BRIAN MOLKO thinks that David Bowie is still with them as a "lucky star."

The 49-year-old rocker - who is known for being the frontman of rock band Placebo - had worked with David over the years and admitted that he still sees the legendary glam rock icon as a "mentor" who is still with him following his death from liver cancer at the age of 69 back in 2016.

He said: "I feel like I still carry a piece of him with me, as a mentor, godfather or lucky star. I still feel it's hard for me to talk about David. I have absolute gratitude for him, unequivocally. There are certain days, like his birthday, when he would have been 75-, I'm nearly 50 now, I'm getting old so I often think about him. When he was my age he threw a huge party at Madison Square Garden,which we had the honour of playing. When I was in his orbit I was young and arrogant."

The 'Pure Morning' hitmaker - who collaborated with the late star on Placebo hit'Without You I'm Nothing' - went on to explain that he didn't "fully understand' the impact that 'Ziggy Stardust' icon had had on him until after his death and admitted that sometimes the grief "hits him hard."

He told The Daily Star's Wired column: "I was convinced I deserved to be there by his side. He had to leave us before I fully understood the influence he had on me as an artist and a human being. At the time, I didn't realise anything. Today all of that apprenticeship makes sense. Sometimes emotions hit me hard and talking about David often does that to me."