“Ladies And Gentlemen: Miss Grace Jones”: Actor Ian McShane says that he recorded his iconic Slave To The Rhythm spoken-word intro after smoking “a large spliff” with Trevor Horn in the studio

Ian McShane.

Grace Jones’ Slave To The Rhythm album features one of the most memorable spoken-word song intros of all time, and now actor Ian McShane has revealed the details of the circumstances that led him to record it with producer Trevor Horn.

In answer to a question put to him by a reader of The Guardian, McShane confirmed the rumour that Horn approached him about lending his vocal talents to Jones’ 1985 album in a chip shop, telling him that “I need a voice, and Orson Welles is dead.”