Recalling encounters with the unique David Bowie

David Bowie at Gosforth Park Hotel signing autographs supplied by Gary Craig

“Being a performer who owned the stage, his first movie was quite a typecast role, playing an alien,” says Wavis.

“But his performance on Broadway as John “The Elephant Man” Merrick showed that he really could act.

“He was found to be an excellent narrator too, when, in 1978, he narrated the Prokofiev composition of Peter and the Wolf.

“There was no task too big for his all-round talent and charisma.

“Hard to imagine that when he played the second-ever Glastonbury Festival in 1971 there were, allegedly, an audience of only 200!

“You can take your pick from any amount of his excellent hit singles and equally excellent albums over the decades as he would constantly, and like no other artist before him, change his style and appearance – an idea later copied by Madonna.

“You could never get bored with a chameleon!

“I first met up with David in 1977 when Iggy Pop (who at the time was one of those original lesser-known acts) announced a very short autumn tour in the UK, and it was rumoured Bowie might just turn up at some of the shows.

“I was well prepared and, sure enough, there he was playing keyboards for Iggy at Newcastle City Hall. I returned home with four autographs signed on glossy pictures.

“I next met up with him in 1978 after catching him at his Gosforth Park hotel while on tour, and he autographed my extremely rare USA Man Of Words, Man Of Music original Space Oddity album.

“I was offered £500 on the spot by a French fan alongside me. Thanks, but no thanks. Now, here’s the scoop: to this day nobody really knows what the Life On Mars lyric is all about – Bowie had even confused himself over it.

“But he told me that it was about a parallel universe.

“As both a performer and songwriter, Bowie was one of the best and clearly most original Britain has ever offered the world.

“Overall, the man was quite an enigma, living his latter years out in rather a reclusive way, retiring from live shows after an initial heart attack in 2004.

“As with all true rock legends, the legacy he leaves is his music and the videos that encapsulate the phenomena that was, and shall remain, the unique David Bowie.”

• Did you ever meet David Bowie? We’d love to hear from you.