Bowie and Spice Girls PR Alan Edwards: ‘Through punk I

The music publicist was given up for adoption and always had a sense of not belonging but, in his job, he found his kindred spirits

I always knew I was adopted. I had a sister, Mary, and a brother, Tony, and we all looked quite different, so I suppose our adoptive parents, Harrington and Elizabeth had to tell us the truth. They took us all in as babies – each one a year apart – I’m the eldest. We were all told from the beginning and it was a warm, loving family – it was only me that was the tearaway.

We were happy growing up in Worthing, Sussex, and our parents provided a loving family home, so I didn’t think about being adopted much during my early childhood. But as I moved into my teenage years and beyond, my parents struggled to contain me – as Bob Dylan sang, “Your sons and daughters are beyond your command,” and so it was with me.