David Bowie once saved Peter Frampton from a faulty private jet

David Bowie performing during his Glass Spider Tour in Sydney, 1987: Photos Getty
David Bowie performing during his Glass Spider Tour in Sydney, 1987: Photos Getty

Peter Frampton has revealed how David Bowie once carried him out of a smoke-filled private jet.

The musician, who first met Bowie at school in Bromley, joined him on the 1987 Glass Spider world tour and album to play guitar.

In an extract from his new memoir, Do You Feel Like I Do?, Frampton explained how the pair were awaiting take-off in a private tour plane, when Bowie noticed smoke billowing into the cabin.

“On that tour we had private planes,” Frampton wrote, “and on one flight smoke started coming out of the vents.

“Dave stands up and goes, ‘Smoke! Smoke!’ So the pilot stops and the flight attendant pulls the back stairway down.

“I’m in my seat and Dave literally lifts me out of my seat and carries me down the chute.

“I will never forget that. He coulda ran out but he wanted to make sure I was okay. That was the kind of guy he was with me, and in general. He was a lovely man.”

Frampton is suffering from a muscle disease called inclusion body myositis, which sparks inflammation of the tissues, gradually weakening muscles. His memoir is expected later this year.

Bowie’s bass guitarist, Matthew Seligman, who performed with him at Live Aid, recently died of coronavirus.

He passed away on Friday 17 April at the age of 64 after spending two weeks on a ventilator.

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