Leif Garrett hit pop-sensation status in 1977 with a remake of ‘Runaround Sue’ and ‘Surfin’ USA’.

By 1978 he’d released a follow-up album, Feel The Need, and topped the charts with his biggest hit ‘I Was Made for Dancin”.

But it wasn’t until the early 80s that Dean discovered his musical hero – at the bottom of a pile of magazines.

“I remember it was February 17 in 1980, one of the kids I used to hang with came running up the road and said a stack of magazines had been dumped from a clean up.

“I was absolutely in love with ABBA, especially Agnetha the blonde, so we were looking for ABBA stuff and I came across a picture of Leif and it was like love at first site,” Dean said.

“My absolute favourite song is ‘Memorise Your Number’ but it was only played on Wollongong radio stations back then – I listened to the vinyl over and over, I was rapt with the song.”

Since then, Dean – who also goes by Deanna – has followed Leif’s career with enthusiasm and has even modelled his “look”.

“I have a cyan shirt the same as the one he wore, and I’ve got the long, layered hair just like his – which is also a lot like Agnetha’s,” he laughed.

Dean said one of Leif’s most recent performances had been in November 2016 at Whiskey a Go Go in California.

“I’ve never been to LA, but for the chance to see Leif perform I’ve definitely thought about it.”

Until he decides to travel across the world for a chance at eye contact with Leif, Dean has a substitute he made personally: a life size, top-half replica of the man himself.

“I made a photo of him into A4 tiles, and it’s made with household items – cereal box panels, vinyl… It took me about a week.”

Until he’s able to see the real thing, Dean is working on his own covers of Leif’s music, which he hopes to incorporate to his performances in the Wollongong Older Musician’s Club at Jamberoo Bowling Club.