviewed over the years. That said, it would also be fair to say that between growing up with the guys who would form Guns N’ Roses, inspiring a classic song ("My Michelle") and having some interesting dealings with some of those guys, she might have a few stories to tell. After spending some time in the artist management biz (working with Stone Temple Pilots, among others), “My Michelle” has absolutely kept a lower profile in recent years and reached a place where she’s comfortable talking about those fuzzy Sunset Strip memories. I recently had the pleasure of talking with Michelle about it all.."

An excerpt from the interview follows:

Q: How did you end up meeting Slash when you were growing up?

A: "We went to school together, he was a grade ahead of me. There was a group of probably like, ten of us, who were just inseparable. We were always together, we did everything together, we’d go to parties, go to the beach and all of that. That whole group of us were just really close friends and we’re still friendly to each other, a lot of us. That was how I got to know Slash and Steven, just in school."

Q: Did you know Tracii Guns as well, there’s been mention of the rivalry between him and Slash, did you see any of that?

A: "Yeah, I knew Tracii from school too. You know, I wish I could remember if there was but I honestly don’t remember that. I just remember when Tracii wasn’t in the band anymore one day. It seemed like just one day, he and Rob (Gardner) weren’t in the band anymore and then all of a sudden Duff, Izzy and Axl appeared. I really don’t remember Axl’s introduction, I just remember one day going to Slash’s house and Axl was there."

Q: Backpedal a bit… when you were hanging out with that group and partying with them before the band got serious was there a point where you started noticing that Slash and Steven were really serious about their music or at least really talented?

A: "It was always apparent that Slash was very serious, he would never go anywhere without his guitar. He really did always have his guitar, his cigarettes and a bottle of Jack. He was soooo into his guitar.  I think I went to a couple of shows that they played which were really just like parties around Hollywood. I went to a couple shows and I saw them and I thought they were really good but it was when I saw them for the first time as Guns N’ Roses at the Troubadour that I knew, I knew they were gonna be something."

Q: So, the long standing story was that you were in a car with Axl and Elton John, “Your Song” came on and you told him you always wanted someone to write a song for you. Careful what you wish for but is that fairly accurate, is that how you remember that going down?

A: (laughs) "Yeah, that’s pretty much how that played out. We were driving to a show I think it was and that song came on and I was like “Oh, that’s such a beautiful song; I wish someone would write a song like that about me”. And then, lo and behold came “My song” (laughs)."

Read the complete interview at this location.