Boy George’s memoir Karma is out stateside this week, and in the book the English musician recounts a negative experience he had with Janet Jackson back in the ’80s. “When it comes to me and Janet, let’s wait a while,” he wrote before going into detail about meeting her “without my face on.”

“She wasn’t friendly and didn’t try to be,” he wrote. “But I just walked off and got myself into my best ‘Boy George’ and was walking around backstage to make sure I was seen by everyone.” He was approached by one of her crew to record a video message for Jackson, and says he told her: “‘Next time you meet someone, be nice.'” After that, George was invited to Jackson’s dressing room, where she told him she didn’t recognize him when he had introduced himself. He said that he responded: “Are you saying you would have been nice to me if you knew who I was?”

“When you write a book like this, there’s a chance you’re going to bump into someone that you’ve written about,” he told PEOPLE. “I have to say what I’ve written about people is the truth of what happened and how they behaved. So I’m kind of comfortable with that.”

“I’m always someone who’s prepared to bury the hatchet because there’s always another opportunity to be different,” Boy George continued. “At this point, there’s certain people I’m never gonna be friends with unless a miracle happens — and I guess I put her in that category.”

Boy George also told PEOPLE about meeting Tina Turner, which also didn’t go well. That bit didn’t make his memoir, but he said their meeting happened backstage after an Elton John show. In the dressing room, he was introduced by Elton and “[Tina] turned her back” on him. “I’m the biggest Tina Turner fan on the planet,” he added, bringing up their shared Buddhist beliefs. “I mean, I forgave her and I loved her.”

“I love Janet Jackson’s music and I love Madonna and I love all the people I’ve written about,” Boy George continued on to PEOPLE. “I suppose when you write things about other artists, it’s also — note to self — you remember that perhaps there’s been times in your life when you weren’t friendly to everyone you met. It’s 1000% easier to be nice. Not only Is it easier to be nice as it’s better for you.”